Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Night Raid on Ameyuri! / Chapter Thirty-Eight: Instilling the Will of Fire in Ringo Ameyuri!

At the sight of this familiar barrier, Raiga Kurosuki was immediately reminded of unpleasant memories and flew into a rage.

Finding five talismans would not be easy.

Unless one possessed the Hyuga Clan's Byakugan, there was no way to search quickly.

Otherwise, spending enormous manpower and resources to find five talismans would be like searching for needles in the ocean.

"Ah~~~!"

With an enraged roar, he swung his blade, sending the female Twelve Guardian Shinobi's head flying.

Blood sprayed everywhere. The Kirigakure shinobi around him remained calm, clearly used to such scenes.

"Surround them! Let's see how many days they can hold out!"

Night Raid on Ruri!

Buzz...

Ruri Hyuga reached out and poked the air before her.

The seemingly empty air immediately rippled like water.

This layer of "water" was the wall of the Five Seal Barrier, as well as the defensive point of the technique.

During the Gaara Retrieval Battle in the original story, Pain had used this technique. Even Sakura's monstrous punches could only leave ripples of varying sizes on it. In the end, Kakashi and the others had relied on Neji's Byakugan and the radio Might Guy carried to remove all five talismans simultaneously, shutting down the technique.

"Young Master is amazing. No matter the situation, he always has a solution..."

Ino Yamanaka sincerely praised her young master's excellence.

The talent of the Ninjutsu Doctor allowed Akira Sarutobi to use any type of technique.

Naturally, that included barriers and seals.

As a Jonin, Akira Sarutobi had mastered a dazzlingly varied and extensive collection of techniques.

As Nonō treated Ringo Ruri, she kept looking at Akira Sarutobi, the surprise in her eyes growing deeper and deeper.

It was as though no difficulty could stump this young master. His calm, unruffled confidence was truly astonishing.

And as they spent more time together, Nonō's attitude toward Akira Sarutobi gradually changed as well.

"Earth Style..."

After reclaiming the Chakra from his five Shadow Clones, Akira Sarutobi swallowed several ration pills to replenish his strength and Chakra, then began forming hand seals.

A rumbling sound echoed out.

The earth and rocks rose and sank.

Clearly, Akira Sarutobi intended to construct a building right here.

The forest shook, and birds took flight in flocks.

The thirty Kirigakure shinobi guarding the area widened their eyes, all watching the changes inside the barrier.

Before long, a row of Earthen Style houses appeared on the spot.

"Move her into the house."

Akira Sarutobi raised a hand in signal, then picked up Ringo Ruri and carried her inside.

Nonō entered the house and looked at the bed made of rock and earth. Earth Style really is convenient. It's practically an essential technique for home and travel.

In fact, Orochimaru had used Earth Style to create buildings everywhere in the original story. His countless hideouts scattered across the ninja world had not been dug out by hand. Shinobi did not have that much spare time for construction work.

"Kirigakure is at least four days away by sea. If they encounter a storm or rough waves, the trip will take much longer..."

Akira Sarutobi calculated the time. Nonō would need at most three days for treatment, so even if Kirigakure sent reinforcements, they would not make it in time. Crossing the sea was no simple matter.

Just then, raindrops began to fall from the sky.

The rainy season had arrived.

As a small island nation at sea, the Land of Waves was often washed by rain.

The sound of pouring water descended upon the forest.

The Kirigakure shinobi took out raincoats and stared menacingly at the earthen houses within the barrier.

Shinobi could lie in wait for three days and three nights without food or water and still have the strength to fight.

They could also survive in harsh environments.

But... no one would deliberately torture themselves.

Inside the house, Akira Sarutobi lit a bonfire with branches he had gathered beforehand.

Ino Yamanaka set up a pot. Mushrooms and wild vegetables gathered from the forest were cooked into a delicious thick soup.

The faint scent of smoke and food drifted through the woods, making the enemies swallow involuntarily.

Akira Sarutobi sat around the bonfire, eating hot pot with an exceptionally calm expression.

By comparison, Nonō was somewhat worried. "Young Master Ryo, they have already surrounded this place. Even if I heal her in three days, I'm afraid we'll only be able to run..."

Ruri's recovery would take time.

The enemy had thirty people.

Even Ruri at her peak might not be able to escape their pursuit.

