86-90

Chapter 86: Fourfold Ambush  

"He actually escaped..."  

Fūga was genuinely surprised. This move of his had never failed—it had killed no fewer than ten elite shinobi, and no one had ever dodged it. It was practically an unavoidable killing technique.  

The slightest hesitation meant death. The surrounding whirlwinds had an overwhelming suction force, making escape impossible. The only option was to endure the slashing wind blades head-on.  

His Wind Cutter was an A-rank ninjutsu, with devastating offensive power. Naturally, few could withstand it.  

"Seems I underestimated you. Not only are you fast, but your combat instincts are sharp too. As for your swordsmanship… well, it’s pretty sloppy, but it has its merits."  

Finally stopping his movement, Fūga cautiously switched Kaiyodori from his left hand to his right. His left hand reached into his weapon pouch, pulling out a roll of bandages. Clenching them in his teeth, he quickly wrapped the wound on his right shoulder before securing his left hand as well.  

Gripping the stolen Kaiyodori, he resumed his advance toward the Suna puppet team.  

Along the way, he kept taunting, trying to provoke Umino Yoru.  

But this time, Yoru didn’t attempt another close-range ambush. Instead, he and his shadow clones hurled a barrage of kunai and shuriken, seemingly trying to slow Fūga down.  

Unfortunately, Fūga was too strong—it was like he had a 360-degree Byakugan. Even in the thick, blinding mist, he could track the projectiles by sound alone, effortlessly deflecting them.  

Soon, Fūga closed in, reaching the Suna puppet team’s "卍" defensive formation.  

"Kōsagan, it’s me."  

After deflecting a volley of senbon from the puppets, Fūga approached Kōsagan.  

But suddenly, Kōsagan pointed behind him and shouted, "Behind you!"  

This time, Kōsagan wasn’t lying—an attack really was coming.  

"Die, Suna scum!"  

"Raaah! Give back our food!"  

The furious roars came from none other than Fūjin and Raijin, who had been lying in wait within the mist. Guided by tactical instructions from two shadow clones, they lunged forward, swinging their massive iron clubs with crushing force straight at Fūga’s head.  

At the same time, Anma Karura—also following a shadow clone’s strategy—unleashed a prepped B-rank genjutsu:  

"Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!"  

Thanks to the sensory precision of her Ultrasonic Radar Technique, the genjutsu hit Fūga flawlessly, trapping him in the illusion.  

"Senbon Shower!" 

"Senbon Shower!" 

"Mechanical Shield: Wild Windmill!"  

The three Suna puppet masters finally dropped their disguises, launching a coordinated sneak attack. To maximize the ambush’s effectiveness, they even included Fūjin and Raijin in the area of attack.  

Simultaneously—  

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"  

Umino Yoru seized the moment to unleash a B-rank water technique, summoning a massive water dragon that surged toward Fūga.  

In the span of a single breath, Fūga found himself trapped in a fourfold ambush—a near-certain death scenario.  

But as a Suna jōnin, his willpower far surpassed that of ordinary shinobi. Even under the effects of the Tree Binding Death—enhanced by the Anma clan’s kekkei genkai—he only faltered for a second before breaking free.  

However, the moment he escaped the genjutsu, Fūjin and Raijin’s attack was already inches from his skull, while the three puppets’ wide-range assault closed in from behind.  

With no time to weave hand signs for a defensive jutsu, Fūga had no choice but to dodge the crushing blow from the twins to avoid instant decapitation.  

He then tried to use Body Flicker to escape the puppets’ barrage—  

But Yoru’s Water Dragon had already sealed off all escape routes.  

Thud-thud-thud!  

Dozens of Senbon Shower needles pierced Fūga’s body.  

BOOM!  

The Water Dragon slammed into him, sending him flying dozens of meters back.  

Under the relentless four-pronged assault, Fūga had finally fallen to the ambush.  

"Cough…! Such a well-laid trap… cough…!"  

Leaning against a massive tree, vomiting blood, Fūga felt his spirit wither. Yet, he couldn’t deny that his death was justified. If not for Lord Shibuki’s capture, he would never have been forced into this mist.  

