Yōkō looked at his own hands.
In the shinobi world, chakra was a curse.
The stronger the person, the more tragic their end.
The Senju clan, the Uzumaki clan, the Uchiha clan—none met a good end.
Bloodline limit users were dissected, civilian ninja bowed to the strong.
Every shinobi was cursed by chakra; successive wars brought countless deaths to ninja.
Shinobi possessed violence but could never truly control it.
Many top figures in the shinobi world—Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, Senju Tobirama, Naruto—saw the darkness of the shinobi world.
They all tried to change it, yet each one undoubtedly failed.
Chakra was a curse. Powerful individual strength was a disaster for others and a curse for oneself.
Unless one abandoned chakra, this problem had no answer; this curse would accompany all shinobi.
Kika stepped forward and said, "Squad Leader, there are many rioting miners. The Kumo-nin have sent a platoon."
"The Land of the Moon noble has dispatched 50 samurai and rogue ninja."
Yōkō waved his hand: "Let's go. Today we cross off the first target from the Assassination Manual."
Yōkō was the first to charge down the mountain.
He engaged in close combat with the Kumo-nin Jōnin Takami.
Takami's Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder was indeed powerful; he had simplified the four-hand-seal technique to just two seals.
After confirming Takami's abilities, Yōkō died by his hand.
[Monitoring host death, Mochizuki's Arc system starting up...]
He revived on the previous full moon night.
[Mochizuki's Arc activated!
The host has only one resurrection opportunity per month, reviving on the previous full moon night after death.
Reward: One lottery draw opportunity...]
From this resurrection reward, Yōkō selected the Mastery-level Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder, acquiring a new technique for his alt, White Ghost.
Standing once more on the mountaintop in the Land of the Moon, Yōkō looked down at the escorted miners below.
He led the Kika Squad charging downwards.
Takami looked up and saw several Anbu ninja charging down along the sun's rays.
Not knowing which village's Anbu they were, Takami shouted: "Enemy attack!"
Yōkō turned his head and saw a miner youth actually seizing the opportunity during the chaos to snatch a sword from a samurai.
A sliver of comfort arose in Yōkō's heart. In this world full of curses, some were unwilling, some resisted.
Whoever you are, I, Yōkō, will definitely lend a hand.
The Kumo-nin Jōnin Takami formed hand seals, spewing a large lightning spear from his mouth.
The lightning illuminated his face but could not dispel the unease in his eyes.
Anbu daring to enter the Land of Moon must be extremely powerful.
When he saw the distinctive mask beneath the hood, his unease turned into fear!
Konoha Anbu Copper Fox!
The one the Third Raikage failed to kill with one blow!
Fox used an Earth Release technique to dive underground, dodging the Roaring Thunder.
Takami only felt a chill. Copper Fox's strength was formidable, but he didn't fight head-on, opting to stealth immediately—his combat style was extremely treacherous.
The lightning spear from Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder missed. Takami formed seals again.
This time it was Lightning Release: Earth Running.
Injecting Lightning Release chakra into the ground to strike enemies underground.
Just as Takami's hands touched the ground, he suddenly heard the sound of something cutting through the air behind him.
Takami had no time to use his ninjutsu, frantically rolling to the side.
Why is Copper Fox's Fish in Earth Reflection Technique so fast?
Seeing Takami dodge his horizontal kunai thrust, Yōkō thought, This Takami truly is a Jōnin, his reactions are quite swift.
He changed the horizontal kunai slash into a throw.
Just as Takami completed one roll, the kunai followed closely, piercing into his lower back.
He had no time to pull out the kunai, turning to face Copper Fox.
Copper Fox had already formed a single hand seal. Water Release: Water Cutting Wave shot out.
A high-speed water jet shot forth, piercing through Takami's heart.
Suppressed the entire time—he, a Jōnin, had no chance to fight back. Was this the terror of Copper Fox?
Takami didn't even have time to use a Replacement Technique or a Clone Technique.
The reason for the combat suppression was Copper Fox's exaggerated speed with the Fish in Earth Reflection Technique.
In just an instant, he was behind Takami.
Yōkō's Fish in Earth Reflection Technique was just a feint. After using it to dive underground, he would switch to the Ephemeral Technique.
The principle of the Ephemeral Technique was high-speed movement within underground organic networks, while the principle of the Fish in Earth Reflection Technique was changing the density of underground soil to swim through it.
The speed difference between the two was immense.
The Ephemeral Technique's super high speed and elusive nature could completely serve as the core ability of an assassination-type Jōnin.
The water jet from the Water Cutting Wave vanished. Blood spurted from the hole in Takami's chest, unstoppable.
Still, I must thank you for your Mastery-level Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder. The third shot for the Five Elements Unrivalled Attack is secured.
Mastery-level Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique, Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, Lightning Release: Roaring Thunder... now only impact-type Mastery ninjutsu for Earth and Water Release were missing.
The Kika Squad went to deal with the Kumo-nin platoon.
All four members of Kika had unlocked the Cross Seal, using combination ninjutsu to suppress the Kumo-nin and seize the initiative.
Yōkō, meanwhile, looked towards the valley, watching that particular miner youth.
The miner youth's clothes were torn. His posture holding the samurai sword was somewhat professional, but not entirely.
The long sword was too long for him, but his gaze was firm. Facing the five charging samurai, he remained calm, displaying a certain resolve of fighting to the death, possessing decent combat talent.
Some people become paralyzed when facing danger—a 'Freeze Response', an instinct to play dead when prey encounters a predator. Some predators don't eat carrion, so playing dead might offer a chance of escape.
Others experience an adrenaline surge when facing danger, becoming even more excited.
That miner youth was like this. Facing tall, armored samurai, he instead raised his sword and charged forward.
Extremely fast speed, a disregard for life and limb in his fighting style, agile movements—he accurately thrust the long sword into the gaps of the armor.
No sword technique, purely relying on talent.
After killing one samurai, another charged over, swinging his sword at the miner youth.
The youth tried to pull out the long sword, but it was stuck in the armor; he only managed to pull it halfway out.
The youth looked at the enemy now so close he could even smell the scent of the samurai's armor.
The samurai's blade headed straight for his throat!
The blade reflected the sunlight, cold and intimidating.
At that moment, a kunai shot in.
The kunai accurately pierced the samurai's wrist, blood squeezing out from the sides of the kunai.
The samurai couldn't hold his sword. Seeing this, the miner youth didn't bother pulling out his first sword anymore, reaching out to grab the long sword the samurai could no longer hold due to his injured wrist.
Grabbing the long sword, he turned and accurately thrust it into the gaps of the samurai's armor.
The other nearby samurai hesitated, not daring to advance.
The samurai looked at the ninja battle on the mountain, exchanged glances, and quickly fled.
Even the Kumo-nin platoon leader is dead; this mission is bound to fail.
The miner youth looked up towards the mountaintop.
That kunai just now came from the ninja wearing the fox mask.
So strong... The miner youth turned and rushed towards his companions who were tied up with ropes.
***
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(Chapter End)