《In Naruto With Pocket Hunting》 Chapter 1: It Wasnt a Genjutsu My name is Nawaki Senju. Today, August 9th, I celebrate my 16th birthday. It also marks exactly four years since I regained the memories of a past life in a modern world. By the way, it was also when I discovered I was some kind of side character in an anime/manga called Naruto. When I realized I was about to die again after being given a second chance at life, I panicked, but then I thought: ''If I don''t act foolishly, can my death be avoided?'' Exactly 3 years, 11 months, and 24 days ago, I deceived the Lady of Death. As someone who knows the true story, including how it ends for me, avoiding it wasn''t really a problem. What worried me was facing a situation akin to the Final Destination movie saga. Illogical? Perhaps. But think about it: if you were in my position, wouldn''t you be paranoid? And let''s be honest¡ªI didn''t want to die, especially while living in a world with chakra and being a member of the Senju Clan. Unfortunately, we are still at war. And my dear older sister, Tsunade, couldn''t celebrate my birthday with me this year. Until now, I had managed to make time to return to the village while participating in the war. But I made sure to take a moment to rest and clear my head. It would be a lie to say I don''t believe that deceiving death comes at a cost¡ªlike needing to pay with another life. So during the war, I killed many enemy ninjas. Though my motives weren''t noble, it''s undeniable that it helped Konoha. My name began to gain recognition, and I even earned the nickname: Konoha''s Red Lightning. Hmm, it would be a lie to say I feel bad for Minato for having "inherited" that nickname. After all, the Flying Raijin Technique was originally created by my great-uncle. Not to mention, there was a striking difference: many times, I was drenched in the blood of my enemies, making the nickname all the more fitting as I used the Flying Raijin Technique. "Lost in thought again, aren''t you?" My mind stopped wandering. I looked toward the voice and smiled, "My bad, my bad." With long, straight, scarlet-red hair and bangs that extended past her collarbone, parted in the middle with a small black hairpin on the left side, Kushina walked over to me holding a cake. She wore a light yellow ninja outfit with purple accents, paired with a dark belt at her waist. Her legs were partially covered by black thigh-high socks, leaving her thighs exposed, and she wore brown ninja sandals. Placing a cake with 16 candles on the table, Kushina said, "Here''s the birthday cake, the Kushina Special~." She winked with her left eye. "Wow!" I said, "As expected, I can always count on you, Kushina." She looked surprised, then her eyes sparkled, and she laughed, showing her teeth with her eyes closed. Her shoulders trembled as she said, "Hehe, of course! You can always count on me, dattebane!" With a clenched fist, she lightly pounded her chest to emphasize her words. -- -- Nothing Better Than Sleeping in a Soft Bed. Sometimes, I couldn''t even take a simple nap. After all, in war, your enemies won''t think something like: Oh, he''s sleeping; let''s leave him alone~. As soon as I closed my eyes and my consciousness began to drift, everything quickly fell into darkness. ... How much time has passed? I felt as if I had barely closed my eyes before opening them again. But then, how could it be so bright? Rubbing my eyes, I went on full alert!If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ''Was I caught in a Genjutsu?'' A clear blue sky, bright sunlight dazzling my eyes, even the familiar sensation of being exposed to the sun made me squint. If this is a Genjutsu, the person who cast it is very skilled. But considering that someone managed to trap me in a Genjutsu while I slept in the Hidden Leaf Village, it couldn''t be a mediocre opponent. Clasping my hands together, I shouted, "Kai!" "..." Nothing happened. Everything remained the same. My heart began racing uncontrollably. Either I''m not in a Genjutsu, or whoever placed me in this situation is so powerful that I can''t even break it! ''Damn it...'' Another thought crossed my mind, one that depressed me¡ªthe possibility that I had undergone a second reincarnation. It couldn''t be, right? I stood up as a gentle breeze brushed through my hair and face. I could smell the faint aroma of grass mixed with soil. But that didn''t matter right now. Forming hand seals, I murmured, "Shadow Clone Jutsu." Beside me, a curtain of grayish-white smoke rose, and soon my clone was created. Short, rebellious light brown hair, gray-green eyes. Standing 179 cm tall, wearing a gray buttoned shirt and gray pajama pants. Sigh. "I''m still me," my clone murmured, relieved. "So, I''ve been relocated to another place while asleep?" Seeing my clone place a hand on his chin in thought and hearing his words echo my own thoughts, I too became contemplative. Touching my neck and noticing the absence of my necklace, I was overcome by the same emptiness I felt when I recovered the memories of my past life. It was like the absence of my smartphone, which I instinctively searched for in my pockets, only to remember it didn''t exist in this world. With a serious expression, I commanded my clone, "Go and find out where we are." "Yes!" In an instant, my clone sprinted off at high speed while I waited. -- -- Minutes later, I received feedback from my clone. "This is the Hunting Dimension?" I murmured softly, surprised. In my past life, I read a novel called Pocket Hunting Dimension. In the novel, the protagonist transformed from a mediocre individual into one of the brightest beings in the universe thanks to the Hunting Dimension. In this dimension, it was like a level-based game¡ªdefeating the boss of a stage unlocked the next one. Of course, that wasn''t all. The key point was that upon killing monsters in the Hunting Dimension, orbs dropped as loot. These orbs contained unimaginable powers, capable of boosting the protagonist, Lu Ze, and making him stronger. ''Am I really this lucky?'' I thought. ''But wasn''t I already fortunate to reincarnate as Nawaki? Or is this telling me that without this, I''d eventually die?'' When the alms are too good, even saints grow suspicious. Instead of feeling happy, I became worried. Something like this couldn''t be a bed of roses without thorns. I didn''t know what could threaten my life to the point of granting me something like this, but I preferred to assume something would happen rather than be caught off guard if it did. Ah, and the reason I was almost certain this belonged to the novel Pocket Hunting Dimension was because, just like my clone that killed some Green Wolves and dropped deep red light orbs and purple orbs, when my clone picked them up, they simply vanished in his hand. The same happened to me when I killed a Giant White Rabbit that attacked me. However, what it dropped was only two red orbs, the size of cherries, emitting a faint glow. On the ground, I picked up a stone about the size of a tomato. After marking it with the Flying Raijin Technique, I walked slowly until I found a group consisting of four Giant White Rabbits and two Giant Gray Rabbits. "Whoosh!" The instant I threw the stone in their direction, it startled them, causing them to leap in opposite directions. As the stone reached them, I disappeared from my location, reappearing right next to it and catching it mid-air. Converting my chakra in my mouth into water and shaping it into senbon, I shot water needles at the rabbits at high speed while spinning in the air. "ZZZZHHHMMM!" "ZZZZHHHMMM!" "ZZZZHHHMMM!" "ZZZZHHHMMM!" "ZZZZHHHMMM!" A total of five shots, five hits. I didn''t miss a single target, striking their heads directly. They turned to dust the moment they leaped, dropping faintly glowing reddish orbs that stood out among the ashes. As I picked up the orbs, just as I expected, the instant they came into contact with my hand, they disappeared. ''This confirms it. I must be right; this is the Hunting Dimension...'' I don''t know what triggered me to gain something like this, but it''s not like I''m going to complain. Still, I can''t help but worry about the possibility of there being a hidden reason behind it... Tossing the stone with my Flying Raijin mark up and down, I continued walking. -- -- It must have been almost three hours since I ended up in this place, and so far, it felt like I was strolling through my backyard, getting rid of a few random pests with ease. No matter what, compared to the Jonin-level ninjas I''ve killed, these oversized rabbits don''t scare me. Not even the Green Wolves that showed up trying to attack me with wind, only to have their heads severed when I used Cutting Water Waves. ''If this keeps up, it won''t take long before I reach the map''s boss and take it down...'' I thought. Although I felt it wouldn''t be as easy a fight as it was with the Giant Rabbits and Green Wolves, I didn''t think it would be impossible for me to defeat it. In the distance, I saw a massive gray lizard, with shoulder height at five meters and a body length of twenty meters. My eyes glimmered for a moment, and I licked my lips as I prepared to face it... But then, why did my vision suddenly darken? -- -- I opened my eyes abruptly; darkness enveloped me. I was lying down, but I quickly sat up. Moving my neck from side to side while observing my surroundings, I thought: ''Am I back in my room?'' Frowning, puzzled, I mused: ''Is the time limit really that short? Why don''t I remember that? I thought I''d at least have an entire day...'' Chapter 2: Using the Light Orbs for the First Time If I had known earlier, I wouldn''t have been so calm. But patience. I believe I''ll have more chances to return there later. For now, I had something