226-230

Chapter 226: Thanks to Lord Yoru  

"What happened to all that stubbornness from earlier? Go on—keep it up! Weren’t you just insisting he was a good man? Keep defending him! Keep blocking us!"  

"None of this had to happen. But because of your deliberate interference, dozens of our Kirigakure elites died—along with innocent children! Are you happy now?!"  

Pīpa Jūzō’s voice was icy, his glare making everyone bow their heads in shame.  

"W-well… it’s not like you gave us much choice!"  

A small, defiant voice suddenly spoke up: "If you’d been a little more polite, we wouldn’t have resisted! You’re not blameless either—why pin everything on us?!"  

Jūzō’s eyes flashed with fury. "If you’ve got the guts to say that, step forward like a man!"  

No one moved. Jūzō scoffed in utter disdain.  

"Not polite enough? What more did you want?! Every second counted—any delay could’ve meant more deaths!"  

"Even so, I gave you ten seconds to think! And what did you do? Did even one of you cooperate?!"  

His rage burned hotter with each word, his expression so fierce it seemed he might lash out any moment.  

"If that monster hadn’t attacked first, you’d still be standing in our way!"  

He slammed Kubikiribōchō (Executioner’s Blade) into the ground. "Do you have any idea what ten seconds could’ve changed?! Maybe those children would still be alive!"  

"Stop making excuses. You messed up—own it! In the shinobi world, this is a capital offense! You’d be executed for delaying a critical mission!"  

Killing intent rolled off him, his eyes blazing with fury. No one doubted he’d cut someone down just to vent.  

"Tch. Waste of breath talking to people who can’t even admit their mistakes. Pathetic."  

With that, he shouldered his blade and walked away.  

At the Medical Unit 

"Well? Is the toxin contagious? Lethality rate? Can it be cured?"  

Jūzō glanced at the writhing victims before turning to the medics.  

"It’s… incredibly potent. Worst of all, it mutates—starting as a neurotoxin before converting into an airborne virus."  

"Once inside the body, it merges with existing bacteria and viruses, mutating them into deadly strains. If unchecked, it’ll trigger a full-blown plague."  

Jūzō’s face darkened. "Then…" His gaze flicked to the quarantined patients. Were they beyond saving?  

"No need to worry, Captain. As dangerous as it is, we’ve got a solution."  

A girl adjusted her glasses, confident. "Lord Yoru’s Poison Arts Compendium covers similar cases. We’ve already made progress—this toxin won’t beat us."  

Relief washed over Jūzō. *(Internally: Lord Yoru… it’s like he foresaw this. Training elite medics, giving them that compendium—he turned them into master detox specialists.)  

(Little did he know, Yoru would’ve laughed himself awake if he heard this. He wasn’t some visionary—just lucky. The medics? A side effect of his Wood Release research. As for the compendium? Pure chance—stolen from Masashi after ambushing him post-deal with Orochimaru. Call it fate.)  

Three Hours Later 

"We did it!!"  

A shout erupted from the medical tent. Jūzō rushed in. "You cracked it?"  

"Mhm!" The bespectacled girl nodded.  

"Then hurry! End their suffering—it’s painful just watching."  

The medics moved swiftly. Patients were given a crimson serum, followed by green chakra glowing from the healers’ palms. Intricate seals formed on the victims’ bodies, culminating at their foreheads.  

"Now!"  

With a unified chant, black ooze seeped from their mouths, coalescing into floating orbs. The patients’ agonized expressions eased.  

"This toxin was relentless. Without the serum breaking down its molecular clusters, extraction would’ve been impossible," a young, bright-eyed medic mused, wiping sweat.  

The others nodded grimly.  

An hour later, every patient was stable.  

"We should study these remnants. They might have other applications," the glasses-wearing kunoichi said, examining a vial of the toxin. Her team agreed.  

"Wait—send the antidote formula to Lord Yoru immediately! Those black-clad intruders must’ve been from the Hidden Sky Village he warned us about. If their army’s heading for Kirigakure, they’re likely carrying this toxin!" Jūzō realized.  

"Easy. With this method, Teacher Kurumi will synthesize a batch in no time," the girl said, scribbling the formula onto a scroll.  

Jūzō dispatched a courier to Kirigakure.  

With the medics’ help, the lingering toxin clouds were neutralized—though Jūzō kept the area sealed. Just because the air was clear didn’t mean the danger was gone.  

After dismissing the civilians, he finally learned how the toxin had spread in the first place…  

Chapter 227: What Brings You Here?  

"So this worm is the source?" Momochi Zabuza stared at the reconstructed black parasite in disbelief. "It burrows into a host, feeds on their life energy, and in return, gives them a temporary surge of strength—making them feel invincible, even curing diseases?"  

