belamy20

211-215

Added 2025-05-28 17:21:24 +0000 UTC

Chapter 211: Have You Ever Seen an Adult Fight a Child Seriously?

"So? Surprised? Maybe a little… frustrated?"

Yoru’s smirk was downright infuriating as he taunted, "All that effort… just to kill a water clone. How’s that feel?"

"Still, your poison techniques are impressive. Almost got me there."

If anything, that only made it worse. The words were pure provocation, and Masai’s rage burned hotter.

"Let’s see you dodge this!"

With a furious roar, Masai unleashed a barrage of poisoned needles, hands already weaving seals.

"Cursed Poison Art!"

Black, ghostly shadows erupted from his body, spewing noxious fumes as they lunged at Yoru. At the same time, Masai’s two brothers surged from the water below, striking from both sides.

"Lightning Style: Gratitude Wave!"

"Lightning Style: Thunder Pillar!"

Yoru’s voice was calm as two techniques activated at once.

Masai barely managed to leap back—but his brothers weren’t so lucky. A pillar of crackling lightning erupted around Yoru, shielding him as the black shadows slammed into it.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The shadows turned out to be bugs—metallic, armored things now sizzling from the electricity before plopping lifelessly into the sea.

"Water Style: Severing Wave!"

Had this fight been on land, in a forest, Yoru might’ve struggled more.

But the ocean?

This was his domain.

Three razor-sharp streams of water shot up from below. One speared straight through Masai’s left arm as he landed on the surface, blasting a hole the size of a chestnut. He screamed, collapsing onto the waves.

The other two strikes drew streaks of crimson from beneath the water. Moments later, two shadowy figures burst forth, howling as they charged—each with a gaping, fist-sized hole through their chests.

Fatal wounds.

Yet they still came.

"Too slow."

Yoru flickered behind Masai in an instant, his blade already piercing the man’s heart before he could react.

Only when the steel jutted out from his chest did Masai feel it.

"Even if I die… I’m dragging you down with me!" he snarled through the pain.

He couldn’t understand it. Just moments ago, Yoru had been on the defensive, even almost falling to their attacks.

So how…?

How was he suddenly untouchable?

"Dragging me down?"

Yoru chuckled, pressing a palm to Masai’s back.

"Sealing Art: Binding Torrent Curse!"

Black markings spiderwebbed across Masai’s body, locking his muscles and sealing his chakra.

"Sorry. You’re not nearly strong enough for that."

Yoru yanked his blade free, looking down dispassionately as Masai crumpled onto the water’s surface.

"Why?! Why are you suddenly so much stronger?!" Masai choked out, desperation in his eyes. "Was this… your true power?!"

"My true power?" Yoru actually laughed. "What gave you that idea?"

"You mean we weren’t even worth your full strength?!" Masai’s voice cracked with fury.

"Have you ever seen an adult fight a child seriously?" Yoru tilted his head, amused. "To me, you three were just pests. If I’d actually let you scratch me, I’d be ruining my reputation as the strongest in the shinobi world."

The sheer arrogance of it made Masai’s face twist in rage.

They’d fought with everything they had—and to Yoru, it was nothing more than child’s play?!

"BIG BROTHER!"

Two enraged voices cut through the air as Masai’s brothers lunged at Yoru’s back, their movements frantic.

"Water Style: Water Wall."

Yoru didn’t even turn as a swirling barrier erupted around him.

Then—lightning crackled along his free hand.

"Lightning Style: Gratitude Wave."

THUD!

The two brothers slammed into the water wall—only to be met with a surge of electricity. Their screams were cut short as the voltage ravaged their bodies.

"I’ll give you this—your brothers are tenacious. Surviving a heart shot? That’s rare, even in this world."

Yoru’s blade flashed.

"Next time… pick your prey wisely."

Three heads hit the water.

Yoru caught them mid-air, sealing them into a scroll. Masai’s poison techniques did intrigue him… Maybe they’d yield something useful.

