belamy20

276-300

Added 2025-06-15 16:07:20 +0000 UTC

Chapter 276: Annihilating Heaven and Earth—The Pinnacle of Shinobi Power

This battle was on a completely different level.

For those watching, merely observing was life-threatening—let alone intervening. The gap between them felt like an insurmountable chasm.

And then there was Uchiha Madara.

Even the terrifying defense of his Perfect Susano’o couldn’t fully withstand the assault. The raging "Lightning Tiger" technique had already shattered half of its shoulder.

For once, even Madara had to admit it—this lightning attack packed one hell of a punch.

"Good. I acknowledge you," Madara declared, his voice dripping with exhilaration. "Of all the shinobi I’ve faced, your Lightning Release is unmatched. As Uchiha Madara, I name you the strongest Lightning Style user!"

As he spoke, an even more monstrous surge of chakra erupted from him. In an instant, his Perfect Susano’o regenerated, its colossal form towering once more.

"Now, if you’ve got no other tricks… prepare to die."

Madara advanced slowly, deliberately, as if savoring the despair he intended to inflict.

Yoru sighed, watching the Susano’o loom closer. "So Lightning Release isn’t cutting it anymore? How unfortunate." Shaking his head, he smirked. "If you really want to kill me, Madara, you’ll have to break my barrier first."

Provocation. Again.

And it infuriated Madara. No one—no one—had ever dared mock him like this. Yet Yoru kept pushing his buttons, again and again. Did this brat think he was made of clay?!

"You stubborn little bastard! Let’s see how long your ‘turtle shell’ lasts!" Madara roared, his composure shattered. The Susano’o’s massive blade swung down with devastating force.

Yoru sighed once more. "Well, we’ve played around long enough. Guess I should get serious. Hashirama’s already dealt with the Nine-Tails—no point dragging this out."

That single remark ignited Madara’s rage like nothing else.

"PLAYING AROUND?! You dare look down on me, Uchiha Madara?! I’LL KILL YOU!!"

With a thunderous bellow, the Susano’o conjured a spinning Yasaka Magatama, its edges sharper than any blade.

BOOM!

Yet the Six Pillar Flame Barrier held firm.

"Eight-Armed Asura!" Madara snarled. Six additional arms sprouted from the Susano’o’s back, each wielding a sword. The blades descended like divine punishment, compressing the air itself. The earth screamed under the pressure, fracturing violently as shockwaves ravaged the landscape.

The world seemed to blur—wind howled, dust choked the sky, and then—

KABOOM!!

The impact rivaled a nuclear detonation. The barrier… cracked.

"Now DIE, brat!" Madara’s eyes burned with murderous intent. The Susano’o’s sword cleaved downward, splitting the earth like paper.

For the first time, Yoru’s expression turned deadly serious.

"Storm Release…"

He clasped his hands together. An ocean of chakra erupted from his body, so dense it crushed the ground beneath him. The very air trembled, condensing into visible particles. His robes whipped violently, his hair lashed like storm clouds, and his eyes—deep as the cosmos—glowed with terrifying intensity.

"STORM DRAGON!!"

A massive, cobalt-blue dragon’s head materialized, and in an instant, the battlefield transformed into a sea of lightning. Bolts thicker than millstones crackled wildly as the dragon lunged, its sheer force slamming into the Susano’o’s blade—and pushing it back.

A serpentine leviathan, coiled like a mountain range, now faced the Susano’o. And atop its head stood Yoru, unwavering.

"Let’s end this, Uchiha Madara."

The dragon roared. The sky became a canvas of electricity.

"YOU ARROGANT LITTLE SHIT!" Madara had never backed down from a fight. The Susano’o charged forward.

BOOM!!

Dragon met fist. The air itself twisted visibly from the collision.

The shockwave that followed made Hashirama Senju pale. He instantly entered Sage Mode, summoning the Deity Gates to shield Konoha.

But this wasn’t just destruction—it was apocalyptic.

Even with Hashirama’s "True Several Thousand Hands" barrier, the force cracked its massive arms like porcelain. Had it not been there, Konoha—no matter how vast—would’ve been erased.

Tobirama Senju’s Four Red Yang Formation? Shattered by the aftershocks alone.

Then—THUD. THUD. THUD.

A heavy, rhythmic tremor. The Konoha shinobi turned—and froze.