"Exactly." The bespectacled kunoichi nodded, her voice tinged with awe. "Shinnō is… a true mad genius. This technology is terrifying."  

"If not for the Poison Arts Compendium having a similar case study, we’d have been helpless. That toxin would’ve become a plague, turning this entire area into a death zone."  

Zabuza grimaced. Scientists… scarier than shinobi. The thought alone sent chills down his spine. No armies, no battles—just silent, effortless annihilation. A single man could topple nations.  

Had the civilians still been here, they’d have realized the truth:  

• Those "miraculously healed" patients? Already terminally ill, with mere years left.  

• The "sacrificed" victims with gaping chest holes? Their bodies were just incubators. The worms burst out once they’d consumed enough.  

• The lesson? No one—not even a "saint"—can cure all ailments with a wave of the hand. 

But no matter. Soon, they’d notice: Every single person "healed" by Shinnō was already dead.  

Then, Shinnō’s lab was uncovered.  

"You sick bastard!!"  

Medic-nin roared in fury at the sight.  

Bodies. Dismembered. Dissected. Suspended in bloody grotesquerie.  

Further in—limbs, organs, even children’s corpses floating in preservation tanks.  

A hellscape. Several observers vomited on the spot.  

"Seal the area. No one enters without Yoru-sama’s direct orders."  

Zabuza remained unfazed. He’d seen worse.  

With that, the Sucché Town incident was resolved.  

Meanwhile, Across the Water Country 

The rebellion purge reached its final stages.  

After half a year of meticulous planning, the operation was a near-flawless success. Few insurgents escaped.  

But the true shockwave hit the capital’s political circles.  

Dozens of officials—high and low—were implicated. Their secret dealings with rebel factions were the very reason the uprising had spread so fast.  

Now, the reckoning came.  

From the Minister of Personnel to the lowest town magistrates, none were spared. Trials proceeded swiftly. Many would hang.  

Yoru showed no mercy to traitors.  

"Another river of blood…" The newly appointed Minister of War sighed, his violet robes etched with gold. "Let this be the last."  

As the operation’s overseer, he knew the truth: This was no accident.  

Yoru had allowed the rebellion to fester. A calculated purge.  

Yet, so soon after the civil war, such bloodshed risked destabilizing the nation further.  

The Court’s Silent Realization 

"After this… the court will be Yoru’s completely. The Daimyo’s old guard? Nearly extinct."  

The Minister of Rites observed his colleagues’ faces—some pale, others eager—and mourned inwardly.  

"His Majesty’s influence is gutted. To share an era with such a man… a curse."  

All understood: Yoru’s authority would soon be absolute.  

Kirigakure – The Shadow’s Satisfaction 

"Worth every effort."  

Yoru smirked at the scroll in his hand—the antidote formula from the Medical Corps.  

Over the past year, he’d personally overseen the intellectual enhancement of seven medics:  

• Kagura, now operating at peak genius-level, verging on Orochimaru-tier. Ready for Wood Release research.  

• The remaining six, high-tier scholars, decoding Hashirama’s notes under her guidance. 

Two had specialized in toxinology. The bespectacled kunoichi from the orphanage? One of them.  

Her success? Flawless.  

"Come then, Hidden Sky Village. I’ll be waiting."  

Perched atop the Mizukage monument, he gazed at the horizon. With Kirigakure finally stable, his burdens lightened.  

Then—a wicked grin.  

"Ah, but such good news must be shared."  

The Prison – A Taunt Delivered 

"Oh? What brings you here?"  

Shinnō’s smirk widened as Yoru entered his cell. "Stumped by my work? Need my expertise?"  

He couldn’t fathom another reason for this visit.  

Let the games begin.  

Chapter 228: Dust Settles  

"Give it up. You’re the one who let things deteriorate this far. I’ve already erased the relevant memories—there’s nothing I can do now!"  

Shinnō kept ranting, his tone dripping with accusation as if Yoru alone bore the blame.  

But—  

"Who said I came here to beg?"  

Yoru cut through Shinnō’s delusions with a smirk. "I’m just here to deliver… good news."  

From his waist, he unfurled a scroll and tossed it before Shinnō. "Turns out, that ‘unstoppable plague toxin’ of yours? My medics cracked it."  

Shinnō’s eyes bulged. He lunged forward—only to gasp as his wounds tore open. Yet disbelief overrode the pain. "Impossible! My perfected formula can’t be undone! You’re lying—Kirigakure lacks such skill!"  

This truth was unacceptable.  