Back in Kirigakure

By the time Yoru returned to the village, a full day had passed.

He headed straight to Intelligence, handing over the brothers’ heads for analysis. Next, he delivered Orochimaru’s Wood Style research to the newly formed Medical Research Unit.

Then came the tedious part: coordinating with his water clones to transport a hundred death row prisoners to Orochimaru.

And finally—paperwork.

Mountains of it.

Even with Yagura and Jūzō Biwa handling most affairs, the pile never seemed to shrink.

Two Days Later

The shinobi world never stood still.

Uchiha Itachi, the clan’s infamous traitor, officially joined the Akatsuki.

He later appeared in Iwagakure, attempting to recruit the Tsuchikage’s disciple, Deidara.

Kumogakure issued a high-profile bounty on all Akatsuki members.

Sasori of the Red Sand massacred an entire nation, leaving no survivors.

The revived Hidden Sky Village launched an assault on Konoha, aiming to steal the Nine-Tails’ power—only to be repelled and vanish.

Yet before Yoru could review Intelligence’s findings, the Medical Unit barged into his office.

Six of Kirigakure’s brightest minds stood before him—fidgeting.

"Lord Yoru… We need to discuss something. Please… don’t be angry."

Yoru set down his pen, intrigued. These were the same geniuses who boasted about surpassing centuries of medical research.

What could possibly stump them?

"Go on," he said. "I won’t blame you."

They hesitated, exchanging nervous glances—until one kunoichi finally blurted out:

"We… can’t understand the Wood Style research you brought back."

Chapter 212: The System Is Still the Most Reliable

"???"

"You’re serious?"

Yoru turned to look at them, utterly baffled.

The group hung their heads in shame, nodding in reluctant admission.

"You can’t understand it? How is that possible?"

"Aren’t you all supposed to be masters of advanced medical techniques? Even the people from Konoha praised your skills!"

Yoru was completely stumped—this was a problem he hadn’t anticipated.

"Only after seeing those documents did we realize how vast the gap truly is."

"Even Lady Kurumi struggled to decipher the contents. Lord Yoru, we…"

The kunoichi stole a glance at Yoru, but seeing his furrowed brow and darkening expression, she trailed off.

"So the Wood Release research has to be shelved just like that?"

Yoru clenched his teeth in frustration. This was what they called a brutal reality check.

No one dared answer his question, the air thick with tension. The room fell silent, the atmosphere oppressive.

After a long pause, under the nervous gazes of the six, Yoru sighed.

"Fine. The research is postponed for now."

"Your team is disbanded—return to your original squads."

"We’ll revisit this when I find a solution. Dismissed."

The six practically bolted out of the room, relief washing over them.

"Damn you, Orochimaru. You got me good." Yoru gritted his teeth, irritation flaring.

Still, this made him realize the technological gap between Kirigakure and Orochimaru. No wonder he’s one of the top scientific minds in the shinobi world.

"How the hell do I make them understand this stuff?"

"Ugh, what a headache. Going back to Orochimaru is out of the question—after that last ‘negotiation,’ he’s definitely avoiding me."

"Even if I planted tracking methods on those death row prisoners, there’s no guarantee I’d find him."

"So who else has the knowledge to decipher these materials?"

Yoru racked his brain. Sasori of the Red Sand or Tsunade could probably do it, but they’re not options. Beyond them, he couldn’t think of anyone else.

"Who else is a biotech expert? Who else…?"

Then, it hit him.

"Wait, didn’t that guy in the original story create a monster—the ‘Zero-Tails’—on his own?"

"Even Orochimaru collaborated with him on cellular activation techniques…"

"But his ambitions are too dangerous. He’d be hard to control."

Yoru rubbed his chin, eyes glinting.

His obsession with Wood Release research was all about bolstering Kirigakure’s strength and legacy. Even if they couldn’t produce a full-fledged Wood Release user, they could at least lay a stronger foundation for future generations.