Had he known this would happen, he would’ve just blown the mist away with a jutsu—even if it meant killing Lord Shibuki in the process.  

He never expected his eight remaining squadmates to be defeated so quickly. Nor did he imagine that someone had already mastered Suna’s puppet techniques and honed Transformation Jutsu to such a refined level.  

"Cough…! You really went all out for me. With this much power… was an ambush even necessary?"  

In his eyes, three elite puppet masters, two taijutsu jōnin, a genjutsu specialist, a water-style master, and a swarm of chūnin providing covering fire—this was overkill. Why even bother with deception?  

"Konoha truly breeds monsters…"  

Fūga sighed inwardly. This single ambush made him realize just how terrifying Konoha’s hidden strength was.  

But villains who monologue tend to die—and Umino Yoru wasn’t about to let that happen. Even though Fūga was already as good as dead, he still hurled a storm of kunai and shuriken to finish the job.  

"Maki… your father loves you. And… beware Konoha."  

In a final surge of energy, Fūga roared, wiped the blood from his body, and rapidly formed five hand seals:  

"Boar → Dog → Bird → Monkey → Ram!"  

"Summoning Jutsu!"  

POOF!  

A massive cloud of smoke erupted as a gigantic lizard materialized in front of Fūga, effortlessly blocking the incoming projectiles.  

This beast wasn’t just enormous—it was also thick-skinned. The kunai and shuriken bouncing off its hide were like mosquito bites.  

"Fūga… You summoned me to this mess? I ought to eat you for this."  

The lizard turned its slit-pupiled, murderous gaze toward Fūga—  

But there was no response.  

Fūga was already dead. He had performed the summoning with his last breath.  

"FŪGA!!"  

The lizard’s grief-stricken roar betrayed its true feelings—despite its harsh words, it clearly cared deeply for its summoner.  

"GRAAAH—!"  

With a single furious bellow, the lizard dispersed the mist in a dozen-meter radius, revealing its full form in the now-cleared battlefield.  

Standing at five to six meters tall and over ten meters long, it resembled a monstrous Komodo dragon.  

While its presence wasn’t as terrifying as Mount Myōboku’s Gamabunta, its power far surpassed that of an average jōnin. On a large-scale battlefield, it could even achieve quasi-Kage-level tactical impact.  

Chapter 87: A Fight to the Death  

"ROAR—!"  

The giant lizard let out another furious bellow, unleashing a devastating whirlwind—akin to a powerful, large-scale A-rank Wind Release—that swept across the riverbank, dispersing the thick mist in an instant.  

Trees were uprooted, some even torn from the ground entirely.  

Puffs of white smoke erupted as countless shadow clones hidden in the mist were blown away, leaving only the two clones standing beside Fūjin and Raijin. Meanwhile, the clone protecting Anma Karin had exhausted its chakra after casting the Great Water Prison Technique for defense and vanished.  

"Incredible…"  

Yoru narrowed his eyes, his heart pounding.  

"Big lizard! So much food!"  

"Kill it! Cook it! ROAR!"  

Rather than being afraid, Fūjin and Raijin were ecstatic. To them, this massive lizard meant enough meat to last them weeks.  

Without hesitation, they charged.  

Swinging their massive iron clubs, the twins rained down blows on the beast. But the lizard was no pushover—it countered with a brutal tail whip, sending Fūjin flying. Even after taking a direct hit from Raijin's club, it only staggered slightly before ramming him away with a powerful headbutt, launching him dozens of meters back.  

Yet, thanks to their monstrously tough bodies—almost like summoning beasts—the twins merely shook off the hits, their battle spirit burning even fiercer. Their blood boiled, eyes blazing with fury as they lunged back into the fight.  

"So they really can fight at jonin-level…"  

Yoru was stunned. In a normal shinobi battle, their lack of strategy would make even chunin-level opponents tricky. But against a giant summon? Their raw power was unleashed without restraint.  

However, this lizard was elite jonin-tier. While the twins seemed evenly matched, the beast was slowly seizing control of the battle.  

The scales were tipping.  

And the lizard knew it.  

With a roar, it spat a barrage of Sand Pellet Bullets, shattering the twins' thick sticky syrup armor into hardened candy fragments.  