more important to focus on. I licked my dry lips as I felt some incoherent sensations in my brain. Sitting on the bed, I closed my eyes and focused my mind. It wandered and soon found a small three-dimensional space. There, I saw several multicolored orbs floating in the void. It was like opening a little box filled with gemstones of all shapes and sizes. I believe my mental control is excellent. When I used my mental power to "touch" a small red light orb, it disappeared from the dimension and appeared in my left hand. Opening my eyes, I saw the small orb in the center of my palm. Strangely, it didn''t feel like something made of a foreign energy but rather something more familiar. Yes, it was like chakra, only it emitted a purer energy. ''Will this have some purifying effect on my chakra?'' I deduced. ''And maybe, expand my chakra?'' If implementing Grandpa Hashirama''s cells could have such a magical effect, even increasing the amount of chakra someone possessed, I feel it''s plausible to think these orbs might have a similar effect... No! I believe it will be even better! It might seem a bit like a fool''s hope, but who wouldn''t prefer to be optimistic rather than pessimistic? At least in situations like this, I hope for the best. Even so, I purposely chose the smallest and dimmest orb. Optimistic but cautious ¡ª the best of both worlds. Placing what seemed to be the size of a grain of rice in my mouth, I closed my eyes as I felt the orb melt on my tongue, and the warm flow fused with my body and spread. It was like flames burning through my body, putting me into a feverish state. Quickly, I used the chakra circulation technique to distribute the powerful pure chakra energy throughout my body. However, it lasted only two minutes before the flow of pure chakra energy ended. Opening my eyes, I opened and closed my hands. There wasn''t a dramatic difference, but I felt a subtle increase in strength. ''It seems like it''s strengthening my body first,'' I speculated. Closing my eyes again, I found myself back in the three-dimensional space filled with orbs. Picking a total of ten of the same size, I opened my eyes to see them appear in my hands. Leaving eight aside, I placed two in my mouth right away. Just like the first time, the orbs melted, transforming into a flow of pure chakra energy that spread aimlessly throughout my body. Using chakra circulation, I helped guide and enhance every part of my body. In moments, this flow of pure chakra began improving my body. This time, I noticed a more obvious result. It lasted about five minutes before the effect wore off. I opened my eyes and saw sweat dripping down my skin. Of course, it wasn''t the classic impurity cleansing seen in Chinese novels. But just to be safe, I decided not to continue doing this in my room and went to the bathroom connected to it. In the bathroom, I filled my tub with water while taking off my clothes and washing myself in the shower. Beside the tub, I placed a wooden stool where I positioned all eight faintly glowing red orbs, which resembled small, shiny beans. Once in the tub, I grabbed three of the eight orbs and placed them in my mouth at once. The moment I did, I entered a feverish state, feeling as if my body was about to catch fire. However, even unintentionally, the water in the tub helped.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I wasted no time using the chakra circulation technique to spread the pure chakra throughout my body. In moments, I began sweating profusely. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the sweat flowing from my body. But that wasn''t all: my body began contracting its muscles, tightening and strengthening them. Cough, cough¡­ Three minutes later, I had a coughing fit as I felt intense heartburn, irritating my throat terribly. ''What''s happening?'' I thought. And then, what didn''t come out through my mouth, came out the other end... Bubbles rose. A lot of bubbles. Soon, I smelled something so horrible that, even knowing it came from me, I wanted to vomit. "Ugh! What the hell is that smell!?" I cursed, thinking, ''Am I rotting inside?'' Almost literally, it had a lot to do with... well, crap. But luckily, all I did was fart... Okay, it wasn''t just a simple fart. It was almost at the level of a biological weapon! Okay, I''m exaggerating a bit. Just a bit... Holding my breath, I wanted to get out, but there was still pure chakra energy left in my body from the faintly glowing red orbs. Enduring the foul smell, I kept fighting... After feeling that smell for two minutes, which felt like several hours, I was crying. Tears involuntarily streamed from my eyes, as if I were peeling several onions at once, causing irritation to my eyes. "Blegh!" Ten minutes later, I vomited. The flow of pure chakra ended, and as I felt relieved, I could no longer withstand the nausea I was feeling, pouring everything out into the bathroom. This made me even more nauseous, causing me to vomit again until there was nothing left. -- -- "..." With the bathroom window open to ventilate, I wore a cloth mask to avoid smelling the bad odor while cleaning the bathroom. It took longer than I expected, but I managed to clean the bathtub of my own vomit and washed myself in the shower. At the door, I thought, ''I did my best.'' Even though I had thrown some scented products, there was still the lingering smell of my fart mixed with my vomit in the air. But, compared to before, it was at least bearable now. Leaving the bathroom window open, I stepped out and closed the door. My face contorted when I caught a bit of the smell in my room, but it wasn''t as bad as it was in the bathroom. Still, I had to open the window, even in the middle of the night. Sitting on a wooden bench outside my room, on the balcony, I had never been so happy to breathe the fresh air of the serene night. A sense of calmness took over me, making me close my eyes and enjoy the breeze and the fresh air of the night. Yes, I know. I must look like an old man, right? But who cares? "Hmmm~" I let out a quiet sigh as I felt at peace. If I had alcohol, it would be perfect~ If I knew where Oneechan hid the alcohol, I would love to grab at least one bottle... Or two? ''Tsk, why does she act like this, when she started drinking even earlier than I did?'' I thought, a bit irritated, but soon calmed down. I already knew that arguing with someone like Oneechan was pointless. She was exactly the type who proudly proclaimed, "Do as I say, but not as I do!" But deep down, I know. It''s not because she''s worried about me, but because she doesn''t want me drinking her wine! Tsk, just because I drank all her stock on my 13th birthday, she started hiding the drinks from me. So petty~ ''Okay, enough complaining about Oneechan.'' I licked my lips with anticipation, thinking, ''When I reach the third map and get access to the Golden Wine of the Giant Golden Monkeys... It will be a memorable day!'' I still remember how I envied reading about them drinking that wine while reading the novel. If it really is like it was described... ''Damn it, I started salivating...'' Wiping the drool with the back of my right hand, I sighed softly, clearing my mind. I didn''t want to get too anxious because I know myself well enough to know that if I overthink, I''ll end up searching for Oneechan''s drink stash... -- -- I stayed outside for almost two hours. When I returned, the smell had already disappeared, and I went to the bathroom. There was a faint, subtle bad smell, but it was tolerable. I went to the stool where the dim red orbs were and grabbed them, putting them into a little wooden box. Outside, behind my room, there was a flowerbed. The maids took care of it, so it was well-maintained. Opening the wooden box, I took one orb, and after putting the box back in my pocket, I squeezed the dim light orb in my hand until it turned to dust. I saw a kind of light fly away in the wind, but not all was lost. A good portion of the pure chakra remained in the crumbs, and I dug a small hole near the flowerbed, placing some of the crumbs close to the roots. ''Let''s see if this brings any unexpected results...'' As long as there''s no mutation, I''m fine with it. And even if it happens, it shouldn''t be anything too out of the ordinary. After all, I only used one orb and made sure to spread it well. Even some of it flew away with the wind. By the way, I felt a pleasant sensation when I breathed that in. I returned to my room and lay down, but I wasn''t sleepy. My body felt like a child full of energy, wanting to burn it off. Sitting on the edge of the bed with my head down, I got up, then took off my t-shirt. Turning on the light, I walked over to the full-length mirror and saw my reflection. In the mirror''s reflection, I noticed my body had become more defined. Not that I wasn''t before. Let''s say the contours were more prominent. They became more defined, while the muscle mass, although slightly reduced, became firmer. I don''t have a fetish for male abs, but I had to admit it looked pretty sexy. ''Damn, I''m not a narcissist to want to admire myself in front of a mirror!'' Scratching my head, I stepped away from the mirror and went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. Chapter 3: The End of the War Is Near Sunday, August 10th. The Hidden Rain Village is known for its rainy climate. However, on this particular day, the rain was heavier and more intense. At a certain location, far from the inhabited area, in a muddy open field, there was a huge beast with a man atop the creature''s head. The beast''s body was brown, with a white underside. This beast was none other than Hanz¨­''s summoning beast, also known as Hanz¨­ of the Salamander, because of this creature. Hanz¨­ had long blond