Despite Kirigakure’s current momentum, their younger generation was worryingly thin on talent—almost as if Yoru’s own freakish abilities had drained the village’s luck.

To prevent a future crisis, he had to start nurturing talent now. Otherwise, they’d be scrambling when disaster struck.

But having the Wood Release research stall right out the gate? That stung.

"Do I really have to dance with that devil?"

"He’s not someone you can easily manipulate." Yoru grimaced. "There’s got to be a better way."

Sure, he could use the System’s enhancement feature to cultivate talent, but the limitations were glaring.

If he relied solely on the System, he’d be swamped—no time for anything else. That’d be a classic case of winning the battle but losing the war.

As Mizukage’s right hand, his job was to manage the village’s affairs, not micromanage like some overworked grunt.

So, the System’s enhancement was only viable for those with decent talent and existing skill. Scaling it up? Impossible. And worst of all—

If Yoru died, the enhancements vanished.

No lasting legacy. Not the outcome he wanted.

Then—flash—an idea struck.

"Wait… the System."

He smacked his forehead. "Of course! The answer’s been right in front of me this whole time!"

If the medical team couldn’t grasp the Wood Release data, the solution was simple: use the System to boost their intellect until they could.

Ditching the idea of recruiting the scheming Shinnō, Yoru focused inward.

"System, can you enhance intelligence?"

A cold, mechanical voice responded:

"Affirmative. Upon binding with the host, this System integrated all enhancement categories applicable to this dimension."

A holographic screen appeared, listing intelligence tiers and their corresponding cost in Enhancement Points:

Low-tier: 1,000 points

Mid-tier: 10,000 points

High-tier: 50,000 points

Peak-tier: 1,000,000 points

Yoru: "Assess the highest intelligence level in this dimension."

After a brief hum, the System displayed an image—none other than Orochimaru.

Peak-tier intellect. Highest possible rank.

"As expected of the Snake Sannin. Impressive."

Next, Yoru had the System evaluate Kirigakure’s medical division.

"Only High-tier at best? No wonder they couldn’t understand it."

Seeing Kurumi ranked as High-tier, Yoru sighed. Sometimes, you just had to accept reality.

As for the special squad? All Mid-tier.

"Alright, let’s bump the six to High-tier and Kurumi to Peak-tier."

"Total cost: 1.6 million points. Not exactly cheap."

"And getting all of them to Peak-tier would take another 6 million. Ugh, this is brutal."

Doing the math, Yoru groaned. Building a powerful hidden village was way harder than those isekai stories made it seem.

But at least now he had a solution.

Later that afternoon…

"Lord Yoru, this is the latest intel from the Intelligence Division."

A masked Anbu handed him a black scroll. Yoru unsealed it—and his eyes widened.

"Well, well… looks like I just hit the jackpot."

Chapter 213: Masters Among the People

The scroll contained the complete contents of a treasured poison manual.

Based on Yoru’s own knowledge, he judged that while this manual might not rival the likes of Sasori of the Red Sand or Tsunade, it wasn’t far behind—maybe a difference of nine versus ten.

"Sir, there’s another report here."

The Anbu operative handed him another scroll. "According to Intelligence, the Land of Ting is plotting something. Please review this and decide quickly."

"Oh? A conspiracy?"

Yoru took the scroll, his brow furrowing as he read. After a long pause, he scoffed.

"The Land of Ting has some nerve! They actually think their half-baked skills are enough to rule the shinobi world? There’s a limit to delusion."

Setting the scroll aside, he picked up a mission scroll and began writing.

"Dispatch a team of twelve—led by Tenshin, including Hōzuki Suigetsu, Shima Isshin, Chōjūrō, and Kuranojo—to investigate. If they encounter hostility, they have full authority to act."

He rolled up both scrolls and handed them back to the Anbu.