The Perfect Susano’o was being forced back, until finally, it crashed into a mountainside.

Hashirama’s eyes widened. "Madara’s… losing? That Storm Dragon’s power rivals my ‘Deity Gates: Topmost Buddha’!"

But Yoru wasn’t done.

"Storm Release: Stormlight Orb."

A single, fluid hand seal—so fast even Hashirama missed it—and a beam of condensed light shot from Yoru’s mouth.

The moment it appeared, Hashirama’s entire body prickled with dread. It wasn’t just light—it was density incarnate, a blade of pure force that crushed the air beneath it.

Madara felt it too. Even inside the Susano’o, his instincts screamed: "Dodge!"

But pride refused. "IMPOSSIBLE! I won’t accept this!"

Had it been Hashirama’s attack, he might’ve conceded. But from this brat? Never. The Susano’o raised its shield—

KABOOOOOM!!!!

Mountains vaporized. The earth quaked as if the planet itself had been struck. A thousand miles away, people mistook the tremor for an earthquake and fled their homes.

But for the Konoha shinobi who witnessed it?

This moment was seared into their souls forever.

Chapter 277: The Defeat of Uchiha Madara

This was what it meant to witness a battle between gods.

The Nine-Tails? Natural disasters? None of them compared to the sheer devastation unleashed by the clash of these two.

The Shinsūsenju (True Several Thousand Hands) stood as the first line of defense, reinforced by Hashirama’s wood clones and Tobirama’s shadow clones working together to erect a Four Red Yang Formation at half strength—just to protect Konoha from the aftermath.

And everything around the village?

Gone.

The land had been flattened into a barren wasteland, mountains shattered, rivers evaporated—what was once a lush, vibrant landscape now lay in ruins.

"SCHIIIING—!"

Then—a sound like the sky itself being split apart.

Every onlooker’s eyes widened, jaws dropping in disbelief.

What they saw defied reason.

The Perfect Susano’o—a titan they believed only a god could wield, capable of cleaving mountains with a single slash—had just been bisected from head to toe by a single beam of light fired from Yoru’s mouth.

The attack didn’t stop there.

It tore through the earth beneath the Susano’o, splitting the ground open in a thunderous quake, carving out a massive canyon in its wake. Somewhere along its path, it must have ruptured an underground water source—because within moments, the canyon’s depths began flooding, forming a rushing river.

If Uchiha Itachi had been present, he might have recognized the canyon’s origin point—near the Naka Shrine, the Uchiha clan’s sacred grounds. And that river now flowing below? It was none other than the Naka River—the very place where his brother, Shisui, had taken his own life.

But that was a story for another time.

Right now—

"Cough—!"

Madara crashed to the ground, breathing heavily, his entire right shoulder a mangled mess of flesh and exposed bone.

"Well, Madara? Still want to keep going?" Yoru panted, equally drained.

Storm Release: Stormlight Fang.

His ultimate armor-piercing technique.

In theory, nothing outside of Six Paths-level power—specifically, Yin-Yang Release—could block it. Even the Ten-Tails would be sliced in half by this attack.

The Shinsūsenju?

Useless.

Of course, he hadn’t developed this move for shinobi.

It was meant for enemies beyond this world—

The Ōtsutsuki Clan.

But such overwhelming power came at a cost: extreme chakra consumption and near-impossible control.

Just to master it, he had turned a thousand-mile stretch of uninhabited mountainous terrain in the Land of Water into flat plains. Three months of relentless training—an absurd amount of time for someone who could learn most jutsu in seconds.

But the results spoke for themselves.

The downside? Even with chakra reserves rivaling the Nine-Tails, he could only use it four times before exhausting himself.

"You damn brat…"

Madara’s glare was venomous as he stared up at Yoru, who now stood atop the fading form of his Storm Dragon.

Just as he was about to reignite the battle—

"ENOUGH!"

A thunderous voice cut through the tension, followed by a colossal wooden hand slamming down between them, forcibly separating the two.

Yoru glanced up.

Hashirama Senju.

Cloaked in Sage Mode, he stood atop the Shinsūsenju, his expression stern.

"If you keep fighting, you’ll destroy Konoha along with everything else. But if you’re still itching for a fight…" His gaze locked onto Yoru. "Then I’ll be your opponent."

