51-55

Chapter 51: "You're Not Worthy of Capturing Me"

"Rokuchū Enjin (Six Pillar Flame Barrier)!"

Ikenoue Ariya’s strength was formidable—borderline elite jōnin level.

Even Yoru felt a sliver of pressure.

BOOM!

The ground shattered, but the barrier held firm.

"Nice!" The acting squad leader barked in approval before weaving hand signs. "Doton: Doro Numa (Earth Release: Mud Swamp)!"

The earth beneath Ikenoue’s feet liquefied, swallowing his legs up to the calves.

Seizing the opening, the remaining ANBU unleashed a barrage:

"Raiton: Raibādan (Lightning Release: Thunderbolt)!"

"Raiton: Raikō Hōkō (Lightning Release: Thunder Wolf Howl)!"

A storm of lightning techniques drowned Ikenoue—

"Pathetic! These attacks can’t even scratch me!"

With a roar, Ikenoue erupted in crackling electricity, ripping free from the swamp. The ANBU’s combined assault had zero effect.

"Flash."

Then—a blade’s gleam.

SHINK!

A crimson line split Ikenoue’s chest open.

Behind him, Yoru flicked blood from his sword. "Your defense isn’t as solid as I thought."

"You… BASTARD!" Ikenoue’s bellow shook the air. The humiliation burned worse than the wound.

CRACK!

The ground exploded as Ikenoue vanished, reappearing inches from Yoru’s face.

"Raiton: Raijin Sōkutsu (Lightning Release: Thunder Blade Thrust)!"

His palm—a lethal blade—aimed straight for Yoru’s throat.

Yoru didn’t move.

"Fast blade skills? Useless! You’re just an insect who can’t react in time—DIE!" Ikenoue sneered.

"Oh?"

Yoru’s head snapped up, lips curling into a grin as he twisted aside effortlessly.

"This guy’s dangerous—RETREAT!"

Ikenoue’s instincts screamed, but Yoru was already gone, locking eyes from a distance.

"Genjutsu: Shōnetsu no Jutsu (Illusionary Art: Purge Technique)!"

A vicious force speared into Ikenoue’s mind, scrambling his chakra.

"Let’s see if you can break free." Yoru mused, landing lightly.

Earlier, the squad leader had warned them:

"Ikenoue’s taijutsu and ninjutsu are elite, but his genjutsu defense is lacking."

A lie.

In truth, Ikenoue had high resistance—most illusions failed against him.

But Yoru trusted his own prowess.

And if it failed?

He had backup plans.

"You think this weak genjutsu can hold me? BREAK!" Ikenoue roared.

His lightning intensified, the illusion shattering under sheer force.

"Resisting Shōnetsu? Not bad… for a Raikage disciple."**

Yoru’s eyes narrowed.

"But not enough."

BOOOOM!

Ikenoue’s lightning imploded, detonating in a shockwave that hurled him through a building.

"What the hell just happened?!" The ANBU gaped.

From the rubble, a bloodcurdling howl erupted:

"AAAAAGH! I’LL KILL YOU!"

A black blur shot out, zeroing in on Yoru.

"Not on my watch!"**

The squad leader intercepted—only to be blasted back by Ikenoue’s raw power.

"DIE!"**

Ikenoue’s fist blurred, lightning screeching toward the leader’s gut—

"Rokuchū Enjin."**

A crimson hexagon materialized, absorbing the punch and repelling Ikenoue into another firestorm.

"That barrier’s insane!"**

"How strong IS this guy?!"**

"No way he’s just a B-rank missing-nin!"**

Their shock was justified.

B-rank?

Ikenoue was A-rank—yet Yoru was toying with him.

"RAAAAH!"

Ikenoue teleported into Yoru’s face, fist crackling toward his skull.

"LOOK OUT!"**

The ANBU screamed—too late.

Yoru swung his blade.

CLANG!

Fist met steel.

The earth ruptured, dust swallowing the battlefield.

