Chapter 48: To Be Honest, I’m Nervous Too

"Kira, don’t let me down," the Fourth Raikage murmured.

It was rare to find someone so talented. But if this turned out to be a spy… well, that would be truly disappointing.

The Hidden Cloud Village was desperate for capable shinobi. He couldn’t afford to let even one slip away.

…

"Konkō, come with us."

Yoru, who had been preparing to move, was abruptly interrupted by two Anbu operatives appearing before him.

Since they were all part of the Anbu, they naturally referred to him by his codename.

"Let’s go."

As Yoru looked at the two standing before him, he thought, "Already? The Raikage’s patience is thinner than I expected."

The Intelligence Division’s Anbu had arrived faster than he’d anticipated.

"Sister… please watch over me. I hope your subordinates’ skills are as sharp as they claim."

"Otherwise… I’m done for."

Even Yoru couldn’t be sure whether the memory-sealing jutsu in his mind could withstand a second inspection.

Right now, all he could do was pray.

…

Evening.

"Konkō, you’re free to go."

Suppressing the throbbing pain in his head, Yoru glanced at the expressions of the Intelligence Division members.

Their calm demeanor didn’t seem forced. Nodding, he turned and left.

"Looks like I didn’t get exposed."

With that thought, he stepped out of the Anbu headquarters.

As for the System, no one but Yoru himself could perceive its existence—not even through memory. There wouldn’t be any trace of it left behind.

Back at home—

He collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep instantly, his mind too foggy to focus on anything else.

Raikage’s Office.

"No abnormalities, huh? Maybe I was being too suspicious."

Leaning back in his chair, the Fourth Raikage set down the report from the Intelligence Division, his brow relaxing slightly.

Even though the report mentioned that "Kira" knew how to use the Hidden Mist Jutsu, he didn’t find it particularly strange.

After all, it made sense for someone from the Hidden Mist Village to know such a technique.

Now, all he had to do was wait for Tenjin to return. Then, he could decide how to handle Yoru.

The Next Day.

Sunlight streamed through the window, waking Yoru.

Even after a full night’s rest, his head still ached—but that didn’t stop him from moving into his new place.

"The Fourth Raikage sure knows how to treat his people. This place is bright, spacious, well-ventilated, and soundproof."

"Best of all, the interior design is actually pleasant."

By the time he finished settling in, it was already noon.

Luckily, the commercial district was just downstairs, packed with restaurants—a far cry from the long treks he used to make for meals.

Afternoon.

After a nap, Yoru reported for duty at the Anbu headquarters.

As an Anbu operative, free time was a luxury. Unless it was a scheduled day off, they were constantly involved in village affairs.

It reminded him of his days back in the Hidden Mist Village.

However, their squad leader, Tenjin, was absent—only a temporary captain was overseeing their missions.

"So, most of the time, Anbu are just on guard duty, huh?"

Standing atop one of the Hidden Cloud’s border watchtowers, Yoru swung his sword idly.

A good way to kill time and earn Strengthening Points—two birds with one stone.

"You’re way too diligent, Konkō. You’re making the rest of us look bad," joked another Anbu from Tenjin’s squad.

Contrary to popular belief, Anbu weren’t always cold and robotic. Around their own, they acted perfectly normal.

"Can’t afford to slack off. Don’t want to disappoint the Raikage," Yoru replied with a half-truth, drawing laughter from the others before the conversation moved on.

None of them followed his lead in practicing sword swings—they didn’t believe it contributed much to their growth.

A week passed.

Thanks to Yoru’s relentless effort, he’d earned 150,000 Strengthening Points in those seven days.

As for gathering intel? There was no better place than the Anbu.

With his position, obtaining classified information was almost effortless.

Nighttime.

Returning home, Yoru sat cross-legged on his bed and focused his mind, connecting with the System.

"Strengthen: Speed, Agility, and Stamina!"

At the Jonin level, each attribute required 50,000 points to enhance. Strengthening three attributes totaled 150,000 points—exactly what he had.

"Strengthening initiated. Total cost: 150,000 Strengthening Points."

The System’s cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

Then, his chakra surged, rapidly intensifying.

This was the moment Yoru enjoyed most—the intoxicating warmth of growing stronger.

…

Ten minutes later.

"Strengthening complete. Upon reinforcing the ‘Power’ attribute, the host will achieve the ‘Invincible Jonin’ milestone."

The System’s unexpected announcement piqued Yoru’s interest.

"What does achieving a milestone do?" he asked.

"The host will not receive any stat bonuses or rewards."

"This is merely an informational notification to help the host gauge their current strength level."

Yoru rolled his eyes. "Tch. And here I thought there’d be some special prize."

A status screen materialized before him:

Host: Yoru

Age: 12

Swordsmanship: Flash

Ninjutsu:

• Hidden Mist Technique

• Water Clone Technique

• Water Wall

• Water Gun Technique

• Lightning Pillar Wall

• Gratitude Wave

• Lightning Bullet Technique

• Falling Thunder Formation

Barrier Techniques:

• Silent Barrier Array

• Sensory Barrier

• Six Pillar Flame Array

Sealing Technique:

• Binding Current Curse

Genjutsu:

• Spirit Torment Technique

• Paralysis Technique

Weapon: Tempered Tachi

Rank: Jonin

(Academy Student → Genin → Chunin → Special Jonin → Jonin → Elite Jonin → Kage → Super Kage → Six Paths)

Strengthening Points: 1,000

…

"At my current level, I should be able to defeat most Jonin-tier opponents."

Rising from the bed, Yoru headed to the bathroom, his body coated in a thin layer of impurities expelled during the strengthening process.

According to the System, once he reinforced his Power, he’d reach "Invincible Jonin" status.

With three Jonin-level attributes already, his strength was undoubtedly formidable—likely surpassing most in his rank.

His current level was probably comparable to Kakashi at this point.

If an Elite Jonin was a 10, he’d be around a 7.5.

As for the four core attributes—

Power (力): Physical strength, including arm and leg power.

Speed (速): Movement speed, reaction time, hand seal speed, and attack speed.

Agility (敏): Body coordination and reflexes.

Stamina (精): Chakra reserves, refinement, and control precision.