Yoru chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Hard pass. Fighting you after going all-out against Madara? Not my idea of a fair matchup."

And he meant it.

Hashirama was, plain and simple, stronger than Madara.

Right now, Yoru was running on fumes. Meanwhile, Hashirama had instant regeneration—no hand seals needed.

Yoru took damage? Actual injuries.

Hashirama took damage? Gone in seconds.

Not to mention—

Madara hadn’t even been at full power.

The Perfect Susano’o armored over the Nine-Tails—**"Majestic Attire: Susano’o"**—that was Madara’s true peak. Only then could he rival Hashirama’s Shinsūsenju.

Even if Yoru could beat that version of Madara, the cost would be brutal.

But Hashirama?

Sage Mode + Shinsūsenju = Instant problem.

At full strength, Yoru might hold his own. Now? No chance.

And if things escalated? He’d be dealing with both of them at once.

Sure, Madara was a rogue shinobi now—but his bond with Hashirama wasn’t so easily severed. If Konoha was truly threatened, Hashirama wouldn’t hesitate to team up with Madara to crush the outsider first.

"Well, if there’s nothing else… I’ll be taking my leave."

Dispelling the Storm Dragon, Yoru landed lightly, hands tucked into his sleeves, his smile disarmingly casual.

"Came here for a nice visit, ended up in a world-ending brawl. What a pain."

He glanced toward Konoha and whistled.

A shadowy figure darted toward him—

Hashirama’s eyes narrowed.

A young woman.

Reiko.

"Big Brother, you were amazing! You were like a god out there—leveling mountains with a flick of your wrist!" she gushed, eyes sparkling with admiration.

Yoru shrugged. "Eh, those two can do the same. And there’s half of one back in the village."

He pointed at Hashirama (still atop his Shinsūsenju) and the battered Madara on the ground.

The "half" he mentioned?

Tobirama.

"Huh? That grumpy silver-haired guy? No way!" Reiko blinked in disbelief.

"Way. Dude’s the God of Speed, master of forbidden jutsu, and his water-style is unmatched. Top-tier in the whole shinobi world." Yoru flicked her forehead. "Don’t underestimate him."

Tobirama wasn’t quite Kage+ level—but he was damn close.

Just then—

"Wait."

Madara’s voice cut through the air.

Yoru paused but didn’t turn around. "Changed your mind, Madara? Hashirama, don’t blame me if he insists on round two."

A scoff.

"Tch. Don’t flatter yourself, brat." Madara’s voice was icy. *"I just wanted to make one thing clear—this isn’t over. Next time, I’ll repay this humiliation tenfold. Remember that."*

And with that—

"Whoosh!"

He vanished into the night.

Chapter 278: The Shinobi World is Shaken

"Tsk tsk… Being on that guy’s radar? Not ideal."

Yoru shrugged lazily, though his face showed no trace of actual concern.

"So, Lord Hashirama… You wouldn’t mind if I crashed in Konoha for the night, would you? It’s dangerous out here after dark."

He grinned at Senju Hashirama, who had just deactivated his Sage Mode and dismissed the Deity Gates.

"As long as you don’t cause trouble," Hashirama replied, his gaze sharpening. "But if you do… I’ll stop you, even if it costs me my life."

Yoru chuckled. "Of course. Much appreciated, Lord Hashirama."

With that, Yoru and Reiko settled back into Konoha for the night.

The Konoha shinobi, however, weren’t so lucky. They had no time to rest—sealing the Nine-Tails, clearing the wreckage, calming the civilians, assessing the damage, and keeping watch over Yoru… Their work was far from over.

But this was Senju Hashirama. Facing the ruins, he unleashed his Wood Release, transforming the devastation into sprawling forests. By morning, where rubble once lay, a vast, vibrant woodland stretched as far as the eye could see.

When Yoru woke up and saw the sea of green outside, he almost did a double take.

"Creation and destruction in one man… Truly terrifying."

Overnight, Hashirama had conjured dozens of kilometers of forest. The sheer density of life, the towering trunks, the overwhelming vitality—it was like staring at the embodiment of Yang Release itself.

"No wonder he’s hailed as the ‘God of Shinobi.’ That’s the power of creation in its purest form."

With a final glance, Yoru left Konoha under the watchful eyes of its ninja.

"Lord Hashirama, until we meet again." He gave a casual salute.

"Until then." Hashirama’s voice was grave.