From within, Yoru’s voice rang:

"Raiton: Rakurai Jin (Lightning Release: Falling Thunder Array)!"

KRAKOOM!

A pillar of lightning thicker than a tree trunk obliterated the crater.

When the dust cleared—

Ikenoue knelt in the ruins, right arm limp, mouth bleeding, legs failing.

The ANBU stared.

Yoru had wounded him with lightning—something their combined efforts couldn’t do.

"His Raiton… is on par with the Raikage’s elites?!"**

Chapter 52: The Silver-Haired Reaper

"Hey, snap out of it! Are we really gonna waste this perfect chance?"

Yoru's voice snapped his teammates back to reality, urging them to seize the moment and attack Ueno Ariya.

Strike while the iron is hot—there was no reason to hold back now.

"This shouldn’t make me stand out too much, right?"

In the past, Yoru would’ve finished off Ueno Ariya himself.

But not anymore.

One dazzling performance was enough—he didn’t need a second.

Besides, he’d only used Ueno Ariya as a measuring stick for his own strength.

Now that the test was over, there was no need to steal the spotlight.

His contributions were already substantial—let others take the credit this time.

"YOU DAMN BASTARDS!"

This time, Ueno Ariya couldn’t shrug off their attacks.

Like the saying goes: "A tiger fallen on hard times becomes prey to dogs."

And right now, that described Ueno Ariya perfectly.

The very attacks he’d dismissed earlier now shredded through his defenses.

"Guh—!"

Finally, the acting captain drove his blade straight through Ueno Ariya’s heart—ending his life on the spot.

"Scatter! Pursue the remaining fugitives!"

With that order, Yoru and his squad dashed off to hunt down the other escaped prisoners.

…

"Lightning Release: Gratitude Wave!"

"Lightning Release: Falling Thunder Formation!"

"Flash!"

None of the other criminals stood a chance against Yoru.

Not a single one could last even one exchange against him.

Of course, only Yoru could say something like that so casually.

Were these criminals weak?

Hell no.

Most were Special Jonin-level—a pain to deal with under normal circumstances.

But Yoru was just built different.

Unless an opponent had some unique ability, anyone weaker than him was instantly wiped out.

If one strike didn’t do it, a second slash would.

"Whatever you do, don’t run into that Silver-Haired Reaper—you’ll die for sure!"

"Yeah, anyone but him! That guy’s a monster!"

Thanks to Yoru’s overwhelming strength, his infamy spread like wildfire among the criminals.

Soon, they were scrambling to avoid him like he was the plague.

"The ‘Silver-Haired Reaper’? Really, guys?"

When Yoru finally heard the nickname, he couldn’t help but make a weird face.

He’d just taken down a few criminals—was that really enough to earn such a badass title?

He’d been holding back, for crying out loud!

If they were too weak, that wasn’t his fault.

"Hah… ‘Silver-Haired Reaper’—kinda fits, doesn’t it?"

One of Yoru’s teammates smirked, watching his back as he moved ahead.

"Sticking with Konkō was definitely the right call. Zero pressure, free功劳!"

Another chimed in, thoroughly pleased.

The others nodded in agreement.

Follow Konkō, and功劳 would rain down effortlessly.

Why?

Because the guy was just that strong.

They couldn’t be happier that they’d chosen to join his squad when the acting captain split the teams earlier.

"Who’s that squad? Their efficiency’s insane!"

Before long, Yoru and his team’s blazing-fast progress caught the attention of other units.

"Wait, isn’t that Konkō? Since when did he start leading a squad?"

Someone recognized Yoru but was puzzled by his sudden promotion to "leader."

"Oh, it’s him? Then it makes sense."

"If it’s Konkō, that kind of speed’s just normal."

The first speaker blinked. "Is he that good?"

A nearby Anbu chuckled.

"Captain, you just got back, so you might not know."

"That’s Kira, codename Konkō—a B-rank missing-nin from Kirigakure."