Once the numbers grew large enough, they could truly cause a qualitative change.

Not to mention that Raiga Kurosuki held one of the seven blades, the Thunder Sword Fang.

Without her swords, Ringo Ruri's strength had fallen drastically. She could not possibly be Raiga Kurosuki's match.

"Run?"

Akira Sarutobi raised his eyes and looked at the Root girl with the lowly figure.

You've misunderstood one thing.

Whether it is Steel Style or that taijutsu Orochimaru gave me, I've only just begun training them. There is still plenty of room for improvement.

"Give me three days... I'll become stronger! Then..."

I'll go out there and kill every last one of them!

Akira Sarutobi's gaze blazed, radiating an unimaginable divine light.

"Ruri, A-Hui, the two of you should train properly over these three days as well..."

When the time came, the two of them only needed to protect Nonō and Ringo Ruri.

Very soon, Akira Sarutobi began his training.

Nonō continued treating Ringo Ruri.

Ino Yamanaka and Ruri Hyuga each went to their own rooms.

Inside, Akira Sarutobi created ten Shadow Clones and once again began training in the Steel Style: Kekkei Genkai.

After eating and drinking his fill, his original body began practicing taijutsu.

"Hey! Isn't anyone going to ask for my opinion?" Ringo Ruri lay on the bed, making her presence known. Hey... there was still someone here.

"We will ask you."

Akira Sarutobi turned to look at her. The look brewing in his black eyes made Ringo Ruri's scalp tingle.

What kind of look was that?

Ringo Ruri had no idea what she would encounter next...

After that, Akira Sarutobi devoted all his energy to training.

His Shadow Clones trained ninjutsu while his original body trained taijutsu. He neglected neither.

Explosions continually echoed through the forest.

Akira Sarutobi trained taijutsu outside as though no one else existed.

By evening, Akira Sarutobi no longer needed the huge leaves overhead as a rain shelter.

The rain truly fell upon Akira Sarutobi's body, yet it was blocked by an invisible Steel Style field.

Bang!

He threw a punch.

The strength throughout his body and his Chakra surged.

Combining taijutsu with Steel Style made its power even more extraordinary.

After that punch, every raindrop around him was blasted away from his body.

In that instant, Akira Sarutobi's entire body was dry as new, as though he had never been drenched by rain.

Time passed.

In the blink of an eye... day turned to night.

Only after the sky had gone completely dark did Akira Sarutobi temporarily stop training.

After eating dinner, Akira Sarutobi asked Nonō about the treatment's progress.

All day, the ten Shadow Clones had sat in Ringo Ruri's room, training while monitoring her every move.

Upon learning that her condition had improved considerably, Akira Sarutobi nodded and left.

After another round of training, Akira Sarutobi digested his food and went to rest.

Ruri Hyuga, Ino Yamanaka, and Nonō also fell into deep sleep.

Everything became quiet, with only the fine rain flowing endlessly.

And so...

No one knew how much time had passed.

In the depths of the night, thunder suddenly boomed across the sky.

Lit by the lightning outside the window, Ringo Ruri opened her eyes. It was not merely the thunder that had disturbed her, but also... the arrival of an uninvited guest.

"You came?"

The patient lying on the bed turned her head toward the doorway.

Thunder and lightning raged through the rainy night. A dark figure stood at the entrance like the god of death.

That figure was Akira Sarutobi.

Inside the room, the sole Shadow Clone guarding Ringo Ruri automatically dispelled itself, turning into a cloud of smoke.

Akira Sarutobi's original body slowly walked in, then casually shut the stone door.

The room... was completely swallowed by darkness.

"Ringo Ruri..."

Darkness could not obstruct Akira Sarutobi's vision. Everything was crystal clear within his right eye's field of view. A certain thought materialized into spiritual energy, or perhaps the human body's magnetic field, brushing toward her.

Since killing intent could be sensed by others, then... intense thoughts could as well.

Ringo Ruri did not know what she was about to face. She only knew that the signal of danger made goosebumps rise uncontrollably across her body.

And as Akira Sarutobi approached, her heart... began pounding violently...

Instilling the Will of Fire into Ringo Ruri!

"Fine, I can tell you what I know..."

Ringo Ruri deliberately spoke in a relaxed tone.

But darkness filled her vision, and she could not see anything. She could not help growing nervous.