The first ray of morning sunlight came down.
Smack! Smack! (Lips smacking.)
Karin moved her lips, as if she were eating something delicious in her sleep.
But her brows quickly furrowed, and she shifted a little as though she felt uncomfortable.
She blinked her eyes open in a daze, only to find herself lying in her teacher's arms, covered with a blanket made of paper.
Only then did her mind start working, remembering she had nodded off yesterday.
'How did I fall asleep? Though this isn't bad either.'
Karin glanced at her teacher, eyes closed, and felt secretly pleased.
She carefully leaned her head against Rengoku's chest, rubbing like a little cat.
"You're awake, get up."
Rengoku opened his eyes at this moment and lightly tapped Karin.
"Ah! Teacher, you're awake?"
Reluctantly, Karin climbed off of Rengoku.
A few suggestive images flashed through her mind, making her cheeks turn red.
Rengoku beckoned for her to sit, "Look at your hair, all messy."
As he spoke, he took out the comb she'd brought.
Karin's eyes lit up, and she obediently sat down in front of him.
Her hair was extremely smooth and glossy, Rengoku only needed to comb a few times before it was soft and neat again.
Karin felt thrilled inside, though she didn't dare show it too obviously.
"Teacher, why did I fall asleep? Lately I feel like I'm so sleepy all the time."
Rengoku rubbed her hair, "It's fine, your body is growing."
"Your chakra and stamina should've increased again."
Karin's eyes sparkled. She stood up, formed a hand seal, and the script of the Four Symbols Seal flew from her hands.
"It really did! Teacher, my chakra increased again!"
Then she lifted her clothes and pinched the flesh at her waist, "Then why do I still have a little tummy?"
Rengoku smacked her hand down, "What are you doing, don't lift your clothes."
"Having a little tummy is normal. It's a sign of health."
"You didn't have it before because you weren't eating enough."
"So I'll always be like this? It doesn't look good," Karin patted her stomach.
"It looks good. Girls should have a bit of softness to them."
Rengoku hurried to instill a healthy sense of beauty in her.
So she wouldn't think about dieting or anything like that.
"As long as Teacher thinks it looks good," Karin said, all her worries evaporating and her heart full of joy.
"Let's change hiding spots. We continue attacking Kumogakure today."
Rengoku, now rested, was ready to get to work.
He shifted his consciousness into his clone. Overnight, although the Cloud Hidden had sent many people to scout for information, they still hadn't found him. The clone had also gathered a good amount of Sage Chakra.
"I know, Teacher! Should I still treat you when you come back today?", Karin looked eager.
Watching her mother being bitten and drained of chakra used to be a nightmare she couldn't shake.
But she was more than willing to be bitten by Rengoku, to be needed by him made her feel valuable.
Rengoku patted her head, "Yes. Same plan as yesterday."
"Hide somewhere safe, and I'll come find you myself."
As he spoke, sheets of white paper floated from his body, forming wings.
Suddenly Karin grabbed his clothes.
"Teacher, be careful. I'll be waiting for you to come back."
Her eyes shone brightly at him.
Rengoku smiled, rubbed her head, and with a beat of his wings rose straight into the sky.
———
Rengoku flew near Kumogakure's encampment and began using his Kagura Mind's Eye to search for a good landing spot.
But Kumogakure had deployed large numbers of people. Approaching unnoticed was difficult.
Because right now, he didn't want Kumogakure to know he could fly.
So while still in midair he immediately used his dojutsu, Null Horizon, and entered the different space.
Then he descended quickly.
Inside the Null Horizon space, after landing he circled around the Cloud Hidden camp once.
Then he began thinking about how to attack.
Yesterday's fire-style strike-from-the-sky had forced the Cloud Hidden to spread their tents far apart.
Using Sea of Flames Descends again would not be cost-effective.
And he only had a single night's worth of Sage Chakra, not much.
But he still needed to set things on fire. Once chaos started, killing would be easy.
He'd thrown away his own weapon yesterday, but it didn't matter. It was just standard Uchiha gear anyway.
Rengoku leapt onto a tree and formed hand seals.
Finding this spot sufficiently hidden, he exited the alternate space.
He'd already prepared his ninjutsu.
"Fire Style: Ghost Lantern!"
Flames flickered, and countless fireballs fell like a sky full of fireflies.
Kumogakure reacted quickly, "Enemy attack!"
"The enemy set a fire!"
Large numbers of Cloud Hidden shinobi scrambled toward open areas, many still wrapped in bandages and ignoring the pain.
Yesterday hundreds had been burned to death by Rengoku, and the severely burned still couldn't even get out of bed.
These Cloud Hidden were terrified of Rengoku doing it again.
Even without Sage Mode, his fire-style still had an enormous area of effect.
Ghost Lantern was a jutsu that dropped fireballs everywhere.
Not very lethal to people, but perfect for starting fires.
Rengoku jumped down. A single hand strike landed on a Cloud Hidden's neck.
Crack!
The man's neck bone snapped and he collapsed.
Rengoku drew the long blade from the man's waist and slashed the one beside him.
"It's Uchiha Rengoku!"
"Rengoku is here again!"
"Go inform Lord Killer Bee!"
Seeing the flames spreading, Rengoku continued slaughtering the Cloud Hidden.
After he had cut down eight people, Killer Bee and Yugito finally arrived.
They were furious, Rengoku had actually come again.
"Rengoku! You dare come back?", Killer Bee grabbed a blade, filled it with chakra, and hurled it at Rengoku.
But with his malice-sensing ability, Rengoku simply tilted his body and casually slashed the blade aside.
"Why wouldn't I? You think you two can return to Kumogakure?"
Killer Bee's face darkened, "Just you? Think you can kill so many of us?"
Rengoku sneered, "How many died yesterday?"
"You didn't—"
Yugito suddenly noticed that Rengoku's hand no longer had any wounds.
"How? You were so badly injured!"
Her exclamation also drew Killer Bee's attention.
Only now did he notice Rengoku's injuries were completely healed.
Killer Bee was stunned. Even with a medical ninja, healing that fast should've been impossible.
Rengoku had no obligation to answer an enemy's questions.
He'd deliberately talked to the two of them to shake their confidence.
By displaying his recovery, Killer Bee and Yugito immediately grew more cautious.
Rengoku raised his blade, sage markings flashed across his face, and his pupils turned horizontal.
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