"But don’t let the ‘B-rank’ fool you. His real strength is way beyond that."

"A week ago, he crushed Darui in a fight—no contest."

"And his debut battle after joining the village? He soloed over a hundred enemies."

"Thirty percent were Special Jonin—and he one-shot most of them."

"He’s so strong, he’s basically stomped our entire younger generation underfoot."

"Oh, and he’s the same age as Darui. The guy’s got a scary future ahead."

The squad leader’s eyes widened. "Damn. That’s impressive."

"So the village does have talent after all."

Shaking off his surprise, he refocused on the mission.

He couldn’t let some kid show him up, after all!

Meanwhile, in Kirigakure…

While Yoru was busy suppressing the prison break in Kumogakure, far away, someone was plotting against him.

Elder Genryū’s chambers.

"A spy from Kumogakure, huh? Perfect."

A sinister grin spread across his face.

"I’ve been looking for a way to deal with that brat—and now, the opportunity falls right into my lap."

"Go. ‘Accidentally’ leak Yoru’s true background to our ‘esteemed guest’ from Kumo."

"But make sure it doesn’t look intentional. Let him work for the info."

The black-clad Anbu before him bowed. "Understood."

As the agent vanished, Genryū leaned back, laughing.

"Hahaha! Mei Terumī, let’s see how you like losing someone precious!"

"The look on your face when you hear Yoru’s dead… oh, it’ll be priceless!"

"And you’ve been getting awfully cozy with certain members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."

"Don’t think I haven’t noticed. As long as I draw breath, you’ll never take control of Kiri!"

"This village is mine!"

But Genryū wasn’t the only one scheming…

As the shadow ruler of Kirigakure’s Anbu, Mei Terumī was far from oblivious.

"Genryū… I won’t let you lay a finger on Yō-kun."

She immediately dispatched Anbu to monitor Tenjin and his team, ensuring no one interfered or exposed Yoru’s identity.

But this time—she underestimated Genryū.

Distracted by her efforts to rally allies, Mei’s focus had slipped.

Her surveillance team was outmaneuvered by Genryū’s operatives.

By the time Mei realized something was wrong—

It was already too late.

Yoru’s position in Kumogakure had become dangerously precarious.

Chapter 53: Standing Still While a Tailed Beast Bomb Falls from the Sky

Of course, Yoru’s perilous situation would come later.

For now, Amashi stared at the intelligence report in his hands, his pupils contracting violently.

"The Raikage was right… Kirā really is a spy!"

His emotions were a tangled mess—

Disbelief.

That Kirā—the man with masterful lightning release—was actually Yoru, the White Flash of Kirigakure.

The Raikage’s suspicion had been dead-on.

For one person to master two extreme elemental affinities… Yoru had actually done it.

"This level of talent… is terrifying."

Relief.

At least he’d uncovered the truth in time, minimizing the damage to Kumogakure. His long undercover mission near Kirigakure hadn’t been in vain.

"We return immediately. Not a second’s delay."

Amashi pocketed the report, his expression now ice-cold.

"Kōkō… since you’re Kirigakure’s spy, forgive me."

"If you won’t serve Kumogakure, then you must be eliminated before you become a true threat."

He’d once admired Yoru’s strength, believing he could become one of Kumogakure’s pillars.

But that was under the assumption Yoru was one of theirs.

Now?

Enemies.

And enemies deserved no mercy.

Back in Kumogakure

The prisoner roundup was nearly complete.

Yet suddenly—

A chill crawled down Yoru’s spine.

A premonition of disaster, like death itself loomed overhead.

"Where’s this coming from? Something’s… wrong."

He rubbed his arms. Even in April, Kumogakure’s winds bit deep.

"What’s up, Kōkō? Slacking off?"

A squadmate nudged him teasingly.

"This isn’t like you!"

"Last mission with Captain Amashi, you nearly stole all the credit!"

Another chimed in, mock-scowling.

"Now you’re letting us grab all the glory?"

