*Chapter 42: Fighting Alone Against Many*

"Yes, sir!"

The rogue ninjas responded instantly, their predatory gazes locking onto Yoru—so sharp it sent chills down the spine.

"Go!"

At the captain’s command, the twelve rogue ninjas lunged forward like starving wolves, all charging straight for Yoru.

Meanwhile, the captain and Yota turned their sights back on Tenjin’s group, advancing with unshakable confidence.

Seeing this, Tenjin sent Ōrui to back up Yoru while he and the remaining fighters braced for the captain’s assault.

*[Yoru’s Side]*

*CLANG!*

Yoru barely blocked a vicious slash from the rogue ninja in front of him, gritting his teeth. "Damn, he’s strong!"

The man sneered. "Give up, kid. You really think fourteen of you stand a chance?"

At the same time, a cold voice hissed from behind Yoru—"Die, brat!"

Sandwiched between two attackers, the situation was eerily familiar.

Yet despite the danger, Yoru’s expression remained eerily calm.

He looked up at the brute in front of him and grinned. "No chance? Bit early to say that."

*SHING!*

With a sudden burst of strength, he forced his opponent back.

Then, pivoting sharply, he exploded forward—blurring past the attacker behind him like a flash of light.

"First."

"…Huh?"

The rogue ninjas froze, baffled by Yoru’s words. The man who’d been pushed back scoffed, assuming it was just empty bravado.

But just as he prepared to charge again—

*SPLURT!*

The rogue ninja who’d brushed past Yoru suddenly clutched his throat—blood gushing between his fingers—before collapsing into the sea.

"To me…" Yoru bared his teeth in a chilling smile. "You’re all just lambs for slaughter."

"You little shit! Don’t get cocky!"

The bald rogue ninja roared in fury and lunged again.

"Lightning Style: Gratitude Wave!"

No one even saw Yoru weave the signs.

In an instant, the sea beneath him erupted with crackling electricity—streaking toward the rogue ninjas at lightning speed.

"Jump!"

The bald ninja and his comrades barely managed to leap away in time.

But as they scrambled to counter—some forming hand signs, others drawing kunai—Yoru’s voice cut through the chaos.

"Too slow. Lightning Style: Thunder Bullets!"

A storm of marble-sized lightning orbs shot from Yoru’s body, homing in on the airborne rogue ninjas.

The bald attacker was no exception.

"Im…possible!"

His mind reeled in disbelief. He’d started forming signs first—yet Yoru had outpaced him.

How the hell was his hand speed that fast?!

*SLASH!*

A flash of steel later, several more bodies hit the water.

"Tch… You’ve gotta be kidding me!"

"Those were all B-rank missing-nin!"

"How the hell is he this strong?!"

Even the rogue ninjas fighting Ōrui paled at the sight.

B-rank missing-nin were chūnin or even special jōnin-level fighters.

Yet in just five moves, eight of them had been wiped out.

What kind of monster was this kid?!

Did he even have a chakra limit?!

"Heard you all wanted to kill me." Yoru flashed them a friendly smile. "So I won’t hold back either."

As long as no one interrupted him—

Special jōnin? Chūnin?

To him, they were nothing more than fodder.

Unless a full-fledged jōnin showed up, he was untouchable.

"Here I go."

The moment the words left his mouth, a special jōnin-level rogue ninja crumpled into the sea—a thin, precise gash across his chest.

"SCATTER!"

The remaining rogue ninjas didn’t even think—they bolted in all directions, their hair standing on end.

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But Yoru only chuckled. "You think running will save you? How naïve."

Slamming his palm against the water, he snarled—

"Binding Torrent Seal!"

Black curse markings spiderwebbed across the sea’s surface, coiling around the fleeing ninjas before they could react.

A few managed to dodge in time—

But—

"Flash."

Yoru’s blade and icy voice became their death sentence.

"Dammit, MOVE!"

The trapped rogue ninjas writhed in panic, their faces twisted in horror as Yoru closed in.

They had to break free—or they were dead.

"Now…" Yoru turned to the last few, his smile widening. "It’s your turn."

"N-no…!"

Their pupils shrank to pins, sweat pouring down their faces.

Death had never felt this close.

"Please, I don’t wanna—"

*SLASH!*

Their pleas ended in a spray of blood.

More bodies floated to the surface.

"Y’know…" Yoru rested his sword on his shoulder, grinning. "I should thank someone for pushing me out this far."

"Now I’m just outside your ships’ range—leaving them useless."

"YOU LITTLE—!"

The pirates seethed, but Yoru wasn’t done.

"So careless, Captain. Thought you had the upper hand, huh?"

"But the moment you got comfortable—you lost."

"Did you really think the Cloud Village became one of the Five Great Nations by accident?"

"Your ‘brilliant tactics’? Full of holes. Pathetic."

"A few ships and some lackeys don’t make you king of the sea."

"The ocean’s way bigger than you think, frog in a well."

"YOU BRAT!!"

The captain’s composed mask finally shattered, his face darkening with rage.

That "someone" Yoru was mocking?

It was him.

"Hah! Well said, Kōkō!" Tenjin cut in, his voice strained.

He and his team were battered, soaked, and bleeding—clearly, the Umibōzu had given them hell.

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