"Does your approval matter?" Yoru’s words were knives. He rolled the scroll back up. "Consider this a courtesy notice. Now, enjoy the wait for your execution. Pray your sins are few—unless you want to be ashes before the mob’s fury."  

He left without a backward glance.  

Shinnō collapsed, numb to the blood seeping from his wounds.  

"How…"  

"How?!"  

His whispers haunted the damp, cramped cell like a curse.  

Outside 

"Now we wait for the Hidden Sky Village to show. Hurry up already—come ‘rescue’ Shinnō!"  

If memory served, they possessed a massive flying fortress. His craving for it wasn’t trivial.  

In a world where flight alone granted dominance, such a fortress meant absolute aerial supremacy.  

Rule the ninja world? Not a fantasy.  

Strike anyone, anytime.  

The thought alone thrilled him.  

Yet, as days passed—  

Kirigakure’s armies returned. 

Corrupt officials were tried. 

Even Pīpa Jūzō came back from Susuke Town...  

But no sign of the Hidden Sky.  

"…Did I get stood up?"  

Yoru glared at the sky, this absurd notion twisting his gut.  

"Fine. No show? Then Shinnō dies now."  

The missed spectacle irked him. No more waiting.  

[Execution Day] 

Did it play out like this?  

• A packed Susuke Square, roaring crowds?  

• Shinnō’s crimes broadcast globally via communication networks, his name synonymous with infamy?  

• “Kill him!” “Burn the monster!” chants echoing? 

Of course not.  

Yoru would never be so crude.  

Shinnō’s human experiments were too grotesque for public consumption. Forbidden knowledge was best kept buried.  

Instead, Shinnō died quietly in his cell. His brain’s contents were extracted, sorted:  

• Medical insights → Compiled into scrolls, becoming Kirigakure’s new medical curriculum.  

• Forbidden techniques → Sealed away. Ideally, forever. 

Later, Yoru visited Susuke Memorial Cemetery.  

"I avenged you."  

Before rows of graves—innocent civilians, orphanage children—he stood in silent tribute.  

(They weren’t killed by his hand, but his choices played a role. This was the least he owed.)  

Back in Kirigakure 

Yoru issued a nationwide decree:  

《Prohibited Weapons Act》 

• Detailed list of banned civilian arms.  

• "Surrender prohibited weapons to state workshops. Compensated replacements will be provided. Daily life unaffected."  

• Final clause: "Report suspicious persons carrying such arms. Verified tips rewarded anonymously."  

• "Legitimate professionals may register weapons. Local corruption in enforcement will be punished severely." 

Public reaction? Mostly indifferent, some grumbling.  

Rebel factions? Their world shattered.  

"This is a death sentence!" they raged. Yoru had turned every citizen into a potential informant.  

How could they regroup when the entire nation was watching?  

But the hammer dropped harder:  

《Town Militia Establishment》 

Every town now had its armed force.  

The message was clear.  

Rebellion’s last embers snuffed out.  

"Brilliant. Absolutely ruthless."  

Even Kirigakure’s elites marveled. Few could’ve engineered such a flawless chokehold.  

"You’ve reduced them to rats in daylight," Terumī Mei mused, eyeing Yoru with amused awe. "I’d love to dissect that brain of yours. How do you think like this?"  

Yoru sweatdropped. (Shouldn’t the Mizukage act more dignified?)  

Still, one itch remained:  

"Why hasn’t the Hidden Sky Village made a move? Did they abandon Shinnō?"  

No other explanation fit.  

Chapter 229: The Plot Begins  

"Whatever. If they don’t show up, they don’t show up. I’ll stay vigilant!"  

For a village as vast as Kirigakure, there was no need to waste excessive effort guarding against some minor threat like the Hidden Sky Village (Kumogakure).  

But where was the Hidden Sky Village now?  

No one knew.  

Then, one day, a deafening explosion shook the Land of Water, accompanied by tremors like an earthquake. Flames lit up the sky for hundreds of kilometers—as if a massive meteor had crashed into the earth.  

When Kirigakure sent scouts to investigate, the conclusion left Yoru utterly stunned.  

"You’re telling me this was caused by the crash of the Hidden Sky’s warship?"  

Yoru stared blankly at the colossal crater—over five kilometers wide—stretching before him.  

"Yes, Lord Yoru. Initial analysis suggests the warship crashed due to energy depletion. All personnel perished in the explosion."  

An elderly man, who looked like a scientist, adjusted his glasses and answered calmly.  

"Understood. Seal off the area and see if we can recover anything useful."  

Yoru ordered the site locked down. Fortunately, the crash zone was far from any settlements, so there were no casualties—and fewer prying eyes.  