hair, a scar on his right cheek, and wore a helmet-shaped respirator that concealed the lower part of his face. The black hat on his head bore the village''s symbol, surrounded by four engravings on his mask. His outfit included something resembling a diving suit, bandages on his wrists and ankles, an artillery jacket, shinobi sandals, and a black cloak. Underneath, he wore a black short-sleeved shirt, exposing part of his abdomen. In front of Hanz¨­, three ninjas from the Hidden Leaf Village struggled to stand, while the ground around them was littered with bodies, and the blood of the victims mixed with the rain, turning the water a dark red. The three ninjas, visibly exhausted, breathed heavily but maintained a fire in their eyes that wouldn''t extinguish, even in this storm. The tallest one, with long, spiked white hair tied in a low ponytail, looked visibly weakened, leaning on the kunoichi beside him. The woman, with blonde hair and a distinct fringe framing her face, seemed to support some of his weight while both remained armed and protected by typical Konoha armor. Next to them, a striking ninja with long, straight hair as dark as the night stood out with his pale skin, like the wax of a candle. He wore a black cloak that seemed to fight against the wind and rain, while his eyes held a threatening intensity, despite his exhaustion. "I foresee that the Leaf will emerge victorious from this war," Hanz¨­ said with his deep, dignified voice. "Therefore, I will let you three live." His words were like a jab to the egos of the three ninjas, especially the white-haired one, who looked visibly insulted. "We don''t want your pity; we can still fight!" he shouted. The woman helping him stay upright shouted as well, "Jiraiya, stop!" "You three are strong," Hanz¨­ said arrogantly, his words contrasting with his demeanor. Ignoring Jiraiya''s remarks, he looked at them as though he were the master of their fates and declared, "You survived even in this battlefield. I, Hanz¨­, hereby name you the ''Legendary Ninjas of the Leaf.'' In exchange for your lives, tell me your names." - - - - Just as Hanz¨­ had "prophesied," the Hidden Leaf Village won the war. But not without casualties¡ªmany talented ninjas perished in this war. Numerous families who had been waiting for the return of their children, wives, and husbands, wept upon learning that they had died in battle. On the morning of Friday, August 15th, a large memorial was held in the Hidden Leaf Village for those who fought for the village. It was also during this time that the world came to know the names of the three Legendary Sannin ninjas: Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. All three were disciples of the Third Hokage. --Stolen story; please report. -- [P.O.V ¨C Nawaki: August 10th] As I walked through the village, I could feel the subtle change in the atmosphere. The weight of the war was enormous. It was rare to see anyone smiling. I saw this firsthand; I lost many friends and battle comrades in this war. There were nights when I even had nightmares about their deaths, or that I was still fighting someone. Closing my eyes, I shook my head from side to side. What hurt the most to see were the children who became orphans. Their expressions were as if their worlds had shattered. I could feel that because I too lost my parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts because of the war. Fortunately, I still had my Oneechan. But not everyone is as lucky, and many became orphans. Many of them were sent to the orphanage. [Hidden Leaf Orphanage] Standing in front of what seemed like an old wooden mansion, I sighed, but then entered, carrying some shopping bags. Beside me, Kushina, who was also carrying some bags, looked downcast. I could understand. For someone who had lost everything, even the village of their origin, places like this brought painful memories. But she still wanted to come with me. ''Mm, she''s a strong girl,'' I thought. -- -- I got home around 8 PM. My heart wasn''t at ease. Whether because of what I saw in the village or because I had just returned from the orphanage. I don''t know if it''s right to feel this way, but when I see those children, although it brings me a little happiness to see them smile and play, it also leaves me downcast when I see them sad. Especially those who just joined the orphanage because they became war orphans. "Sigh~" "Slap!" With both hands, I slapped my cheeks, making the loud sound of the slaps echo. I know it''s not good to stay depressed like this, so I forced myself not to think about it for now. Seconds later, I felt a slight discomfort in my stomach and gently rubbed my belly. ''Okay, I''ll eat something before bed,'' I thought. In the hallway connected to the yard, I saw that it had started to rain. What began as a light rain intensified to the point that the sound of rain on the roof grew loud enough to echo. My steps became less audible, and I walked to the middle of the hallway and opened the sliding wooden door. Even the sound of the door being slid was muffled by the sound of the rain and thunder. "Kyahh!" In the thunderclap, I heard a scream, and then I walked faster to see Kushina with her hands on her ears and a piece of bread in her mouth. "..." I was left speechless by this scene. The same could be said for Kushina, who blinked as she opened her eyes and saw me staring at her. All the fear she had shown seemed to vanish like magic. Kushina lowered her hands, taking the bread out of her mouth with her right hand, and coughed twice, bringing her free hand to her mouth. All my depressive mood disappeared. I turned my face, trying to hold back a laugh: "Pfft!" Coughing, with one eye open while a tear escaped from her eye, Kushina said between her coughs: "You... Nawaki! You laughed, didn''t you?" I looked away from her and said, "What are you talking about?" "Don''t try to fool me, Dattebane!" She raised her voice while clenching her fists, crushing the bread in her right hand as her crimson hair seemed to come alive. "I know, you laughed at me!" "Sigh, you''re overthinking it, Kushina." I slowly approached, with a small smile, and said, "I just found your reaction adorable. I didn''t know you were afraid of thunder." "W-Who''s afraid of thunder!?" She stammered, biting her tongue. "Ouch..." Groaning in pain, she continued trying not to move her tongue too much. "Anyway, I''m not afraid, do you hear me, Dattebane!?" I closed the distance to less than four steps and said, "Yes, actually, it was me who was afraid." I asked, "How about giving me a hug to comfort me and get rid of my fear?" "Seriously?" She seemed skeptical, crossing her arms, glancing at me sideways. It was fun how one moment she was extremely frightened, then embarrassed, angry, and now cautious with me. Kushina was one year younger than me, now 15, and was starting to develop into a beautiful lady. Because of this, I''ve been having trouble controlling myself when she shows so many interesting expressions. But, a hug wouldn''t hurt, right? Seeing me stretch out my arms, she still looked at me to see if I was lying, but even so, she approached from the side and put some of her weight into my arms. Soon, her arms circled my body, and she laid her head on my chest. ''She can''t hear my heartbeat, right?'' But, seeing how her face began to turn red, the same color as her hair, I knew it was already too late for many things... I took a deep breath and returned the hug, pulling her closer as I wrapped my arms around her. -- -- In my room, I remembered I hadn''t eaten. I ruffled my hair but didn''t want to go back. ''Oh well, a night without eating won''t kill anyone¡­'' I thought. I lay down on the bed, and guess what? I couldn''t sleep. Sitting up, I reached for the nightstand, opened the drawer, took out a wooden box, and opened it. Inside were four orbs of faint red light. This time, I took the first one and put it in my mouth, followed by the second, and so on. I sweated a bit again when I finished. The persistent scent of apple and cinnamon from Kushina, which had been lingering on my body, weakened a little. I got up and went to the bathroom to take a cold shower. Chapter 4: Finishing the First Map – Part 1 "Yes, yes, yes!" Three quick and consecutive shouts escaped my mouth, but hold on, it wasn''t for any weird reasons. You know that feeling of finally getting something, like a video game, and realizing that even if you stop playing today, it will still be there for you to enjoy tomorrow? Well, that happened to me. I went to sleep, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself back on the familiar plain, with a large gray rabbit not far away. Yes, I know. Everything pointed to me being able to return to this hunting dimension whenever I wanted. I even got something like a three-dimensional space to store the orbs. But hey, let''s be honest¡ªam I weird for being scared that this might not happen again? ''Okay, I don''t have time to waste. This time, I''m going all out!'' "Shadow Clones!" At my command, eight shadow clones appeared, making the same hand signs. ''Alright, time to farm!'' Spreading out, my eight clones ran off in different directions in groups of two. Since I didn''t know where the map boss resided, I planned to use the clones both to collect orbs and help locate the boss''s base. Although I remember various things from the novel¡ªlike the fact that in the Third Map, I''ll encounter the Golden-Skinned Monkeys in the Golden Forest, who use golden fruit to make wine. Or even that each map has its own bosses, and the wine found on the third map can even make a person with high alcohol tolerance drunk. However, this is limited to things I made a point to remember and simpler aspects, like knowing the function of the orbs. So, it''s not exactly strange that I don''t know where the First Map''s boss base is located. At least, I recall it was some kind of fiery red lion that stood out due to its fire attribute. Oh, right. If I''m not mistaken, it uses a special fire tree as its base. ''Ugh... I remember there''s something important about that tree¡­'' Suddenly, a few seconds later, I managed to recall: "Ah, that''s right, the tree contains a rune that grants fire knowledge!" I snapped my fingers with a sly smile. "Haha, I knew my memory wasn''t that bad." ''But, with the energy transformation... Or rather, adaptation into pure chakra,'' I thought, ''is there a chance something else might change?'' So far, the map''s monsters remain the same. Even the way they attack seems unchanged. Of course, I''d be shocked to see a giant rabbit making hand signs to use jutsus against me... However, I''ve already seen some animals using jutsus, so at this point, it wouldn''t seem so strange. But then again... What could I gain by defeating the map boss? -- -- An hour passed quickly. Flying, I spotted a Green Wolf that seemed to tread on the wind itself, attacking me with wind blade strikes.