"Sonic Pulse!"  

Yoru unleashed his ultrasonic shockwave at full power, trying to disrupt the attack—but for the first time, it failed. The lizard ignored it completely, instead turning its wrath toward him and Anma Karin.  

"ROAR—!"  

A massive Vacuum Bullet shot toward them.  

"Water Release: Water Wall!"  

Yoru formed hand seals, conjuring a spinning barrier of water. Despite being a B-rank jutsu, this technique—passed down from Maruboshi Kosuke, inheritor of the Second Hokage's water-style—held firm against the A-rank wind attack.  

As the lizard recovered from its attack, Fūjin and Raijin rallied, their brute strength buying time.  

"Senpai… so this is what you really look like?"  

Anma Karin, trembling slightly, leaned against Yoru—only to realize his transformation had broken, revealing his true face.  

"Stay with my shadow clone. Protect yourself—I’m reinforcing the twins."  

Leaving a clone to guard her, Yoru dashed into battle.  

"He’s… really handsome…"  

Anma Karin’s eyes sparkled with admiration—but also fear. This lizard was unlike anything she’d ever faced. Is this what the Kage of the Five Nations are like?  

Instead of charging head-on, Yoru first ensured Kazekage’s Wind Fang was truly dead—burying a kunai in its heart—before snatching up the fallen Solution Fish Blade.  

"Wind Breathing: First Form—Solution Fish Slash!"  

In a burst of speed, his blade struck the lizard’s neck—but only carved a shallow wound before lodging in its scales.  

"ROAR!"  

The beast’s deafening roar disoriented him.  

A tail whip followed—Yoru barely escaped by abandoning his sword and using Substitution Jutsu, leaving a log to be obliterated in his place.  

"Water Release: Water Clones!"  

Multiple clones swarmed the battlefield, confusing the lizard as it smashed them apart.  

Seizing the opening, Yoru hurled a shuriken and weaved signs.  

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"  

A single shuriken multiplied into hundreds, riddling the lizard’s body until it was a bloody, writhing mess.  

Yet, instead of retreating, the beast grew even stronger.  

A single strike sent Fūjin and Raijin flying, leaving them struggling to stand.  

"It still won’t leave…?"  

Yoru’s blood ran cold.  

He had assumed the lizard would flee once wounded—but instead, it fought on, ready to die for its fallen ninja comrade.  

Chapter 88: Skyfall Sticky Syrup  

"Gulp!"  

Umino Yoru quickly pulled out the green spinach pill he’d obtained from Akimichi Toribō and swallowed it whole.  

At the same time, he devoured several honey-glazed energy bars and activated his Gluttony Technique, rapidly refining chakra.  

"Since you’re hellbent on dying… I’ll oblige."  

Seeing that the giant lizard refused to retreat, Umino Yoru finally erupted with fierce fighting spirit, his eyes icy with killing intent.  

"Water Style: Water Clone Jutsu!"  

Once again, he unleashed a swarm of water clones to buy more time.  

The massive lizard, thoroughly enraged by the earlier Shadow Shuriken Jutsu, attacked with even greater ferocity—but its tactics had lost all composure.  

The water clones’ stalling strategy worked perfectly. The lizard rampaged wildly, smashing clone after clone in a frenzy.  

Thanks to the spinach pill and energy bars, Umino Yoru’s chakra reserves were now overflowing. Without hesitation, he created eight shadow clones.  

"Water Style: Sticky Syrup Binding!" 

"Water Style: Sticky Syrup Binding!" 

"Water Style: Sticky Syrup Binding—!"  

The clones instantly teleported around the lizard, surrounding it from all directions as they simultaneously unleashed the sticky syrup ropes, entangling the beast.  

Then—  

Umino Yoru hurled a sealing scroll above the lizard’s head.  

The moment it reached its target, the scroll unfurled, releasing eight massive iron balls chained together, crashing down like meteors.  

The lizard was powerful—it managed to tear free from the syrup’s adhesive grip.  

But just as it broke loose, the falling chains wrapped around it, locking it in place.  

And that wasn’t all.  