"Oh, and deliver this poison manual to the Mizukage. Let her decide how to use it."

Yoru passed over the scroll documenting Masai Isshin’s poison techniques. The Anbu bowed and vanished.

"Frogs in a well are laughable… but we can’t let our guard down. What if they’re poison dart frogs?"

(Note: Poison dart frogs secrete deadly toxins—just a trace can kill an elephant.)

With a sigh, he stretched, glanced at the still-piled scrolls on his desk, and reluctantly returned to work.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Land of Water…

"I underestimated the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Even with Zero-Tails’ power, it wasn’t enough."

A mild-mannered man with a medicine kit strapped to his back murmured to himself.

"No matter. I’ll take my time, strengthen Zero-Tails further… My reign over the shinobi world will come."

No one would guess from his gentle appearance that he was the villain behind it all.

Time passed—over half a year later.

Year 57, Konoha Calendar – February. Kirigakure Anbu Headquarters.

"Sir, the Land of Ting has been annihilated."

Tenshin, Yoru’s former captain, knelt before him with the report.

"Who did it?" Yoru asked without looking up from his paperwork.

"The Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure," Tenshin replied. "Ting’s forces caused massive damage to the Land of Lightning, poisoning over five hundred shinobi. The Raikage and the Lightning Daimyō were furious. The Raikage led the assault personally and wiped Ting off the map."

He paused, organizing his thoughts.

"The Lightning Daimyō suppressed the news, so few know about it. But Ting’s people were skilled—they stirred chaos in the Land of Fire, Uzushiogakure, and even our allied nations, the Lands of Tao and Nagare. Fortunately, those countries contained the damage quickly."

Yoru nodded. "The shinobi world still has hidden masters. We shouldn’t grow complacent."

"Even with the news suppressed, word of Ting’s fate will spread. Hopefully, it makes other troublemakers think twice. If they want to start something, they’ll have to answer to the major villages first."

After dismissing Tenshin, Yoru finally finished his work. He stretched with relief.

"At last… time to rest."

Strolling through the village, he was met with waves of admiration. Civilians bowed excitedly, calling out to him. Yoru responded with polite nods before quickly slipping away—lingering meant getting mobbed.

He wasn’t sure how many of them were sincere and how many were just being courteous. But one thing was certain: after leading Kirigakure to victory against Suna, Iwa, and Konoha, he was now the village’s most celebrated figure.

Many of those cheering him had once blamed and scorned him.

"Latest updates at 69shu(.)com!"

Yoru held no grudge against them… but no warmth, either.

At a Yakiniku Restaurant…

He slipped into a BBQ joint, disguising his face to avoid attention. But the conversation at the next table caught his ear.

"Did you hear? Our village took second place in the medical competition two months ago!"

"Really? Our team’s that strong now?"

"Absolutely! I saw it myself. Who dares mock Kirigakure’s medical skills now?" A merchant-looking man puffed his chest proudly.

"Hah! You only won because Konoha taught you. Without their help building your medical system, you’d never have beaten Uzushio’s team!"

"Yeah, just a fluke. Next time, we’ll crush you so hard you won’t even—"

Two well-dressed youths from Uzushiogakure sneered from across the room.

"Excuses, excuses! Lost fair and square!"

"Exactly! Uzushio had Konoha’s full support, and you still placed third. Face it—you’re just not good enough!"

The Kirigakure group shot back without hesitation.

"Tch! You only won because of that poison manual! If we had it, we’d have beaten even Konoha!"

"Then go find your own manual! Luck’s part of strength too. We played by the rules and earned that silver fair and square!"

"Sounds like sour grapes to me!"

The Kirigakure trio’s retorts left the Uzushio pair seething but speechless.

Chapter 214: Traces of Shinnō

"Well? Cat got your tongue?"

One of the neighboring diners smirked, twisting the knife further.

"Check, please!"

The two young men slammed the table in frustration, paid, and stormed out.

"Nice one!"