Beside him stood a striking woman, regal and composed—Uzumaki Mito, the First Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, and Hashirama’s wife. A kunoichi powerful enough to suppress the Tailed Beast with sheer force.

"That man… He’s an enigma. And a threat." Mito’s eyes narrowed. "He can’t be older than twenty, yet his power rivals even yours."

Hashirama nodded grimly. "I pray we never face him as an enemy. If we do… the entire shinobi world will tremble."

The Shinobi World Erupts

Whether Yoru would become Hashirama’s enemy remained unknown, but one thing was certain—the world had taken notice.

News spread like wildfire: A mysterious warrior had defeated Uchiha Madara himself.

The shinobi world exploded in shock.

In Sunagakure, the Kazekage, Reto, nearly collapsed into his chair, wiping cold sweat from his brow.

"Thank the gods we didn’t provoke him further…"

If Madara alone could annihilate Suna, what hope did they have against the man who beat him?

A greedy thought flickered in Reto’s mind. "What if we recruited him?"

The idea was intoxicating—but also hopeless. Still, he had to try.

"Send envoys. Now."

Across the nations, the same scene played out:

Kirigakure, Kumogakure, Iwagakure—all scrambled to locate Yoru.

Smaller villages joined the hunt, offering any price for his allegiance.

The Great Five weren’t the only ones hungry for power.

Meanwhile…

"Big Brother, you’re famous!" Reiko giggled, skipping alongside Yoru like a carefree spirit. "The whole world’s looking for you. Exciting, huh?"

"Let them search. They’ll tire themselves out eventually."

Just then, a Sunagakure shinobi blocked their path, holding up a sketch of Yoru from his time in the Land of Wind.

"You seen this man?"

Yoru blinked innocently. "Nope! Just a traveler, sir. Who is he? Handsome fellow."

The shinobi scowled. "None of your business."

As the ninja stormed off, Reiko burst into laughter.

"Pfft—HAHAHA! ‘Never seen him’?! Right in front of him! Big Brother, you’re the worst!"

"Quiet, you." Yoru rolled his eyes. "Keep moving."

In the Hidden Sands of Time—The Land of Lōran

Queen Sara stared at the intelligence report, her lips parting in shock.

"So that’s why he was so confident…"

She had known Yoru was strong, but this?

"If only he would stay in Lōran…"

Her gaze drifted to her child—a boy with striking features, noble bearing, and an aura beyond his years.

But brilliance without protection was a curse.

And she knew… Yoru was no man to be caged.

One Year Later

The search parties had all but given up.

After months of scouring the world with no trace of Yoru, the great villages finally conceded:

He didn’t want to be found.

And so, the frenzy faded.

Until—

A single man arrived in Lōran.

And awakened the power slumbering beneath its sands.

Chapter 279: The Resurgence of Loulan

Thankfully, the only thing that had changed was Loulan. If anything else had been altered, he might have actually broken down in tears.

It was like playing a strategy game—spending years meticulously building a vast empire, only to step away for a bathroom break and return to a black screen.

Luckily, the black screen was just a display issue, not a system crash.

Otherwise, he’d have to start all over again!

"What’s wrong, Big Brother? Why are you so shocked that Loulan still exists? But... this is the world sixty years later? Honestly, it doesn’t feel that different."

As someone who had time-traveled, Reiko couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed as she surveyed the city before them.

"It’s only been six decades. Of course there aren’t any massive changes. Enough talk—let’s go home."

Right now, Yoru was desperate to return to Kirigakure. He needed to figure out just how much his time-traveling had altered the shinobi world.

Kirigakure – Hokage’s Office

"How much longer until Yoru-nii comes back? The Chunin Exams are almost here, and without him, morale is plummeting!"

Terumi Mei slumped in her chair, frustration written all over her face.

Since his disappearance, undercurrents of unrest had spread across the shinobi world—and major incidents had begun cropping up.

The most alarming?

The Akatsuki had started hunting Jinchūriki.

So far, the Four-Tails, Five-Tails, and Seven-Tails hosts had been captured.

Rumors claimed the Eight-Tails host had also been taken, but Kumogakure—aside from the Raikage’s furious declaration of war—had gone eerily silent.

The only one truly panicking was Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage.

And he was pointing fingers—straight at Kirigakure.