Another sealing scroll was already flying overhead.  

This one unleashed a torrent of sticky syrup, drenching the lizard’s body in a viscous, immobilizing flood.  

"For giant summoning beasts… this tactic works wonders."  

Umino Yoru nodded in satisfaction.  

Against massive summons, conventional methods often failed. But thanks to his past-life memories, he recalled how Konoha’s ANBU Squad "Vermilion" had once used Earth Style: Skyfall Pot Lid and Earth Style: Skyfall Clay to trap the Six Paths of Pain’s multi-headed dog. They then roasted it alive with fire jutsu.  

Umino Yoru lacked the ability to summon objects from another dimension—but he did have sealing scrolls.  

While he couldn’t afford something as extravagant as the Multiple Iron Prison Gates, his recent earnings allowed him to stock up on high-grade sealing scrolls.  

Had he splurged on the Iron Prison Gates, he could’ve simply crushed the lizard outright.  

"ROAR—!"  

The lizard still refused to dispel itself, thrashing violently against the chains and syrup.  

But the more it struggled, the tighter the syrup hardened, amplifying its restraints.  

"Shunshin!"  

Umino Yoru flash-stepped behind the lizard, landing in its blind spot.  

Then, using the Gluttony Technique, he rapidly digested the remaining spinach pill and energy bars, converting them into a surge of chakra.  

Within seconds, he completed the next jutsu.  

"Grand Rasengan!"  

BOOM!  

The colossal spiraling sphere slammed into the lizard’s skull, charring its flesh and splattering its brains into paste.  

The beast didn’t even have time to reverse-summon itself before death claimed it.  

With a final shudder, the lizard collapsed, lifeless.  

"Hah…"  

Umino Yoru exhaled deeply.  

But then—  

"Frontline patrol squad?"  

His brow furrowed. The battle’s noise had drawn a Konoha patrol unit—now less than two kilometers away.  

Acting fast, he sent four shadow clones to intercept them, buying time to erase all traces of the fight.  

Within minutes:  

• All corpses were sealed away.  

• Every drop of syrup vanished.  

• The explosive tag trap he’d set earlier remained untouched. 

The patrol squad—mere cannon fodder—was effortlessly knocked out by his disguised clones.  

But his sonar radar jutsu detected more Konoha shinobi closing in.  

Leaving one clone behind at the riverbank, Umino Yoru scooped up Anko Mitarashi, rallied the Fūma brothers, and weaved through the forest, avoiding all patrols as he raced back to the frontline.  

Ten kilometers later—  

KABOOM!  

The distant explosion confirmed his clone had triggered the trap.  

"Tch… 650,000 ryō up in smoke."  

His eye twitched. At current prices, 100 explosive tags could’ve bought him a house in Konoha.  

But then he glanced at the loot-laden sealing scrolls on his back and smirked.  

"Worth it."  

The gold dust, iron ingots, weapons, and supplies inside were easily worth millions.  

And with Hanzo of the Salamander forcing Sunagakure and Iwagakure into all-out war, their value would double or triple soon.  

"Heh. A windfall."  

Suppressing his excitement, he tightened his grip on Anko and sped home.  

One hour later…  

Back at the familiar riverbank, Umino Yoru set Anko down and immediately inventoried his spoils.  

Chapter 89: The Division Meeting  

Unexpected Spoils 

"Huh? Even my sugar-based energy blocks are here?"  

As Umino Yoru sorted through the smuggled goods recovered from the Suna nin's scrolls, he found not only over ten million ryo worth of soldier pills, weapons, and explosive tags—but also his own sugar-based energy blocks, along with nearly ten tons of Fire Country flour and Rice Country rice.  

So this smuggling ring wasn’t just dealing with the Utatane clan’s weapon shipments… They were also trading with warfront merchants on the side.  

Compared to the Utatane clan’s blatant treason, these merchants at least had some restraint—limiting themselves to food supplies rather than military gear. Still, it was a betrayal.  

"Looks like the higher-ups in Karamaru’s merchant group aren’t as ‘loyal’ as they pretend."  