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ''Trying to use the sky as an advantage against me?'' I smiled. ''Too na?ve!'' I dodged the attack and watched as a scar formed on the ground where the Green Wolf''s strike landed. With a stone in hand, I tossed it lightly into the air and caught it again, positioning myself as if about to throw it. "Whoosh!" The stone I threw streaked through the sky at high speed, heading straight for the Green Wolf. I saw the animal leap into the air, dodging, but... who said hitting it with the stone was my true intention? While it dodged with a leap, it created three wind blades and hurled them at me. However, I disappeared and reappeared in the air, catching the stone I had thrown earlier. I materialized about four meters above the Green Wolf. Seizing the element of surprise, I opened my mouth, tossed the stone upward, and began performing hand seals¡ªa total of five. The chakra accumulated in my stomach was converted into water and expelled as a high-pressure stream. "Whoosh!" "Woolf!" The Green Wolf howled and leapt again, trying to evade, but it was far too inexperienced to escape me! "Whoosh!" With a swift movement of my neck, like a blade slicing through the air, I struck the Green Wolf, cutting it in half. "Slishhh!" After being split in two, the Green Wolf began to fall. However, its parts soon turned to dust. From the dust emerged orbs of light that floated in the air like green, red, and purple fireflies. The stone I had tossed earlier was now at my level. I grabbed it and hurled it toward the orbs. "Whoosh!" I vanished and reappeared in front of the orbs. With one hand, I caught the stone; with the other, I captured the orbs of light. Smiling with satisfaction, I felt the wind against my face before launching the stone toward a group of Armored Dogs in the distance. "Whoosh!" "Pracc!" The stone I had thrown shattered in the air. ''As expected, I can''t use a stone more than three times...'' However, for now, stones were my best option. But that didn''t mean I was out of alternatives. Forming a hand seal, I created a clone that immediately transformed into a Folded Fuma Shuriken. After marking the "weapon," I hurled it toward the Armored Dogs. "Whoosh!" Spinning through the air, the Folded Fuma Shuriken emitted a sharp sound, reminiscent of a windmill, alarming the targets. "Woof!" "Woof!" "Woof!" The Armored Dogs, enraged, began barking furiously. I teleported to the location, grabbing the Folded Fuma Shuriken mid-air. As soon as I touched it, it reverted to its clone form. Without hesitation, I performed hand seals, opened my mouth, and unleashed high-speed water needles at the Armored Dogs. "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...!" Like a high-powered water machine gun, I continuously fired the water needles. The sharp sounds of the shots echoed through the air, blending with the impacts of the bursts hitting the targets. I stopped attacking once all the Armored Dogs began to disintegrate, turning into dust and leaving orbs of light behind. As I descended, my clone planted its feet on mine, using me as a springboard to propel itself toward the ground. When my clone was less than two meters from the ground, I teleported, dissolving the clone in the process, and landed softly on the ground. The area where I stood was filled with glowing orbs of light, resembling precious gems scattered around me. ''At times like this, having an auto-storage ability would be perfect¡­ Or even a telekinesis technique to make the orbs float toward me,'' I thought, gazing at the abundance of shimmering lights surrounding me. -- -- It had been two hours since I entered the hunting dimension, and I was starting to lose hope of finding the map boss in time. However, one of my clones, which was exploring the northern area, dispersed after confronting the boss: a Flaming Red Lion ¡ª just as I had remembered. Without wasting time, I picked up some stones from the ground and marked them. I threw one into the air and teleported into the sky, from where I hurled another stone as hard as I could toward the north. I repeated the process, throwing stones and teleporting at high speed, crossing multiple points on the map until I finally reached the target. In the process, six stones were destroyed. In the air, I caught sight of a tree engulfed in flames. It was a breathtaking sight. It wasn''t just a tree on fire; it was something mystical. The flames didn''t consume its wood but danced around it, as if they were part of its essence. With my arms and legs spread out, I began to fall. I still had one stone left, and I hurled it toward the magnificent and imposing lion sitting beneath the fiery tree, appearing to enjoy what looked like a hot spring. It is fire, and I am water. Not entirely untrue. Of my chakra natures, water is the element with which I have the strongest affinity. Though I also have an affinity for fire, it''s so low that it''s barely worth mentioning. However, that might change starting today! --- Support Me on: https://www.pat reon.com/Tozoku Chapter 5: Completing the First Map – Part 2 When I appeared, I saw the lion rising from its lying position, surrounded by several lionesses. It stared at me majestically, its mane seeming to come alive as if it were in a movie commercial, with a miraculous breeze blowing in its direction. ''Is he trying to take Mufasa''s spot? Or maybe he''s a fan?'' I thought, jokingly, but soon adopted a more serious tone. "Roar!" The flaming red lion, towering at an imposing four meters, roared thunderously at me. It had a powerful, robust body covered in dense fur that seemed made of flames. Atop its head was a 30-centimeter horn resembling blood jade. If I could read its thoughts, I believe they''d go something like: "You hairless monkey¡ªdidn''t I kill you before? How dare you show up before me again?" Meanwhile, I was about to finish converting the chakra I had gathered into water. The lion''s fiery eyes locked onto me, as if waiting for something. Right, my clone had attacked it head-on and hadn''t used the Flying Thunder God Technique¡ªjust the Heavenly Cry. But I recall that before being attacked and vanishing, my clone managed to inflict some injuries on the lion. ''I see¡­'' I thought, looking at the flaming tree. ''So it used the tree to heal itself.'' "Roar!" The lion seemed to have lost its patience. It crouched, and its blood-jade horn began to emit a bright red glow. Without hesitation, I hurled the stone in my hand several meters above the lion''s head. I might be mistaken, but I swear I saw a mocking smirk on the flaming lion''s lips. Then, a red beam of light, several dozen centimeters thick, shot toward me. The sensation was akin to facing a Uchiha using Fire Style. However, this attack was far stronger than the typical Uchiha Great Fireball and much faster. Without hesitation, I disappeared from the spot just before being hit, reappearing close to the flaming tree, right above the lion''s head. I''m skilled at hiding my presence. I waited for the precise moment when the lion''s line of sight was obstructed so it would think it had struck me. I watched the lion prepare to lie down, as if it had accomplished something trivial. I also noticed the lionesses doing the same; some even appeared to gaze at the flaming lion with admiration. This feeling... I''ve experienced it countless times on the battlefield. It''s the same one I got whenever I saw my enemies grow overconfident, believing they had defeated me. I gathered a significant amount of water in my stomach. Even without seeing my reflection, I bet my eyes were smiling.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Opening my mouth in a beak-like shape, I began forming hand seals while thinking: *''Water Style: Cutting Water Waves!''