Officially, they claimed it was a meteor impact. Otherwise, curious onlookers would’ve swarmed the place.  

And just like that, the threat of the Hidden Sky Village came to an abrupt—almost comical—end.  

With things in Kirigakure and the Land of Water now stable, Yoru resigned as ANBU Commander.  

But Mizukage Terumī Mei refused, citing "bad timing."  

Resigned to his fate, Yoru continued his duties, grumbling as he handled paperwork instead of wandering freely.  

Meanwhile, the Medical Division steadily improved. Thanks to Shinnō’s advanced knowledge, many had their horizons broadened, leading to breakthroughs in their skills.  

Top performers were even granted the chance to learn Fuumajutsu (Floating Pulse Technique), boosting both their efficiency and expertise.  

With this progress, Yoru revived his research on Wood Release (Mokuton).  

Thanks to Fuumajutsu, test subjects could now perceive every physiological change with unprecedented clarity—something even Orochimaru couldn’t achieve.  

"At this rate, it won’t be long before Kirigakure becomes a village overflowing with talent."  

Yoru mused to himself during a rare break—sipping sake in secret, only to be caught red-handed by none other than the Mizukage herself.  

And so, the shinobi world quietly entered the year 60 of the Konoha calendar.  

[System Notifications]  

• Stamina successfully enhanced to Kage-level. Cost: 1,000,000 points.  

• Strength successfully enhanced to Kage-level. Cost: *1,000,000 points.  

• New Kekkei Genkai unlocked: Storm Release (Ranton)!  

• Iron Sword successfully reforged into unique weapon: "Piercing Truth" (破妄, Hawō).  

• … 

Inside a secluded room in Kirigakure, a man exhaled slowly, retracting the shimmering aura around him as he stood.  

The moment his eyes opened, the very air in the room trembled.  

Guards stationed outside shuddered—as if a monstrous beast had just locked onto them—their instincts screaming in primal fear.  

"Three years… Time flies."  

The man—Yoru—murmured to himself before grabbing his coat and stepping outside.  

"Lord Yoru!!"  

Blinding sunlight forced him to squint, but the voices greeting him were full of reverence. As his vision adjusted, he saw rows of Kirigakure shinobi standing at attention, their faces alight with excitement.  

"Dismissed."  

With a casual wave, Yoru strode toward the Mizukage’s office.  

Mizukage’s Office  

"You’re here?"  

Terumī Mei didn’t even glance up as Yoru entered, her hands busy with paperwork.  

"Sis, you’re as busy as ever. You should really consider my suggestion—don’t overwork yourself."  

Yoru plopped onto a couch, biting into an apple. "Look at me now. I handed the ANBU Commander role to Yagura and just oversee the Land of Water’s affairs. Easy life."  

Mei’s expression darkened. She lifted her head, a dangerously sweet smile on her lips.  

"Oh? So little Yoru came here just to brag, is that it?"  

Her tone suggested that a "yes" would be a death sentence.  

"Pfft, of course not. Do I look that bored?"  

Yoru waved her off, ignoring her murderous glare. "Just dropping by. If you’re not in the mood, I’ll leave."  

He stood to go.  

"Stop."  

Mei’s lips curled, her stunning face twisting in irritation. "Since you’re so free, here’s a mission for you. You wouldn’t dare refuse, right?"  

Without waiting for an answer, she tossed him a scroll.  

The contents: A merchant in the Land of Waves wants to trade ancient artifacts.  

"This doesn’t need my personal involvement, does it? I mean—"  

Mei’s glare intensified. Yoru swallowed his words.  

"...Fine, fine. I’ll go to the Land of Waves. Happy?"  

Mei smirked in satisfaction.  

"Oh, and about the ‘Blood Sunflower’—the key ingredient to cure Ameyuri Ringo… We found traces of it. But it’s hopeless. The last one vanished thirty years ago."  

She handed him another scroll, sighing. "Unless you can turn back time, Ameyuri won’t make it. Even if we prolong her life with substitutes, she’d rather die than live like that."  

Yoru frowned. "None left at all? Not a single one in thirty years?"  

"None."  

"...Then we’ll just have to find another way."  

After reading the scroll, Yoru’s eyes hardened with resolve.  

Chapter 230: The Land of Waves, Traces of the Blood Sun Flower  

"What method?" Terumī Mei couldn’t hide her surprise as she asked.  

"We go back to the past—to the shinobi world of old—and find the Blood Sun Flower there!"  

Yoru’s answer made Terumī Mei roll her eyes. "Yoru-chan, be serious. That’s not funny."  

But to her shock, Yoru’s expression remained firm. "I’m not joking, nee-san. I mean it. I know of a place where we can reverse time and return to the past. It’s worth a try."  