Yoru doubted a low-level manager like Karamaru had the influence to orchestrate deals of this scale. The energy blocks had to come from someone higher up—someone with connections to Fire Country nobility or Konoha’s clans.  

Typical. While shinobi bleed on the front lines, the elites back home grow fat off war profiteering.  

Worse, while his energy blocks weren’t as efficient as soldier pills for chakra recovery, they were close enough to qualify as military supplies. By smuggling them under the guise of "food," these merchants had found a loophole—one that could cost lives on the battlefield.  

"From now on, I’m dealing through the black market."  

Suppressing his anger, Yoru made a mental note. Karamaru, though helpful, was too small-time—and too entangled with shady networks. The black market might be riskier, but at least it was honest about its corruption.  

For now, though, he’d hold onto the confiscated goods. Once the war escalated and prices surged, he’d sell them for maximum profit.  

A Partner’s Fear 

"Senpai… How could they smuggle this much? Are these merchants traitors?"  

Akimaru Light Sound, born into a fallen Konoha clan, knew about wartime smuggling—but never imagined it involved actual military supplies. Her face paled as she grasped the implications.  

Yoru handed her the Anbu credentials recovered from the Suna nin, along with details of their unimpeded passage through Konoha’s defenses.  

"So… someone high up is betraying the village?"  

Her voice trembled. If this got out, even her weakened clan could face repercussions.  

"Don’t worry. I’ve covered our tracks." He patted her head, amused by how soft her hair was. "No one will trace this back to us."  

Light Sound nodded, cheeks pink, but her worry lingered.  

Dividing the Loot 

Yoru laid out their spoils in four categories:  

1. Military Supplies (10M+ ryo): Soldier pills, explosive tags, and weapons.  

1. Food & Energy Blocks (~5M ryo): Flour, rice, and his own energy blocks (worth 30-40% more in Wind Country).  

1. Puppets & Gear (~1M ryo): Four custom Suna puppets, a high-grade tanto, and assorted tools.  

1. The Lizard King’s Corpse: A goldmine. Its meat alone matched the food supplies’ value, while its blood, bones, and scales were premium materials for elite soldier pills, armor, and even ink-based jutsu. 

Total value: Nearly 30M ryo. Enough to buy an Asuma-level bounty.  

"Senpai, I—I can’t take any of this." Light Sound backed away, hands raised.  

She wasn’t refusing out of modesty but fear. If the higher-ups discovered their involvement, her clan would suffer.  

"At least take the energy blocks." Yoru sealed a dozen crates into a scroll and shoved it into her hands. If you don’t take your cut, how can I justify keeping mine?  

Feast and Questions 

"MEAT! GRILL THE LIZARD!"  

"MEAT! MEAT! RAAWR!"  

The Fūjin and Raijin brothers circled the carcass, drooling.  

"Fine, we’re eating lizard tonight."  

Drawing Slicing Fish Blade, Yoru began dismantling the corpse with surgeon-like precision, collecting blood for future use.  

Light Sound watched in awe. "Senpai… you killed something this strong? Are you a clan-head-level shinobi?"  

"Clan-head-level?"  

Yoru paused. Ah. That was the Warring States-era term for Kage-tier.  

He smirked. "Not yet. But give me time."  

Chapter 90: Summoned Beast Meat  

"Heh." Umino Yoru couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.  

What a ridiculous joke—calling him a Kage-level fighter when he wasn’t even a full-fledged jōnin yet? Clearly, little Anma Karura had been misled by the giant lizard’s intimidating appearance.  

At first glance, this summon did seem terrifying. On a battlefield, it could unleash quasi-Kage-level destruction, with every strike equivalent to a mid-to-high-rank ninjutsu. Against low-level shinobi, its sheer size made it nearly unstoppable—almost like facing an actual Kage.  

But in reality? Compared to Gamabunta of Mount Myōboku, this overgrown lizard was nowhere close. At best, it was just an elite jōnin-level summon—and one without much ninjutsu heritage, at that. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have fallen prey to his "Money-Style Secret Technique" and Sticky Syrup Jutsu.  

With his current strength (and his wallet-based ninjutsu), Yoru could be considered a high-tier Puppet Master Jōnin—specialized in countering giant summons.  