* "Whoosh!" Fast¡ªvery fast! ¨C ¨C The flaming fur of the lion and the lionesses bristled as they sensed danger. However, when they noticed me, it was already too late: my attack had already struck three lionesses, slicing them into pieces. Moving my neck, I directed the cutting water jet straight at the lion. "Roar!!" Sensing the imminent danger, the lion roared and tried to flee, but I was faster. With a simple neck motion, my cutting shot reached him. The lion''s body glowed as if it were trying to create a layer of flames for protection. Maybe, given more time, it could have succeeded. But¡­ "Whoosh!" "SHHHH-KRRAAASSHHH!" The sound of flesh and bones being torn apart echoed through the air. In its final moments, the lion looked at me with pain, anger, and resentment, much like the gaze of other enemies who had dared to underestimate me. Blood splattered, and the body was completely split in two. The surviving lionesses fled upon realizing the lion had been killed. ''No loyalty, huh?'' I thought, but I neither blamed nor chased them. After all, more than two hours had passed. I didn''t want to risk being expelled from the hunting dimension before collecting my spoils of war. Throwing a stone at the lion, which had begun turning to dust, I teleported the moment the stone was two meters off the ground. As I landed, I watched the lion''s ashes being carried off by the wind. Then, glowing orbs of light appeared, shimmering in the air. Forming a hand seal, I summoned three clones to clear the battlefield. After all, there were some orbs left behind by the lionesses, and resources like that couldn''t be wasted. Meanwhile, in front of me, I saw twelve red spheres shining even brighter than those left by the lionesses. There were also twelve radiant purple spheres. Moreover, I noticed a vibrant flaming red crystal sphere that seemed to overflow with vital energy. ''For now,'' I thought, ''this matches what I remember reading.'' Finally, my eyes landed on a nebulous white sphere. It was an unusual mutation of energy, shifting from a sphere to a thread of energy with every blink, like a glowing white vein wrapped in mist. After gathering everything, I stretched and took a deep breath before heading toward the flaming tree. With every step, the heat intensified. However, I didn''t feel any real threat to my life, so I continued. Now standing in front of the flaming tree''s trunk, I reached out to touch it. "BzzzzZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz!" The next moment, the sound of burning grew louder, and my hand transformed into something resembling a black hole, absorbing the flaming tree, which converted into a red light. I could clearly feel that all that red light was being transferred to my mental dimension. "Huh?" Just as I was about to finish, I felt my mind waver, and my body began to falter. I glanced at my clones and saw them nodding before dispersing. I opened my eyes and stared at the familiar ceiling. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I felt as if I had just come out of a sauna. My body was strangely warm and sweaty. Looking at the bed and noticing that the bedding was completely soaked with my sweat, I began to change it. As I put on a new set of bedding, my mind wandered, reflecting on the fruits of my hard work in my mental dimension. A small smile curved on my lips. The sensation I experienced must have been similar to someone living in poverty suddenly discovering they had won the lottery. My eyes grew warmer, and I began to hum as I walked toward the bathroom. -- -- Sitting in the bathtub, with my head lowered, I observed my mental dimension. At this moment, in addition to the orbs that made me feel like a dragon surrounded by treasures, there were flames in one corner and a thread of white energy. The flame swayed and burned in the space. Even without doing anything, I could feel my chakra nature of fire element significantly improving. Unlike before, I decided to try using the resources in my mental dimension without removing them from there. First, I chose a purple orb from the lion, which contained denser energy. When I tried to use it, I realized I could digest it directly, making it disappear from my mental dimension. I felt as though my mind entered a state of absolute clarity. Everything seemed simpler, and an unshakable confidence settled in, as if I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. It was a strange and peculiar sensation, but not unpleasant. Next, I used my mind to ''touch'' the thread of pure energy. As soon as I did, it felt like a forced transfer of pure chakra was happening within me. Luckily, I had prepared myself by using the purple orb beforehand. The flow of purple energy helped me better understand the knowledge behind the thread of pure energy, refining it and distributing it throughout my body as I began circulating the chakra. In moments, the feeling of being overwhelmed was replaced by an extreme sense of comfort. It was marvelous! Maybe it was just my impression, but it seemed like my cells were being rejuvenated. Even my bones seemed to be undergoing some sort of enhancement, especially the bone marrow. My blood began pumping more vigorously and became thicker, while my mind grew clearer and clearer. My entire body tingled, but in a pleasant way. It was like reaching the peak of pleasure ¡ª an intense sensation that could easily become addictive. Time passed quickly. Minutes turned into hours as I continued circulating the chakra, feeling my affinity for the fire element improve even further. Additionally, the presence of the energy thread significantly increased my perception. During the process, I also used the red light orb from the flaming lion. --- Support Me on: https://www.pat reon.com/Tozoku Chapter 6: Conspiracies... Monday, August 11th. The sounds of birds singing and sunlight streaming through my window pulled me out of my meditative state. My eyes opened slowly, and, without me realizing, at that moment, they seemed to carry the flames of the fire tree. It wasn''t until I went to the bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror that I noticed it. ''This isn''t going to stay like this, is it?'' I thought, touching my face with my right hand. I raised my index finger toward my eye but didn''t feel as though it was burning. It was something more spectral. It reminded me a little of Sawada from the anime Kateky¨­ Hitman Reborn, though his flames burned on his hands and forehead. I closed my eyes tightly and focused. As I did, I felt something like a switch connected to my eyes. The moment I "turned it off," I opened my eyes again. "Phew~" Seeing my eyes had returned to normal¡ªor almost¡ªI noticed a red ring now encircled my pupils. Still, it was better than leaving them looking like they were on fire. With that minor problem resolved, I thought: ''Could this have some kind of ocular power?'' It would be stranger if it didn''t, I guess. Otherwise, these flames manifesting in my eyes wouldn''t make any sense. However, the effect didn''t seem too apparent. So far, I hadn''t felt anything different¡ªaside from the aesthetic change, of course. Setting that aside for now, I decided to test my current level of affinity with the Fire Style. Forming hand seals, I grasped my left wrist with my right hand shaped like a claw. Starting with my fingers, flames began to manifest. At first, they were like tiny candlelights but quickly intensified, becoming as powerful as a flamethrower. I closed my fist, and a heavy sound echoed from my palm as the flames extinguished, lightly burning the air before dissipating with the motion. I wanted to perform more tests, but I didn''t have a proper place for it. Even so, I managed to control the anxiety of exploring my new power. After all, I was certain I''d have a chance to test it later in the hunting dimension. For now, I used the "Transformation" to restore my eyes to their original appearance. -- -- [P.O.V ¨C Kushina] An Incredibly Quiet Morning Yesterday, the Senju Clan''s servants informed us they would need to take the day off for various reasons, mostly due to family issues. Because of this, even on the calmest mornings, there was always some sound of one of the servants doing something, but today was surprisingly silent. In the kitchen, I rolled up my sleeves, put on a light blue apron, and said to no one in particular, trying to motivate myself: "Well then, I''m going to make something delicious! I bet Nawaki will be hungry when he wakes up." While preparing breakfast, I recalled a day about three years ago. It was late in the afternoon when I came home, and just like today, it was very quiet because the servants were also on leave. When I saw those ninjas invading the mansion... my heart froze. I screamed for help, and as I was captured, I thought my fate was sealed, full of uncertainty. But then, he appeared like a ray of hope for me.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it That memory was a bittersweet one for me. Somehow, my mood improved significantly, and I began humming "Count on Me" while cooking. "Ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah~?" That song was something I had seen Nawaki singing one day and forc¡ªuh, gently asked him to teach me. I loved humming it whenever I was doing something, especially while cooking. Just as I was about to finish, I heard footsteps on the wooden floor. I turned and smiled: "Good morning, Nawaki." "Kushina." He smiled back, "Good morning." "You''re in luck! Kushina''s special breakfast is ready~!" I said, flashing a peace sign and smiling with my eyes closed. He chuckled softly, his voice vibrating slightly in his throat as he said: "Haha, I really am lucky because of that." Hearing his words filled me with happiness, so much so that I could hardly hide it. After setting the table with Nawaki''s help, we sat across from each other and started eating. Even though Nawaki and I were almost the same age, I always felt he exuded a sense of reliability and elegance, especially in his table manners. The way he ate was unlike anything I had ever seen. It had an indescribable charm. I had tried imitating him before, but unfortunately, I couldn''t pull it off... "I see the mansion is empty," he commented. "Yes, the servants asked for the day off yesterday," I replied. The reason Nawaki didn''t know, even though he was the heir to the Senju Clan, was simple: he seemed busy when the servants tried to tell him about it, so they ended up notifying me instead. Well... some things happened, and I forgot to