He accused the village of hiring Akatsuki, claiming they were gathering all the tailed beasts to forcibly unify the shinobi world under their rule.

Mei wanted to call it nonsense, but…

Under Yoru’s leadership, Kirigakure had expanded aggressively—economically, culturally, politically. To outsiders, it did look like they were preparing for domination.

So even though Mei knew Ōnoki was just stirring trouble, she couldn’t outright deny it.

And with Kirigakure cornered, smaller nations quickly rallied behind Iwagakure, howling for war, as if they couldn’t wait to tear the Land of Water apart.

Iwa wasn’t the only one seizing the opportunity.

Kumogakure—still nursing old grudges from past defeats—joined in. Even Sunagakure, despite its neutrality, seemed tempted.

Only Konohagakure remained silent.

But sometimes, silence spoke louder than words.

In the blink of an eye, Kirigakure found itself isolated—the entire world poised to attack.

The village—no, the entire Land of Water—was gripped by war panic.

Every day, wealthy merchants and nobles demanded an audience with the Mizukage, begging her to bring Yoru back to stabilize the situation.

But Mei was helpless.

If Yoru were here, do you think I’d be holding back like this?

If he were here, the other villages wouldn’t dare act so boldly.

But they’d guessed the truth—Yoru wasn’t in Kirigakure.

That’s why they were testing the waters, using smaller nations as pawns to probe Kirigakure’s defenses.

Under normal circumstances, any faction in this position would already be collapsing from internal strife—especially with so many vassal states under the Land of Water’s influence.

And yet…

Despite the looming threat of war, Kirigakure’s vassals hadn’t rebelled.

Why?

Because Yoru’s systems ran deep.

Years of economic and cultural dominance meant these nations couldn’t break away without destroying themselves.

And more importantly—they feared his return.

No one wanted to be the first to betray Kirigakure, only for Yoru to reappear and clean house.

But Mei knew this wouldn’t last forever.

Because internally, dissent was already brewing.

Some factions wanted to overthrow the shogunate rule and restore the daimyo’s power.

"If only you were here…"

Mei sighed, rubbing her temples as she finished reviewing another document.

Yoru’s absence made her realize just how much he’d shouldered alone.

He took on all the external pressure, leaving her to handle only village affairs.

"Thank goodness I listened to you and expanded the advisory council. Otherwise, I’d be drowning."

For now, the systems Yoru built were holding. But the moment the four great villages confirmed his absence—

War would break out.

Mei wasn’t worried about facing two villages at once. With her strength and Kirigakure’s current level, she could handle that.

But all four?

That was impossible.

Not everyone had Yoru’s monstrous power.

A Sudden Return

"My, my~ What’s troubling such a beautiful lady?"

A teasing voice cut through the silence.

Mei froze.

Her head snapped up—

And there he was.

Yoru.

Leaning casually against her desk, hands tucked in his sleeves, grinning like he hadn’t just vanished for weeks.

"Y-Yoru?! You’re back?!"

She shot up, grabbing his face with both hands, squeezing his cheeks as if to confirm he wasn’t an illusion.

Then, her shoulders slumped in relief, eyes glistening.

"Thank goodness… You’re really here. This isn’t a dream, is it?"

Yoru smirked. "Unless dreams have gotten a lot more realistic, no. I’m definitely here, sis."

"Right, right…"

Then her gaze shifted behind him—

To a certain wide-eyed girl peeking over his shoulder.

"And this is…?" Mei’s lips curled into a knowing smile. "Yoru~ Is this your little girlfriend?"

Her tone was a mix of amusement and pride—like a proud parent watching their child finally take an interest in romance.

"Cough—! Mei-nee, don’t jump to conclusions! This is Reiko, my adopted little sister. Reiko, say hello."

Reiko popped out from behind him, grinning.

"Hiya! You’re even prettier than Big Brother said!"

Mei blinked.

Then burst out laughing.

"Oh, Yoru~ You did miss me, didn’t you?"

Yoru groaned.

This was going to be a long day.

Chapter 280: A Battle of Women

"Hehe~ Hello, sister! My name is Reiko! If you think I’m good enough, I can even be Yoru-nii’s little wife!"

Reiko bounded forward, wrapping her arms around Mei Terumī’s slender wrist like an overexcited puppy.

"Reiko! What nonsense are you spouting?!" Yoru’s eye twitched in exasperation.

