A Mere Thief Who Steals

Josuke maintained his smile and handed the young monk a few bills. Josuke was first-class when it came to social graces.

Seeing the bills, the young monk's eyes lit up. Can I make money? Of course!

What's a lowly monk worth anyway?

It's much better to be like this. He asked obsequiously, "What can I do for you, benefactor?"

Josuke gave a cold laugh. I prefer him when he was defiant. "Heh."

Cough, cough.

"Let's get down to business," Josuke said gently.

"Could you please call out the benefactor Sora inside? Tell him someone is here to see him."

The young monk nodded, clasping his hands in prayer. "Amitabha, please wait a moment, benefactor."

Before long, Sora arrived.

Josuke narrowed his eyes. Is this Sora? The one who stole Nine-Tails' Chakra? The one who possesses Nine-Tails' Chakra? A thief, though not one he personally stole it from.

Things that don't belong to you, I'll take them back!

Josuke didn't waste words. He immediately unleashed a sealing technique, locking onto Sora (I am Ying). As for what kind of sealing technique it was, he didn't know. It was one capable of extracting Tailed Beast Chakra, and it was on the sealing scroll.

Oh, right.

The theft of the sealing scroll was suppressed by the Third Hokage's death. However, after Tsunade took over as Hokage, she didn't stop investigating, but she couldn't find any clues.

So, she pinned the blame on Orochimaru. Damn, that was accurate. A guess, and it was right.

Back to Sora, he was bound by chains and sensed Josuke's ill intentions. He knew Josuke intended to kill him.

Therefore, he held nothing back and used his trump card.

He immediately activated his strongest form: the Nine-Tails Tailed Beast Form, the Nine-Tails Tailed Beast Cloak Form!

Josuke laughed. Is that all?

Too weak. Josuke shook his head and increased the power of the sealing technique in his hand. Activating Cursed Mark Stage Two, he pinned Sora directly to the wall.

Sora cried out in pain. His tails transformed into fists and smashed towards Josuke's armor. Sora sneered inwardly. My fists are invincible. Anyone who coveted this power turned to dust.

But he never expected that his proud fists would do nothing today. The Tailed Beast-transformed fists shattered as if they had hit solid iron.

Seizing this opening, Josuke used Wood Release on Sora!

Wood Prison Technique!

It directly controlled Sora's three tails and limbs. Regarding this, Josuke could only think, He's really too weak. Not even a tenth of Naruto's strength. Or maybe I'm just too strong.

Josuke mused in his mind.

With that, he sped up his actions. The sealing technique activated methodically, and the minuscule Nine-Tails Chakra entered Josuke's body.

It wasn't the vast and evil Chakra he had imagined. On the contrary, the absorption process was surprisingly easy, even effortless.

That's it?

Josuke felt quite disdainful of this power.

The Chakra reserves are too low, only enough for a high-level Jonin. No wonder he only appeared in the early stages.

Even Sora still had vital signs; he wasn't dead at all.

This was likely due to the low amount of Chakra. But this should be enough, Josuke thought.

He then left the area and continued along the nearby road.

... (Should Asuma live or die? Let's have him live... I'll just make up a way.)

After leaving the Temple of Fire, Josuke finally arrived at the location where Kakuzu and Hidan were fighting Asuma.

The battle had already ended. Asuma's heart had been pierced, and his life was hanging by a thread. He could only speak now by sheer willpower.

Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were already crying uncontrollably.

Asuma's eyes gradually became vacant and unfocused.

"Ino, although you are strong-willed, you are also very caring. Shikamaru and Choji are clumsy fools, I'm counting on you..."

Ino forced back her tears. This was the first time she had cried like this since Josuke.

"Mhm..."

"Oh, and... don't lose to Sakura... in ninjutsu... or in love."

Asuma no longer had the strength. He felt he should go see his father now.

To die beside his students in his final moments seemed not too bad.

Asuma closed his eyes.

At this moment, Josuke also arrived at the scene. He was here to give Asuma a new healing potion developed by Orochimaru.

"Make way!"

Shikamaru and the others were still immersed in their grief when the sudden voice interrupted the three of them.

Without waiting for their consent, Josuke administered Orochimaru's healing potion into Asuma's mouth. Not long ago, Josuke had been one of Orochimaru's subordinates.

Therefore, he had volunteered to help Orochimaru with something.

Orochimaru was not picky and told Josuke to do as he pleased. So, Josuke set his sights on the healing potion Orochimaru had been researching. This potion was different from previous ones.

It was designed to only work in near-death situations, keeping a person alive by a thread until medical help arrived. It was incredibly miraculous, though it hadn't undergone any human trials.

As a result, Orochimaru didn't know the potion's effects, nor if it had any side effects or negative consequences.

This time, Josuke decided to use Asuma as a test subject. After all, Asuma was already on the verge of death, so he wanted to see if he could save him.

And so, the scene at the beginning unfolded.

The potion was simply fed into Asuma's mouth. As for its effects, it was all up to fate, poor Asuma.

Afterward, Josuke prepared to leave.

However, he was stopped by Shikamaru.

"Hey, what's your objective? Are you going to torment Teacher Asuma like this even in death?"

Regarding his earlier grief, Shikamaru couldn't help but curse himself for his mistake, which had given Josuke an opportunity.

He immediately used the Shadow Imitation Technique to restrain Josuke.

This was their first encounter.

"What objective? I just want to save Asuma. Don't you trust me?"

Josuke said.

Shikamaru didn't believe Josuke's explanation and instead told Choji to take out a kunai, preparing to attack Josuke.

"I'm serious, I really came to save Asuma. He still has a breath left. You should hurry and send him for medical treatment, or it'll be too late."

Shikamaru didn't believe him and was about to make a move when Ino, behind him, stopped him.

"Shikamaru, stop!! He's telling the truth, Teacher Asuma really seems to have a breath left!"

Shikamaru and Choji were stunned. Shikamaru quickly told Choji to be on guard while he tentatively felt Asuma's breath. Indeed, there was still a faint breath left.

Without wasting any more time, Shikamaru hurried Choji to use the Expansion Jutsu to enlarge and carry Asuma away, while he and Ino followed behind. However, at this moment, Ino suddenly proposed to stay behind.

Given the emergency, Shikamaru and Choji didn't say anything further