tell him afterward. "I see," he said, seeming unconcerned. But his next words made me furrow my brow: "Kushina, there''s a good chance I''ll be called out on a mission today." I was obviously confused and asked, "But isn''t this your week off?" "Hmm." He nodded, adding: "But I have a feeling I''ll be sent out, even though it''s my break." It was quite peculiar, to say the least. But for some reason, I began to feel anxious, believing this would actually happen. "Is Nawaki-sama here?" Just as we were about to finish eating, someone came looking for Nawaki. My heart skipped a beat, accompanied by an odd sense of foreboding. And, just as predicted, Nawaki was summoned by the Third Hokage for an urgent call. -- -- [P.O.V ¨C Third Person] When the ANBU ninja arrived, Nawaki, who seemed to have already anticipated this, showed no surprise. Before leaving, he went to his room and dismissed the ANBU. He put on his ninja attire, which consisted of a standard J¨­nin shinobi vest with a small modification to the collar, where the Senju Clan symbol appeared on each side. He also wore dark blue pants and a long-sleeved shirt beneath the vest. On his hands, he donned a pair of fingerless gloves with metal plates on them. However, before leaving, Nawaki did something unusual... He created a shadow clone and had it disguise itself as a pillow on his bed. -- -- [Hokage''s Office] "Knock, knock, knock!" "Hokage-sama, Nawaki-sama is here." "Let him in." The door opened, revealing the secretary. She was a simple-looking woman, wearing square-framed glasses and her black hair tied up in a high bun, dressed in formal attire. After bowing, she stepped aside to allow him entry. Nawaki, who stood beside her, entered the office. There, he spotted three people¡ªcounting the Third Hokage: Sakumo and Minato. ''Why them? I thought Sakumo was out on a mission...'' Nawaki thought, keeping his emotions in check, before turning his gaze to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Third, what could be so urgent that you had to summon me on my day off?" Nawaki asked, displeased. "You came. Good morning." Instead of answering his question, Hiruzen, with his signature pipe in hand, took a puff¡ªnot too long, not too short. Then, he blew a smoke ring that floated in the air before beginning to dissipate. Hiruzen had reached an age where, before addressing any topic¡ªespecially serious ones¡ªhe liked to create a unique atmosphere. He seemed to believe that smoking while making others wait gave him an air of wisdom and authority. Knowing him well enough to be familiar with his peculiarities, Nawaki turned to Sakumo, exchanging a polite nod. However, when it came to Minato, he was met with a cold shoulder¡ªjust a simple, distant nod, colder than two strangers passing each other on the street. Shrugging indifferently, Nawaki turned his attention back to Hiruzen. "As you might have already guessed," Hiruzen finally decided to speak, tapping the ashes out of his pipe, "there''s an urgent mission that requires you¡ªor rather, only with your involvement can the chances of success increase." This made Nawaki raise an eyebrow at him. "Oh? What kind of mission specifically needs my presence?" Hiruzen''s eyes became more serious as he replied: "An ultra-secret mission of the kind where, if something goes wrong, you''ll need to use the Flying Raijin Technique to escape as quickly as possible!" "Gulp..." Hearing someone swallow hard, Nawaki glanced over and saw it was Minato. Looking back at Hiruzen, instead of feeling nervous, Nawaki smiled. "I see. So, I don''t really have a choice," Nawaki said, before asking, "Is it just the three of us on this mission?" "I understand very well the limitations of the Flying Raijin," Hiruzen spoke slowly. "That technique is not easy to use while carrying someone, and the fewer people with the user, the better the outcome." "Thank you for explaining my own technique to me," Nawaki replied with a slightly sarcastic smile. Sighing, Hiruzen continued: "I''m being serious here, Nawaki." "Okay, okay." Nawaki raised his hands in mock surrender. Placing the pipe on the desk, Hiruzen went on: "That''s why only you and Sakumo will participate in this mission." Nawaki paused. His gaze shifted back and forth between Minato and Hiruzen. "So..." He asked, "Why is Minato here then?" "He has another highly important mission that I need him to carry out for me," Hiruzen said without elaborating. "Alright, you can leave with Sakumo. He''ll explain the mission details on the way." "Nawaki-kun, shall we?" Sakumo called with a gentle smile. Before leaving, Nawaki gave one last look, alternating between Hiruzen and Minato. Incidentally, when Hiruzen mentioned that Minato wouldn''t be joining their mission, Minato''s poker face faltered slightly, revealing a moment of relief. ¨C ¨C Now, with only Minato and Hiruzen left in the office, Hiruzen took an ANBU mask and placed it on the desk, pushing it forward. "Minato, you," Hiruzen said, "disguise yourself as an ANBU member and go to the Senju Clan." "This..." Minato seemed hesitant. "The same as three years ago?" "Yes," Hiruzen replied. "I suspect someone will try to do it again. That''s why I need someone I can trust for this mission, and I can only rely on you. Do you understand?" "I understand." Minato grew serious, making a vow with his fist pressed against his chest. "By the way, Minato," Hiruzen began, seemingly bringing up something unrelated, "you know, women, when they''re nervous or scared, tend to calm down when you compliment their appearance, especially their hair." "This is..." Minato didn''t quite understand at first. He had heard the same thing three years ago, and now he was hearing it again. However, even without knowing if there was some hidden meaning in Hiruzen''s words, he responded firmly: "I understand. I will do my best to meet all the expectations you''ve placed on me!" Chapter 7: Traitor and Invaders [Land of Fire, heading West-Northwest] ''That''s the direction of the Land of Grass. But... Beyond the Land of Grass lies the Land of Earth.'' Nawaki thought as he leapt from tree to tree: ''Is the mission related to one of these two countries, or will we change direction along the way?'' So far, all Nawaki knew was that they were on an ultra-secret mission. Beyond that, he was completely in the dark. Knowing Sakumo, Nawaki understood that, when the time came, Sakumo would share the mission details. Because of this, he remained patient, though he felt that something was amiss. Not to mention that, as a ninja, he was obligated to follow the orders of the village leader, the Third Hokage. However, this didn''t mean he would follow orders blindly. The only reason he refrained from asking questions was because of Sakumo. He was the kind of person with a good heart who valued the lives of his comrades. Based on this, Nawaki felt it was safe to assume that, for now, even without mission details, they weren''t in immediate danger. "A traitor," Sakumo suddenly said after they had been traveling for four hours straight. Using his hands for momentum, Nawaki propelled himself forward, aligning himself with Sakumo. He glanced at him as they both leapt again, waiting for him to continue. "Our mission is to track a traitor, a member of the ANBU, and uncover who they''re leaking Konoha''s information to," Sakumo said gravely. "The reason we haven''t captured them yet is because they believe they''ve escaped. But in reality, they have a tracking mark on them." He paused before continuing, "With this mark, I can pinpoint their location. This way, we can discover who they''re negotiating with, capture both the traitor and their accomplice if possible, and return to the village as quickly as possible. That''s why speed is critical, and why you were required for this mission." Hearing this now, it made sense why his presence was necessary and why the mission was classified as ultra-secret. Still, something felt off. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Nawaki thought, ''If they managed to mark the traitor, why not just capture them and read their memories later?'' Looking at it from another perspective, the mission itself seemed strange, even if it made logical sense. Suddenly, Nawaki''s eyes gleamed slightly, with a hint of danger in them. "Nawaki-kun?" Sakumo was surprised by Nawaki''s sudden change in demeanor. However, Nawaki didn''t answer him. Instead, he formed a hand seal, creating a shadow clone, which immediately clasped hands with the original body. This only deepened Sakumo''s confusion. There had been no sign of danger so far, so the creation of a shadow clone seemed unnecessary. ''What is he trying to do?'' Sakumo wondered, puzzled by the silence.Stolen story; please report. Right before his eyes, he watched the clone perform another hand seal and vanish. ''Why did he use the Flying Raijin?'' Sakumo stopped on a tree branch, asking, "Nawaki-kun, what was that just now? Did something happen in the village?" Only something of that magnitude could explain Nawaki''s strange actions¡ªor so Sakumo thought. Stopping not far from Sakumo, Nawaki turned around, his cold eyes locking onto him. Suppressing his anger, Nawaki said, "To be more precise, something happened to my Senju Clan." For those who understood, half a word was enough. Surprised, Sakumo asked, "Is Kushina-chan in danger?" Nawaki replied with a bitter, cold chuckle: "Isn''t it ironic? There''s always some ANBU watching over her, preventing her from living a normal life. But when it really matters, they vanish. Just like three years ago. Isn''t that funny? I think it''s hilarious. Ahaha..." "Calm down first, Nawaki-kun," Sakumo approached and placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking in a calm and measured