Without his money tricks, though? His puppet skills would be half-useless, dropping him down to Tokubetsu Jōnin level at best.  

That said, when he activated Wind Breathing, his combat power surged enough to trade blows with actual jōnin—as proven by his fight against Fūga, the Suna elite.  

And with his current 0.4 Kage-level chakra reserves (boosted by Green Spinach Pills and Honey Energy Cubes), he could briefly rival a ninjutsu-specialized jōnin in short bursts.  

Hell, most jōnin wouldn’t even have his survivability.  

Take this elite jōnin-tier lizard, for example—most jōnin wouldn’t stand a chance. Future Ibiki would probably agree.  

"Cough—!" Yoru suddenly winced as a wave of muscle fatigue hit him.  

Damn Spinach Pills.  

Not only had they drained his energy reserves, but they’d also leached nutrients straight from his muscles and fat. If not for his upgraded Gluttony Technique, he’d be flat on his back right now.  

Typical Akimichi drugs—brutally effective.  

"Senpai, are you okay?"  

Karura, mistaking his pain for injury, looked worried.  

"I’ll be fine. Just need to eat more meat."  

Suppressing the side effects with Gluttony Technique, Yoru continued butchering the lizard, expertly dismantling it before sealing most of the meat into scrolls—except for the tenderloin and two massive front legs.  

The best ingredients require the simplest cooking.  

After a quick spice rub, the meat went straight onto the grill.  

Soon, the aroma of roasted summon beast filled the air.  

"Mmm… smells amazing."  

Karura’s eyes sparkled as she inhaled deeply.  

"Big Bro Boss, can we eat now?!"  

Fūjin and Raijin were practically drooling, hands clasped in prayer—not for mercy this time, but for food.  

Too scared of Yoru’s wrath to act without permission, they could only whimper and wait.  

Yoru didn’t keep them hanging. He tossed them each a leg the size of their torsos, and the twins immediately sank their teeth in like rabid wolves.  

"The tenderloin’s softer. Here."  

He handed Karura a skewer—so fragrant it made her mouth water instantly.  

"So good!" she mumbled between bites.  

"Huh?"  

Yoru paused after his first bite.  

This meat… had effects similar to Royal Jelly!  

His eyes widened. The lizard’s flesh actually enhanced Wind Breathing training, just like the rare honey supplement.  

After devouring over ten pounds, the effect became undeniable.  

Though the meat’s natural chakra had dissipated, its cellular energy remained—amplifying his ability to absorb the "mystery factor" in Wind Breathing.  

By the end of the meal, his Spinach Pill backlash had recovered by 60-70%.  

"Senpai… you ate more than Fūjin and Raijin combined."  

Karura stared in awe. The tenderloin alone weighed dozens of pounds—she’d barely finished half a pound, yet Yoru had polished off the rest.  

"Eating well keeps the body strong." He smirked, eyeing her slender frame. "You’re too skinny, Karura. Need more protein."  

"Eep!"  

Her face flushed—whether from embarrassment or the summon meat’s heat-inducing properties, she couldn’t tell.  

"Alright, Yamigarasu’s back. You three, head out."  

His Subsonic Radar Technique detected the scout’s return.  

"Fūjin! Raijin! Get over here!"  

The twins rolled over like obedient dogs (literally).  

"..."  

Yoru’s eye twitched.  

"From now on, when I’m not around, you obey Karura. Disobey, and… well."  

A dark grin made his threat clear.  

The twins shivered, swearing to treat Karura like Tsunade herself.  

After final instructions, Yoru Body Flickered back to the frontlines.  

—  

Back at camp, he dispelled his shadow clone and absorbed its memories.  

Everything was stable. His squad’s training was progressing well:  

• Inuzuka Ryō had mastered Fang Over Fang, reaching chūnin-level combat power, and had started learning Three-Headed Wolf Transformation.  

• Shō, surprisingly, had made the biggest leap—mastering multiple low-rank medical ninjutsu, especially Hemostasis. Her chakra control was now on par with elite medics.  

• Shukudō, however, was still grinding Earth Style: Mud Wall. That B-rank defense jutsu would take him a while.