*Chapter 41: Stay Calm, Don’t Panic—We Can Win*

"This guy… he’s… too strong!"

"Is this… his… real power?"

They stared at Yoru as if seeing him for the first time.

This man, ruthless as a demon—was he really the same gentle, harmless Kira who laughed with the village elders and never seemed like a threat?

It was impossible to connect the two!

The pirates on the surrounding ships were drenched in cold sweat, their faces twisted in shock, terror, and disbelief.

Even their breathing had slowed.

Too strong.

Seventy elite fighters, each at chūnin level—wiped out in mere minutes.

Against an enemy like this… did they even stand a chance?

Even the pirate captain, witnessing this, couldn’t help but tense up. His men had been annihilated so fast that he hadn’t even had time to react.

"Good work, Kōkō! Brilliant!"

Suddenly, Tenjin’s voice cut through the tension as he praised Yoru. Then, turning to his team—Ōrui and the others—he barked, "Push forward! Break their formation and take down the target!"

"Charge!"

With that, Tenjin shot forward, racing straight for Yota.

Faced with this assault, Yota stumbled back, cold sweat pouring down his face.

He was panicking.

"Don’t let them intimidate you! Hold the line!"

The pirate captain, unfazed by Tenjin’s advance, calmly issued orders. Then, his gaze locked onto Yoru, and he snarled, "Focus fire on that brat!"

"He’s killed so many—he must be exhausted by now. Perfect target practice!"

"Yes, sir!"

The pirates roared in unison, launching a barrage of attacks at Yoru.

Their earlier fear and shock had vanished—replaced by a frenzied bloodlust.

What terrifying morale control.

After giving the command, the captain turned to Yota and said, "Stay calm. The battle’s just begun. We still have the overwhelming advantage!"

"Follow me!"

With that, he leaped off the ship, weaving hand signs midair.

"Summoning Jutsu: Umibōzu!"

*BOOM!*

The sea beneath him surged violently, and a massive, slime-like water creature erupted from the waves.

"ROAR!"

Its thunderous bellow shook the air as it spat a storm of razor-sharp water bullets at Tenjin’s group.

"Look out!"

Tenjin barely managed to warn his team before they all scattered.

"Go. I’ll create an opening—you assassinate them."

The captain shot Yota a sharp look.

Even though every fiber of Yota’s being resisted, he had no choice but to obey.

So—

"Your backs… are wide open."

Just as Tenjin’s team dodged the Umibōzu’s attack and regained their footing, Yota’s icy voice slithered from behind them.

A chill ran down their spines.

"Damn it—!"

Tenjin’s stomach dropped, but he was too far to intervene.

Two Cloud ninja didn’t even have time to react before their throats were slit. With a choked scream, they collapsed into the sea.

"Yota, you bastard!"

Ōrui’s eyes burned with fury. In an instant, he blurred forward, his fist smashing through the air toward Yota’s face.

*CLANG!*

The strike missed—only knocking aside a kunai Yota had thrown at him.

"After all these years, you’re still as reckless as ever. Just like that fool, the Raikage."

Yota landed beside the captain, smirking in contempt.

Meanwhile, Yoru was forced into constant evasion under the pirates’ relentless assault.

"Keep firing! Don’t give him a chance to counter!"

"Who cares if he’s a demon? Wear him down first!"

"You’ll pay for killing our comrades!"

The pirates and remaining rogue ninjas roared, their attacks unrelenting.

Yoru was strong, yes—but against this storm of attacks, even he had to retreat.

For the first time, he looked… pushed.

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"Ōrui! Take a squad and reinforce Kōkō. The Raikage values him—we can’t let him die!"

Tenjin, noticing Yoru’s struggle, gave the order.

But the real reason for the retreat was simple: the pirate captain was too much to handle.

Tenjin’s plan—to break through and capture Yota—had failed. This was the only option left.

"Pointless. No matter what you do, your only fate here is death."

The captain smirked, then patted the Umibōzu beneath him.

"Let’s go."

"ROAR!"

The creature bellowed in response before surging forward like lightning across the waves.

"Tidal Wave!" the captain commanded.

"SKREEE—!"

The Umibōzu screeched, and the sea trembled violently—so much that even Yoru nearly lost his footing.

Then, a five-meter-high tsunami erupted, crashing toward Tenjin’s group with crushing force.

"Fall back!"

Tenjin’s order came instantly.

This wasn’t something they could block.

Even Yoru’s face paled as he barely dodged in time.

This scale of attack… it’s insane.

The only person he’d seen manipulate water to this degree was Kisame Hoshigaki.

"Trying to run? Useless."

The captain sneered, then turned to Yota.

"Prepare Lightning Style."

Yota’s hands flew through seals.

"Lightning Style: Gratitude Wave!"

The sea lit up with electricity—Tenjin’s team had nowhere to land.

But with no footing, they couldn’t change their trajectory midair.

"ARGH—!"

Even as Cloud ninja, masters of lightning, they weren’t immune to its effects.

"Wind Style: Thousand Cutting Winds!"

Seizing the moment, the captain unleashed a storm of razor-sharp wind blades.

"Heh. Die already. Know your place, Cloud scum!"

"You’re just mortals. Did you really think you could beat our captain?"

The pirates jeered, reveling in their impending victory.

*THUD! THUD! THUD!*

Tenjin, Yoru, and Ōrui—along with eleven others—barely managed to evade.

The rest weren’t so lucky.

Screams tore through the air as blood sprayed, limbs were severed, and organs floated grotesquely in the water.

"Now… it’s slaughter time."

The captain grinned, turning to the twelve remaining rogue ninjas.

The picture of absolute control.

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