tone: "I don''t think the situation is that simple. If Kushina-chan is the target, then whoever is behind this must have prepared extensively to deal with the ANBU. I also know a bit about what happened three years ago. From what I''ve uncovered, the ANBU protecting Kushina-chan were caught in a Genjutsu. Because of that, the Uchihas were accused of collaborating with outsiders at the time, as the council believed only someone like the Uchiha could pull off something like that." Taking a deep breath, Nawaki responded, "Well, whatever. What matters is that every one of those bastards who tried to capture Kushina has a very short lifespan." Shaking his head, Sakumo said, "I understand this situation isn''t pleasant, Nawaki-kun, but we''re ninjas. We need to continue and complete the mission we were given. And I trust that your clone should be enough to handle the situation in Konoha, right?" Looking at him without brushing off his hand, Nawaki breathed in deeply and exhaled, calming himself. "Yes, everything is under control." Not long after they resumed their pursuit, Nawaki clicked his tongue and created another shadow clone, which disappeared shortly after. "Lost another clone?" Sakumo asked, surprised. "One of them launched a suicide attack, self-destructing," Nawaki replied with a touch of anger. "..." Sakumo remained silent, seemingly unsure of what to say in that moment. Honestly, even he found it strange. After all, if everything was as Nawaki described, how had Hiruzen or any other ninja in the village not been alerted? Almost two hours later, Nawaki broke the silence, asking, "Sakumo-san, have you ever thought about becoming Hokage? Or rather, do you want to be Hokage?" -- -- [A few hours earlier, in Konohagakure] Kushina was studying scrolls left by Mito Uzumaki related to Fuuinjutsu, but today, she couldn''t focus on her studies, as she couldn''t shake off the feeling of a bad omen that haunted her. "I hope nothing bad happens to Nawaki..." she thought, worried. Despite knowing how strong Nawaki was, there were always situations that didn''t go as expected. There was always an unexpected factor, something beyond control, that could put Nawaki in danger. And that''s what worried her the most. Sighing as she stood up, wanting to get some fresh air, Kushina left the study room. The moment she stepped out, several formations activated, sealing the room. These barriers had been specifically created by Mito Uzumaki to prevent its contents from being stolen. Only Kushina, Nawaki, and Tsunade had access to them. One could say that this room was like a fortress; as long as someone stayed inside, even a Jonin would struggle to infiltrate it, and even a Kage would find it difficult¡ªespecially without being detected. Although this was one of the few places where Kushina felt freer, away from the constant watchful eyes of ANBU, even this sanctuary couldn''t calm her restless heart this time. "Ahh..." Stretching, she placed her hands on her hips, feeling stiff from sitting for so long. As she walked, a faint sense of dread crept into her heart. The feeling worsened when she realized she could no longer sense the presence of the ANBU watching her. Immediately, she turned to run back to the room that made her feel safest. "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Blocking her path, four ninjas wearing headbands from the Hidden Cloud appeared, reviving Kushina''s memories of three years ago. ''It''s them again!'' she thought, assuming a combat stance with a fierce expression. ''This time, it''s different. I''m no longer that weak, helpless little girl!'' "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" The sharp sound of movement echoed as three more ninjas appeared. "Whoosh! Whoosh!" Two more arrived, and now Kushina was surrounded on all sides by a total of nine ninjas. Aside from there being nine this time, Kushina could sense that the strength of each one was at least that of a Chunin¡ªsome even Jonin. Using her sensory abilities, she detected the presence of someone at a distance. ''An ANBU member?'' she wondered. "Help me!" she shouted. However, she didn''t sense any movement from the person who seemed to be observing the situation from afar. --- Support Me on: https://www.pat reon.com/Tozoku Chapter 8: Rain of Blood However, she didn''t feel any movement from the person who appeared to be observing the situation from a distance. "Hehe." Laughing, one of the ninjas licked his kunai, his eyes forming crescent moons: "Girl, give up. You can''t escape. This time, no one''s coming to rescue you." The other ninjas around her positioned themselves with their respective weapons, preparing to capture her. Obviously, they wanted her alive. "Who allowed you to enter my clan?" "Who''s there?!" When a somewhat young but incredibly cold voice echoed, the ninjas wearing Cloud headbands became alert, trying to locate the voice''s origin. "Whoosh!" "Me? I''m your worst nightmare." When a young man, standing 180 cm tall with light brown hair, appeared holding a kunai in his right hand dripping with blood, the eight ninjas were struck with terror¡ªbecause the ninth ninja had already lost his head¡ªliterally. It all happened too quickly. As soon as he appeared, Nawaki had already severed the head of the ninja wearing a headscarf. The head separated from the body, spinning in the air as blood spurted from the headless neck like a burst pipe, splattering everywhere. The body fell to the ground with a thud, followed by the head, which rolled a few times, its eyes still wide open, staring at the sky in confusion over how it had died. "Nawaki!!" Kushina exclaimed enthusiastically, as if she had just seen her ray of sunshine, her hope. "Gulp!" Taking steps back, sweat began to drip down the ninjas'' faces. The Red Lightning of Konoha was no joke. His nickname alone was enough to strike fear into his enemies. Seeing him in action made them understand why he was so feared. They hadn''t even sensed his presence or seen him when he cut off one of their comrades'' heads. It was all too fast. "Calm down!" one of them said, his mouth covered by a gray cloth mask that hid his face up to the nose. "He must be a shadow clone, after all¡­" He didn''t finish his sentence, but the others recomposed themselves as if they had understood something. "Yes, he must be a shadow clone," another agreed. "Hehehe, you startled us, but¡­" One of them, despite sweating heavily, now had a cruel smile on his face as he spoke, confident in the knowledge that it was a clone. "A mere shadow clone only needs to be hit once to¡ª"This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Whoosh!" His words stopped abruptly. But perhaps, in his mind, he kept speaking, as his confident expression with a cruel smile remained even when his head met the same fate as the first. "Damn, how fast can he be?" They hadn''t even noticed him standing before their eyes and disappearing again, only to reappear a few meters away while the head of the ninja who had been speaking was severed by the dagger he held. "Do you know why my enemies also call me the Red Lightning of Konoha?" Nawaki asked, tossing the dagger into the air and catching it again. His voice carried a playful tone, but his cold eyes didn''t match the sound. He didn''t give them time to answer before continuing, "It''s because, even in a rain of blood, if I don''t want to, not a single drop can touch me. A bit ironic, isn''t it?" He chuckled, adding, "But, do you understand what that means?" The veiled threat hung in the air. The meaning behind his words was simple: "Yes, I am a shadow clone, but can you even touch me?" The sound of gulping was heard once again. This time, their smug smiles were replaced by fear. Meanwhile, Kushina could barely contain the emotions she felt in that moment. She simply couldn''t understand how Nawaki could be so cool¡­ "Whoosh!" When Nawaki''s dagger was thrown in their direction, what appeared to be the leader¡ªa tall, robust man at least 200 cm tall, holding a short sword¡ªshouted, "Move back! Don''t get near that dagger!" "Idiot~" "What?" The ninja who had shouted turned his head, looking behind him at Nawaki, who was stabbing him in the back. "How did I appear behind you instead of where I threw my dagger?" Nawaki didn''t bother explaining to a dead man, muttering softly, "It''s actually pretty simple. Just think back to what I said the first time I saw you." Before his mind faded, the ninja recalled Nawaki''s words: ''Who allowed you to enter my clan?'' The hearts of the remaining ninjas pounded harder. Although they were trained to fight and die, it was hard not to feel fear in a one-sided battle. At this point, they knew that unless they managed to land a hit on him, the scythe of death would hover over their necks, waiting to strike. The instant Nawaki disappeared again, another body fell. "Fast!" It was all they could say. This was on a level beyond what the eyes could see. However, suddenly, one of them seemed to have thought of something sinister and launched several kunai, including one with an explosive tag, in Kushina''s direction. "Watch out!" Seeing this, Nawaki shouted, disappearing and reappearing directly in front of the kunai. He caught the one with the explosive tag first, which vanished in his hand, and used his body as a shield. "Bang! Bang! Bang...!" "Boom!" The sound of the kunai hitting him was followed by the kunai with the explosive tag, which detonated just beneath the feet of the ninja who had thrown them. "Ahhhh!" The ninja''s scream of pain echoed as Nawaki''s clone vanished. "We got him!" one of the ninjas exclaimed, but his expression suddenly changed. The others didn''t understand why his expression had shifted, though they felt that Konoha''s ninjas