Mei, however, simply smirked, giving Reiko a knowing look. "Oh? If your ‘Yoru-nii’ agrees, then I’ll allow it."

She had already sensed the formidable chakra lurking beneath Reiko’s bubbly exterior. While not quite on her own level, the girl’s strength was undeniable—easily within Kirigakure’s top ten, surpassed only by the Three Jinchūriki and Kisame Hoshigaki.

"But~ Reiko-chan, you’ll have to work hard," Mei teased, her voice dripping with playful malice. "You’re not the only one vying for his attention. Some of your rivals are even stronger than you."

Reiko’s head snapped up, her eyes blazing like a cat whose favorite toy had been snatched away. "Sister! Who else?!"

Before Mei could answer, a dry, mocking voice cut through the air.

"Oh? Look who finally decided to show his face—the elusive ‘Yoru-sama’ himself."

Yugito Nii leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, her golden eyes glinting with barely concealed irritation. "Tch. At least you remembered where home is."

Reiko’s gaze instantly locked onto Yugito, her earlier cheer replaced by bristling hostility. She didn’t need Mei to spell it out—this was the competition.

"I’m Reiko! Yoru-nii’s future wife!" She clung to Yoru’s arm like a possessive koala, baring her teeth in challenge.

Yugito’s eyebrow arched. "Oh? Future wife? Yoru, I didn’t know you had such… tastes. She looks barely sixteen."

Her tone was light, but the edge in her voice was unmistakable.

Let’s be clear—Yugito absolutely had feelings for Yoru. She was just too damn tsundere to admit it out loud.

In Kirigakure, everyone knew better than to interfere. She had assumed she had all the time in the world to wear him down—until this cheeky brat showed up out of nowhere.

The air between the two women crackled with unspoken rivalry.

Yoru sighed, rubbing his temples. "Yugito, must you start this the moment I get back? And Reiko—if you squeeze any harder, my arm’s going to snap."

Yugito scoffed, tossing her hair, while Reiko reluctantly loosened her grip—though the tension between them only thickened.

"Ahem." Mei smoothly interjected, shifting to business mode. "Yugito, how are the preparations for the Chūnin Exams?"

"Four teams are ready," Yugito reported, though her eyes flicked toward Reiko with undisguised disdain. "But I doubt the other villages will dare show up this year."

Mei smirked. "They will now. Once word spreads that he’s back, those cowards will fall in line within days."

"Tch. True. Nobody wants a repeat of last time." Yugito’s lips curled in satisfaction at the memory of Yoru humiliating their rivals. Then, with one last glare at Reiko, she stalked off.

Mei turned to Reiko. "So, what’s your specialty?"

"Assassination."

"…Oh?" Mei blinked, surprised. The girl’s cheerful demeanor hid a lethal edge. "Report to the ANBU for evaluation."

With a wave, a masked operative appeared, escorting Reiko away.

Mei tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Not a bad match for Yoru, actually."

In the shinobi world, monogamy was more of a suggestion than a rule.

Powerful men took multiple wives.

Strong women kept multiple husbands.

The only requirement? Being strong enough to get away with it.

Meanwhile…

Yoru’s first stop was the medical ward, where he delivered the Blood Sun Blossom to Kurumi for analysis.

"Let me know if it works. This is why I left in the first place."

Next, he headed straight for the Mizukage’s court. It was time to crush a few rebellious ideas.

The Next Day – Court Assembly

The moment Yoru strode into the chamber, the gathered officials collectively flinched. Some sighed in relief; others broke out in cold sweat.

"Let me make this clear," Yoru’s voice was ice. "I don’t know everything you’ve been plotting… but by all means, keep testing me. See what happens."

His gaze lingered on a few particularly guilty faces, and the message was unmistakable:

"Try me."

Ripples Across the Nations

News of Yoru’s return spread like wildfire—and the Land of Water erupted in celebration.

Villagers wept with joy. Their guardian was back.

No war could touch them now.

Because nobody—nobody—defeated Yoru.

Elsewhere…

Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, smirked to himself.

"Knew it. That fox was never gone. Trying to bait me into attacking? Nice try."

He’d seen through the ruse. The moment rumors had spread about Yoru’s disappearance, Ōnoki had laughed.

"After all the times he’s outmaneuvered us? Please. That brat’s always ten steps ahead."