Cheers erupted around them, faces filled with admiration.

"Ah, too kind, too kind!"

The trio at the neighboring table suddenly turned humble.

"All thanks to Lord Yoru! Without him, we’d never have come this far. Long live Lord Yoru!"

One of them raised a fist, voice trembling with fervor.

"Long live Lord Yoru!"

"Long live!"

The entire restaurant erupted in roaring approval, the sheer volume making ears ring.

Yoru, sitting inconspicuously among them, broke into a cold sweat. Since when did Kirigakure start this personality cult? This was a dangerous trend—one he needed to nip in the bud.

"Hey, why aren’t you chanting? You got a problem with Lord Yoru?"

A deep, displeased voice cut through the noise.

Yoru looked up to see a burly man glaring at him, suspicion etched across his face.

Instantly, the room’s atmosphere shifted. Dozens of eyes locked onto Yoru, their gazes sharp enough to draw blood. The unspoken message was clear: One wrong word, and you’re done.

"L-long live Lord Yoru!"

Yoru forced the words out, suppressing the urge to cringe.

To his credit, his acting was flawless. Even as his soul withered inside, his face radiated the zeal of a true believer.

"That’s more like it!"

The man finally backed off—turning out to be one of the trio from earlier.

"I need to clamp down on this before it spirals."

This kind of blind loyalty was already breeding hostility—forcing dissenters into submission. If left unchecked, it would snowball into something uncontrollable.

History had shown him the horrors of such movements. He wouldn’t let Kirigakure self-destruct after all his hard work.

"By the way, I heard there’s this miracle doctor in the Land of Water—saves anyone, cures anything. What do you think? Could he outdo Kirigakure’s medics?"

Someone abruptly changed the subject, mentioning a certain "Shinnō."

"Oh, Doctor Shinnō? Met him once. Kind-faced, saintly aura. I’d bet on him."

"Shinnō? Who’s that? Never heard of him."

The topic quickly drew a crowd, lively debates taking over.

But no one noticed Yoru’s frown at the name.

"He’s here? And operating under my nose?"

Finishing his meal, Yoru paid and left.

Back at the Anbu headquarters, he immediately dispatched agents to investigate Shinnō’s activities.

One report, however, stood out.

An Anbu operative explained that while surveilling rebel factions scattered across the Land of Water—a task requiring extreme diligence—he’d stumbled upon Shinnō collaborating with an insurgent group.

Under Shinnō’s guidance, the faction had grown into the largest rebel force, amassing alarming strength. If left unchecked, they’d soon become unmanageable.

Worse, they were conducting a forbidden experiment—one that, according to an undercover operative, held "the power to overturn the shinobi world."

"Sir, with all due respect… it’s time to move in." The Anbu agent ventured cautiously.

"Shinnō…"

Yoru’s eyes narrowed, glinting like honed steel.

Dismissing the agent, he unrolled the mission scroll and muttered, "Seems the universe is telling me to deal with you."

Truthfully, he’d had Shinnō on his radar since the failed assault on Konoha. Back then, manpower shortages had delayed action.

But now? The man had not only infiltrated Kirigakure’s territory—he’d aligned with rebels.

"Fine. Since fate’s handing me this chance… don’t blame me for what comes next."

Anyone threatening the Land of Water would regret it.

Mizukage’s Office

Yoru briefed Terumī Mei on the cult-like adulation brewing among citizens—and its potential dangers.

Mei chuckled. "Can you blame them? You’re the hero who saved Kirigakure."

"Still, second place in the medical division competition? I expected us to scrape the bottom, not podium."

She leaned forward, impressed. "The medics say it’s all thanks to you. That ‘Toxicology Codex’ you compiled revolutionized their skills."

Yoru smirked. "Obviously. After all the resources I poured into them, if they’d flopped, I’d have questioned their existence."

"Also, we’re expanding the medical corps. They keep whining about being understaffed—time to fix that. Start preparing the budget, sis."