Compared to his first mission, Yoru’s performance today had been… lackluster.

Had he gone all-out like before, they’d have wrapped up half an hour ago.

"Hah, cut me some slack. I was just a hotheaded rookie back then."

Yoru shrugged.

"Hogging all the credit? That’s no way to treat comrades."

The squad burst into laughter.

"Damn, Kōkō! Didn’t think you’d wise up so fast!"

"Yeah, teamwork makes the dream work!"

Yoru smiled faintly.

His sudden humility wasn’t for camaraderie.

It was survival.

"The Raikage hasn’t found proof yet… but the less I stand out, the safer I am."

"And Amashi’s ‘scouting mission’… suspicious timing."

A grim thought struck him—

"What if his target was Kirigakure?"

The unease in his chest tightened.

"I need to get stronger. Fast."

"Please… don’t let my fears be true."

He exhaled sharply.

"Let’s regroup with the acting captain."

Then—

Instinct screamed.

Yoru’s blood froze.

His squadmates stood paralyzed, faces drained of color.

His head jerked up.

A small black comet streaked toward them.

"A… Tailed Beast Bomb?!"

His heart lurched.

Every hair on his body stood on end.

Cold sweat drenched his back.

"Why the hell is THIS here?!"

No time to wonder which jinchūriki had fired it.

Only one priority—

SURVIVE.

"Rokuchū Enjin!"

He burned every drop of chakra, encasing himself in a hexagonal flame barrier.

"Hold. PLEASE hold."

He couldn’t save the others.

He’d be lucky to save himself.

BOOOOOOM!

The bomb detonated 300 meters ahead.

The earth quaked.

A deafening roar.

A tsunami of force vaporized everything in its path.

CRACK!

The barrier splintered under the impact.

Yoru’s ears rang.

Blood gushed from his mouth.

Then—

Shatter.

The world before him was ruin.

Behind, the shockwave raged on, swallowing shinobi whole.

"Guh—!"

He staggered up—

Only for a new pressure to slam him down, more blood spraying.

THUD.

A monstrous silhouette landed **500 meters away.

Twin tails.

Cobalt flames.

The air warped with heat.

Yoru’s skin blistered.

"The… Two-Tails?!"

Chapter 54: Endless Troubles

"The Two-Tails?! What the hell—why is it out?!"

"Wasn’t it sealed inside its jinchūriki? And wasn’t the jinchūriki under heavy guard?!"

Yoru’s scalp prickled with dread.

While Kage-level shinobi could handle most Tailed Beasts, for anyone below that rank, a rampaging Bijū was nothing short of a catastrophe.

"ROOOAR!"

The Two-Tails, Matatabi, let out a deafening roar, its eyes alight with savage glee.

Then, its maw split open—yin-yang chakra swirling violently inside—before unleashing a searing, destructive beam.

A Tailed Beast Bomb!

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Matatabi rampaged through Kumogakure, its joy growing with every shattered building.

"RAAAAH!"

Between its wrathful strikes, the beast roared triumphantly.

Freedom—after years of imprisonment, it was finally time to vent its rage!

Screams of terror erupted across the village.

Fires bloomed. Walls crumbled.

For most shinobi, surviving Matatabi’s onslaught was already a struggle—fighting back was out of the question.

"Shit! The Two-Tails is loose again!"

"Someone get the Raikage—NOW!"

A handful of elite ninja managed to resist, barking orders amidst the chaos.

"Tch. I should just find a nice spot to watch this mess from afar. No way I’m tangling with that monster."

Yoru turned to leave, eager to avoid the carnage.

Sure, he could hold his own against Matatabi—maybe even hurt it—but why risk it?

Yet fate had other plans.

Just as he took his first step toward safety—

"Konkō! Perfect timing! With me—we’re engaging the Two-Tails!"

The acting captain’s voice cut through the din, leaving no room for refusal.

Behind him stood a squad of Anbu elites, their gazes locked onto Yoru.

"…Well, shit."