must be heading their way after hearing the explosion. Little did they know that, not far away, Nawaki reappeared. "H-How...?" The ninja who noticed him couldn''t even voice his doubts before his throat was slit. "This is my clan, understand?" Nawaki, who had teleported to stand before Kushina, said, "Even if one of my clones is hit, I can simply create another from my main body and send it to one of my marks. Simple, right?" "Demon!" Taking steps back, nearly falling onto the ground, one of the ninjas, wearing sunglasses and sporting an afro, seemed utterly terrified. "Give up." Seeing one of them turn and start to flee, Nawaki disappeared, reappearing in front of him with a smile on his face. "You can''t run, and no one''s coming to save you." Before dying, why did this ninja feel like those words sounded oddly familiar? ... With only one left, Nawaki captured him, intending to extract information. However, he watched as the ninja bit into some kind of poison concealed in his mouth, causing the chakra in his body to go haywire and triggering a strange reaction. "He''s going to explode!" Kushina shouted. Nawaki saw it too and, throwing a kunai with all his strength, grabbed the ninja by the shoulder and teleported with him. "Boom!" High in the sky, an explosion echoed, alerting everyone in Konoha. And then, red droplets began to fall from the sky. "What in the world is going on?" Several surprised exclamations were heard. Many people, unable to understand the source of the explosion, feared they were under attack. One of Nawaki''s shadow clones that had appeared looked sharply in a particular direction but stopped when he saw Kushina running toward him and jumping into his arms. "I''m so glad you''re okay!" she cried, sniffing. "I was so, so worried, dattebane!" While comforting her, Nawaki noticed that whoever had been watching them left. ''Hmph,'' Nawaki scoffed internally, thinking, ''No matter what they''re planning, as long as I''m here, nothing will go the way they wan.'' Chapter 9: Past Missions [Hokage''s Office] Minato''s silent arrival had been anticipated by Hiruzen. Kneeling on one knee before Hiruzen, Minato said while still wearing his ANBU mask: "Forgive me, Hokage-sama, I failed this mission." "It''s alright," Hiruzen responded with his authoritative voice. However, his eyes did not convey their usual warmth when looking at Minato as he continued: "It''s fortunate that Nawaki-kun resolved this. I simply didn''t expect that boy to leave a clone in the Senju Clan." Three years ago, it was different. At that time, Nawaki didn''t appear with a clone. And, just like now, Nawaki was supposed to be on a mission. However, he sent a shadow clone to complete the task. Even though Hiruzen wanted to reprimand him for sending a shadow clone on missions, the fact remained... The mission had been completed successfully. How could someone be blamed for doing a job well done? And, he hadn''t thought about it before, but from what he saw from a distance in the crystal ball, Nawaki had left his mark all over the Senju Clan''s territory. Seeing that, it became clear that it was foolish to try to fight Nawaki in his own domain. ''That boy... Has Nawaki evolved this much already?'' Hiruzen thought. ''And, it seems he''s even improved the Flying Thunder God to the point of not needing to touch the mark when teleporting... I''ll need to have a conversation with him about that.'' Even so, it wasn''t as if he could blame Nawaki for hiding his progress. Such a thing was nonexistent. Especially since Nawaki was the heir and current leader of the Senju Clan, one of the founding clans, the same clan as the first two Hokages. The truth was, even for him, controlling Nawaki was difficult. His deeds in the war, as well as those of his ancestors, made it hard to even attempt to point a finger at Nawaki. Looking at Minato, he felt a warmer sensation, as if looking at a "son." Yes, someone like Minato was good for him. Even Jiraiya, but in Jiraiya''s case... Sigh... "Minato," Hiruzen said in his deep voice. "Since this has already been resolved, I have another mission for you." "Yes!" -- -- While Hiruzen kept his composure, the same could not be said for someone else. In a closed room, a man was furious behind his office desk. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. "Break!" "Damn, damn!" shouted the man, muttering after punching the desk in front of him upon reading a report, breaking it in half. "It''s him again, that wretched boy again! I knew I should have gotten rid of him when I had the chance. Now he''s become an irritating stone in my shoe that I can''t remove..." He didn''t want to admit it, but Nawaki had grown so much that he no longer had the confidence to kill him. The problem wasn''t even a matter of power. The fact that Nawaki had learned the Flying Thunder God made him a difficult target to handle. How do you deal with someone who, if they so wish, could simply teleport? And it wasn''t for lack of attempts, but as a sensory type, even traps didn''t work on him. Whenever he was about to fall into a trap, he would simply teleport and not return. He was decisive and not at all hot-headed, seeking revenge against whoever was behind the trap. How nice it would be if he were just a little more reckless. Why was he so mature at such a young age? Narrowing his eyes, the man dressed in black shouted: "Veiper!" In an instant, in the middle of the messy room, a ninja appeared like a flash of dark light, wearing a mask that completely hid his face, kneeling before the man who looked down at him haughtily. "At your orders, Lord-sama!" "Send my message," he ordered. "Tell ''him'' he did a good job and can ''rest'' in peace." Behind the mask, the ninja''s eyes glowed with understanding. "As you wish!" -- -- Several ANBU ninjas arrived to clean up the mess that had occurred in the Senju Clan. This made Nawaki think of the classic scene in movies where the police only show up after everything is over. The disdain and contempt Nawaki felt, he didn''t even try to hide. The ANBU members could only clean everything up in silence while receiving such treatment. Were they not to blame? Of course they were. Their fault was having a useless leader. And, like it or not, it was their job to protect Kushina, but look at the result. With his arms crossed, Nawaki said to the ANBU next to him: "Tell the Third that we need to have a long conversation afterward." The ANBU swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes!" Disappearing from the scene, the ANBU left. "Nawaki..." Kushina tugged at the sleeve of his long shirt. "It''s alright, Kushina." Nawaki turned to look at her, and all the coldness he had been radiating vanished as if by magic. Touching her head, he continued, "I did nothing wrong. They are the ones who failed us. We can''t let them act like this, or else, what''s the point of having these useless people who can''t even protect you within our own village?" Although his voice was gentle when speaking to Kushina, his words were loud enough to make the ANBU members lower their heads in shame. They had no right to complain, even if they wanted to. The truth was, everything Nawaki said was true. They had failed to protect her, and she had almost been captured again. Again?! They didn''t even have the face to look Nawaki in the eye, nor did they dare to make excuses now. All they could do was hope that the Third Hokage would resolve this as he had before. -- -- Two hours later, in the northwest of the Land of Fire... "I lost his signal," Sakumo stopped on a tree. Who he meant didn''t require a genius to understand¡ªhe was talking about the traitor they were chasing. There had been a mark on Sakumo''s hand earlier, but now it was gone. There were two possibilities: the first, the target discovered he was being tracked and managed to erase the mark¡ªunlikely. The second, the target was completely destroyed¡ªvery likely. Inwardly, Nawaki scoffed. After everything that had happened, he even believed that this mission had been staged. "Then we''ll head back." Nawaki placed a hand on Sakumo''s shoulder, preparing to use the Flying Thunder God. "But¡­" "Sakumo-san," Nawaki said, "No matter how I look at this, there''s no point in continuing. The mission has failed. We lost the target, whether because he discovered the mark or not. If we insist, we''ll only walk straight into a possible trap waiting for us." Nawaki''s words made Sakumo imagine such a scenario. He hadn''t thought of it before, but it made sense. ''Why does it feel like this has happened to him before?'' Sakumo wondered. And he wasn''t wrong. Before becoming known as the "Red Lightning of Konoha," Nawaki, who had not yet shown the ability to use the Flying Thunder God, nearly fell into a similar trap after losing the target he was pursuing. On that occasion, his team decided to continue the chase. In the end, it was a meticulously planned trap, filled with explosives. Half of the four-ninja team was annihilated, and Nawaki managed to save only one companion who had been close to him. That case was closed and silenced. Perhaps not even Sakumo knew about the tragedy Nawaki had faced on that mission. It seemed the Third Hokage had worked hard to cover up the incident, and even Danzo hadn''t made any noise about it. Since then, Nawaki had begun to stand out as the ninja who mastered the Flying Thunder God. His rise was swift, and he gained fame on the battlefield as the "Red Lightning of Konoha." One could say all his pent-up frustration was directed at enemy ninjas. Nawaki didn''t mind wading through the blood of his adversaries. It seemed that, in some way, it calmed the storm in his mind. In a flash, Nawaki and Sakumo disappeared from the spot where they had been standing.