Their success was no accident. He’d dumped months’ worth of Enhancement Points into them. Failure wasn’t an option.

Mei grinned. "The world says Kirigakure has two Mizukages."

"One is me—the face of the village."

"The other? You. The ‘Shadow Mizukage’ pulling the strings."

She gestured at the village below. "And looking at how much Kirigakure’s changed… I can’t even argue."

Chapter 215: I Want to Rest, But My Power Won’t Let Me

Hearing this, Yoru shrugged. "Sis, say that as a joke, but don’t mean it—and definitely don’t spread it around."

"We might treat it lightly, but others won’t. We can’t risk undermining the Mizukage’s authority or giving anyone ammunition."

He sighed. "Who knows if future Mizukages will trust the Anbu Commander as much as you do?"

Truthfully, his current influence stemmed from necessity. Kirigakure was still rebuilding, drowning in work. With Mei Terumī stretched thin as Mizukage, Yoru had taken on extra responsibilities.

But in a couple of years, once the village stabilized, he could finally relax.

"Hey, why not restructure the Mizukage’s office to lighten your load? The world’s full of beautiful sights—don’t you want to see them?"

Mei shook her head. "I can’t afford to think about that yet. And don’t imagine you’re resigning either."

"Even if you step back from the Anbu, you’re still overseeing the Land of Water’s court. You built this system—you don’t get to walk away."

She crushed his hopes of early retirement without mercy.

Yoru raised his hands in mock defeat. "Fine, fine. Back to the grind. ‘Once you enter the workforce, leisure becomes a stranger.’"

Mei chuckled. "So young, yet so dramatic."

"By the way, why the urgency investigating that ‘Shinnō’ character? My intel says he’s just a wandering doctor. What’s the concern?"

Yoru’s expression turned serious. "Remember the Hidden Air Village that attacked Konoha and failed?"

"…They’re connected?" Mei ventured.

"Worse. That ‘kindly doctor’ is their leader."

"What?!" Mei’s eyes widened.

"You think a man bold enough to assault Konoha is just some saintly healer? Latest reports say he’s colluding with rebel factions here, too."

He handed her the evidence.

"I see. Then we act." Mei’s voice hardened. "What’s the plan?"

"Since he hides behind his ‘savior’ image, I’ll bait him with an ‘incurable disease’ consultation, then capture him quietly."

"Given his popularity in Susuke Town, I’ll deploy teams to placate the public. If his men try to rescue him, we’ll trace and eliminate them all. If not, we’ll dig deeper—either way, the net’s already cast."

Mei exhaled. "After hearing that, I’m glad I’m your sister and not your enemy. I’d never see the trap coming."

Yoru waved it off. "Luck played a part. I was monitoring the rebels, letting them grow for a cleaner sweep. Shinnō just stumbled into the net."

Mei eyed him. "Just luck? Your strategies don’t match a 13-year-old. More like a seasoned schemer. Sometimes I wonder—do you age faster than the rest of us?"

"People already call me a monster. Might as well own it." He stood. "Now, if you’ll excuse me—this one’s slippery."

Elsewhere in the Land of Water…

"D-Doctor… it hurts. You… promised… no pain…"

A small boy lay on an operating table, eyes red with agony, staring at the gentle-faced man before him.

"Latest updates at 69shu(.)com!"

The man smirked. "Naive child. You believed me? Two lollipops bought your trust. Pathetic. But as my test subject, you’ll finally be useful."

He muttered, "It has to work this time. Dozens of failures… it can’t happen again."

Sizzle.

The boy’s body convulsed, his screams piercing as his flesh withered before the doctor’s eyes.

"No! Why?!" The man slammed the table in fury.

"C-Cold… This… must be a dream… Doctor’s… not… bad… He’d never… hurt Yue…"

The boy’s weak smile vanished as the doctor snapped his neck. "Useless. Spare me the drivel."