Under the weight of their stares, Yoru’s hopes of staying out of this evaporated.

He forced a smile.

"Captain! Thank goodness. I was just thinking how useless I’d be alone!"

As he spoke, the other Anbu studied him intently.

"So you’re the ‘Konkō’ Tenjin mentioned. Not bad."

A masked figure stepped forward—voice smooth, confident.

"Name’s Hayame. Hope we get to fight together."

"Hah! Finally, a decent rookie in this village."

This time, the speaker was a short, stocky shinobi—face hidden, but his bulky frame spoke volumes.

"Enough chatter. We need to hold off Matatabi until the Raikage arrives."

A tall, blade-wielding Anbu cut in, his icy aura reminiscent of Kakashi.

"You ready, kid? Or are your knees shaking already?" The stocky one grinned.

"I’ll manage. Might not be as strong as you veterans, but I’ll pull my weight."

Yoru swallowed his reluctance.

He had to take this seriously.

Against a Tailed Beast, holding back meant death.

Battle Begins

"Matatabi—your rampage ends here!"

Hayame and the others fanned out, hands flashing through seals.

"Lightning Release: Twelve Pillar Thunder Prison!"

A crackling cage of lightning shot toward the Two-Tails.

Matatabi swiped at it—only for four thunderous chains to coil around its limbs.

"Lightning Release: Thunder Binding Cables!"

Hayame’s jutsu restrained the beast just as the acting captain finished his own technique.

"Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder!"

CRACK-BOOM!

A colossal bolt struck Matatabi’s back, eliciting a furious screech.

Before it could retaliate, the lightning prison snapped shut around it.

"Phase one—clear!" Hayame cheered.

Then, he reversed his seals.

"Lightning Release: Thunder Dragon’s Roar!"

A dragon-shaped bolt seized the cage, dragging Matatabi toward the village outskirts.

"Everyone, move it! We can’t fight it here—!"

FWOOM!

A second Tailed Beast Bomb erupted from Matatabi’s jaws—straight at them.

"LOOK OUT—!"

The acting captain’s warning came too late.

But just before impact—

"Barrier Jutsu: Six Pillar Flame Array!"

A crimson hexagon encased Hayame.

Yoru hadn’t wanted to intervene—but the blast’s trajectory left him no choice.

KABOOOM!

The explosion quaked the earth, flames licking the sky.

Yet when the smoke cleared—

The barrier held.

"NICE!" The captain exhaled in relief.

"Didn’t know you had that in your arsenal."

The tall swordsman nodded at Yoru.

"You handle defense. We’ll attack."

"Let’s finish this!"

With that, the squad charged—Matatabi had already broken free.

Hayame clapped Yoru’s shoulder.

"Thanks, kid. Owe you one."

Then he, too, joined the assault.

Yoru sighed.

"Why does trouble always find me?"

*Chapter 55: Hidden Dragons in the Cloud*

"Damn it, I don’t want to stand out like this! How am I supposed to keep a low profile in Kumogakure after this?"

No doubt about it—after this battle, his name would once again echo through the village. More people would recognize him, and that was the last thing he wanted. It might even make gathering intel harder.

Sure, he collected information for Mei Terumī’s sake—and his own future—not for the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura. But still…

"Well, no choice now. Let’s just hope this doesn’t make me even more infamous."

With a sigh, Yoru followed, taking up defensive duties.

Honestly, barrier techniques were incredibly useful. Moderate chakra consumption, yet devastatingly powerful!

"Hahaha! This is amazing—I’ve never fought so smoothly before!"

"Who knew we could stand our ground against a tailed beast like this?"

With Yoru handling defense, the others—like Tobiuo—could attack freely. And surprisingly, they even gained the upper hand, leaving the Two-Tails momentarily stunned.

"Senpai, whatever you do, don’t let it fire a Tailed Beast Bomb!" Yoru warned, his face pale from exhaustion. "If it does, we’re done for. I can’t block that!"