"Seriously?!" Terumī Mei shot to her feet.  

"Of course," Yoru shrugged. "When have I ever lied?"  

"Then I’ll dispatch a team immediately—" Terumī Mei moved to give the order.  

"Leave this to me," Yoru cut in. "Time travel might involve facing extremely powerful individuals. It’s better if I go myself."  

"...Fine. Then I’ll wait for your good news." Terumī Mei settled back into her seat, studying him. "After a year in seclusion, your strength has grown again. Just being near you now gives me chills. How strong are you?"  

"How strong?" Yoru mused. "Hmm… I’d say no one in the shinobi world can match me."  

"That arrogant, Yoru-chan?" Terumī Mei raised a skeptical brow. Even if he’d been called "the strongest shinobi" three years ago, hidden powerhouses like the Akatsuki leader or "the Demigod" Hanzo still existed. To claim no one could rival him was beyond bold.  

"You’ll see soon enough," Yoru chuckled, not bothering to explain further. "For now, I’m off to the Land of Waves."  

Words wouldn’t convince her—he had no recent feats to prove it. But just how strong was he?  

By his estimate, he was a notch above Edo Tensei Nagato (with all Six Paths combined). Barring the monsters that emerged later, he was truly unmatched in the shinobi world. Even the full might of Akatsuki wouldn’t stop him, and the Six Paths of Pain stood no chance alone.  

After all, his system had already analyzed Pain’s stats:  

• Deva Path (Tendō): Only chakra reached Kage+ tier. Agility and speed were Kage-level, while strength was merely Elite Jōnin.  

• Other Paths: Only the Asura Path had chakra at Kage-tier; the rest were Elite Jōnin. Their strange abilities made them tricky, but not unbeatable. 

Meanwhile, Yoru’s strength and chakra were both Kage+, his agility and speed Kage-tier, and he wielded Ranton—superior to all five basic nature transformations. Against the Six Paths? No contest.  

Unless facing Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha (whose stats all hit Kage+ in their ultimate forms), calling himself "the strongest" wasn’t an exaggeration.  

With a thought, his status panel materialized:  

Name: Yoru 

Age: 17 

Kenjutsu: Flash Annihilation 

Ninjutsu: Ranton: Prismatic Fang, Storm Wave, Storm Tiger; Water & Lightning Release 

Barrier Jutsu: Sensory Matrix, Six Pillar Flame Seal 

Fuinjutsu: Binding Torrent Seal 

Genjutsu: Paralysis, Mind Crush 

Weapon: Piercing Truth 

Level: Kage+ (Ranks: Genin → Chūnin → Tokubetsu Jōnin → Jōnin → Elite Jōnin → Kage → Kage+ → Six Paths) 

Upgrade Points: 300,000  

Outside the Mizukage’s Office 

"Yoru-sama!"  

A striking young man bowed deeply. A crimson dot marked his forehead, his pale face framed by cold eyes and loose kimono. His presence alone was suffocating—this was Kimimaro.  

Cured of his bloodline disease two years prior, he’d recently transplanted Kakashi’s Sharingan, defying his original fate entirely.  

"How’s the Sharingan treating you? Any side effects?" Yoru asked.  

"Better than ever," Kimimaro replied, voice firm. Gone was the sickly aura of years past—now, he radiated pure strength.  

"I’m heading to the Land of Waves. Care to join?" Yoru offered.  

"Yes."  

Ever laconic, Kimimaro fell in step behind him as they left the village.  

Meanwhile… Konoha 

A five-man squad departed for the Land of Waves.  

Land of Waves – Business Negotiations 

"To think the legendary Yoru himself would grace our humble trade house! This is an honor!" The antiquities dealer, Murahara, bowed deeply.  

"No need for formalities," Yoru waved him off. "Today, I’m just a representative of the Shimizu Trading Company."  

His mild demeanor made it hard to believe this was the same man who’d crushed the Third Hokage and Fourth Raikage to claim his title.  

"Let’s skip the pleasantries," Yoru said, cutting to the chase.  

The Shimizu Trading Company—founded four years ago to manage the Namigame Treasure—had grown into one of Water Country’s top ten enterprises, thanks to fair deals and the Mist Village’s backing.  

"I’ve heard you seek the Blood Sun Flower," Murahara smirked. "By chance, I acquired a dried specimen from a local farmer. Perhaps you’d like to see it?"  

Yoru’s eyes sharpened. "You’re certain?"  

"I wouldn’t dare lie to you," Murahara chuckled, signaling a servant. A lacquered box was presented, its lid lifting to reveal—