Even after modifying the Six Pillars Flame Formation into a more efficient Flame Barrier, defending against the Two-Tails’ relentless attacks every few seconds was draining. A tailed beast’s chakra reserves were on another level.

"Hah! Relax, we’ve got this!" Tobiuo grinned. "Backup’s here—the village’s elite jonin have arrived! There’s someone really good at defense in that group. You can take a breather!"

Yoru turned to look. A squad of Kumo-nin was approaching, led by none other than Darui—his so-called "defeated rival"—who was now a small-unit commander.

"Took you long enough!" Tobiuo teased.

"Apologies," said a calm, steely-eyed man at the front, wearing a peculiar hat. "We had to deal with two S-rank escapees from the prison."

This was Rāta, one of the Raikage’s guards. Yoru remembered—in the original timeline, this man died a year later during the Eight-Tails’ rampage.

"Enough talk," said the tall ANBU—nicknamed Tōrō (Fierce Wolf)—without hesitation. "Tsuchi, you and Yoru handle defense. With you two covering us, we can go all out!"

Tsuchi, the seasoned Kumo-nin, gave Yoru a surprised glance. Earning Tōrō’s approval wasn’t easy—he rarely acknowledged anyone. And this kid didn’t even look that experienced. Impressive.

"Let’s work together, senpai," Yoru said before Tsuchi could speak.

Tsuchi—the same man who later aided Naruto against the Third Raikage, wielding his Lava Release and rubber-based defenses—was easygoing and approachable. If he could block the Hell Stab, tailed beast attacks were nothing.

"Likewise," Tsuchi nodded.

"Move out! Sealing Team, stand ready!"

At the commander’s order, Tōrō, Darui, and the others charged the Two-Tails. Yoru and Tsuchi followed closely, ready to shield them at a moment’s notice.

*"ROAR!"*

*"BOOM!"*

The Two-Tails was formidable, but even it struggled against the combined might of Kumo’s finest. Under the barrage of lightning, fire, and water techniques, the beast began to falter.

"First, restrict its movements! Bind and weaken it!" someone commanded. "Then, the Sealing Team moves in. I’ll return it to containment!"

Yoru glanced at the speaker—a man resembling Darui but with red hair and a "Gold" tattoo on his right arm. A massive red pot, etched with strange seals, was strapped to his back.

"It’s Sarui-sama!"

"Hah! With him here, victory’s guaranteed!"

"Your reign of terror ends today, Two-Tails!"

The Kumo-nin’s morale skyrocketed.

Yoru studied Sarui, intrigued. This was someone he didn’t recognize from the original story.

"Using the Amber Purifying Pot as a weapon? Why was he never mentioned before?"

"Kumogakure really does have hidden powerhouses."

Sarui’s strength was easily the greatest Yoru had seen in Kumo—surpassing even Tenzen, possibly second only to the Fourth Raikage and Killer B.

*"ROOOAR!"*

The Two-Tails, Matatabi, seemed to recognize Sarui. Enraged, it unleashed a devastating Tailed Beast Bomb straight at him.

"Amber Purifying Pot—seal!"

Instead of retreating, Sarui charged, aiming the pot at the attack. With a series of hand signs, the blast was sucked inside.

"Lightning Release: Heavenly Wrath!"

He then raised a hand skyward. A pitch-black dragon of lightning descended, slamming into the Two-Tails with earth-shattering force.

*"CRACK!"*

The beast howled as it crashed to the ground.

Seizing the opening, the Kumo-nin unleashed a storm of lightning techniques—led by Darui’s Black Panther—pummeling the Two-Tails into submission.

Finally, the Sealing Team moved in. Amid a flurry of scrolls, the beast was sealed away.

"Contained!"

Sarui stored the Two-Tails inside his pot, ending the rampage.

With the tailed beast subdued, order slowly returned to Kumogakure. The shinobi dispersed—some to guard, some to evacuate civilians, others to repair the damage.

Each to their duty.

---