No One Dies Without My Order

"That's... the Nara Clan of Konohagakure's Shadow Imitation Technique?!"

As the shadow connected, Mangetsu's body began to move beyond his control. At the same time, several figures emerged one after another from the bushes before him.

Seeing the figures who looked nearly identical to those on Kirigakure's assassination unit's kill list, Mangetsu's heart gradually sank.

"Aburame Shibi of the Aburame Clan, Nara Shikaku of the Nara Clan, Yamanaka Inoichi of the Yamanaka Clan, and with that massive build... Akimichi Choza of the Akimichi Clan."

"Konohagakure's current Ino-Shika-Cho are all here. The others are all top-tier Jonin as well..."

Hozuki Mangetsu's gaze swept lightly across the faces before him before finally settling on the wild white-haired figure who had emerged last.

The last trace of hope in his heart died completely.

"One of the Sannin, Wild Demon Jiraiya..."

Mangetsu had never imagined that simply delivering intelligence would lead him to encounter Konohagakure's Jonin corps, which had withdrawn from the Iwagakure Battlefield to reinforce the Kirigakure Front.

He truly didn't know whether this kind of luck made him incredibly fortunate or incredibly unlucky.

"That uniform belongs to Kirigakure's assassination unit. Since he dared to cross the front lines and infiltrate deep into our territory, it seems Kirigakure is planning something major."

Jiraiya's eyes shifted slightly over Hozuki Mangetsu before he looked at Yamanaka Inoichi beside him. "Inoichi, he's yours."

"Mm."

Yamanaka Inoichi nodded and stepped before Mangetsu.

"Ninja Art! Mind Reading Technique!"

Yet almost at the instant Yamanaka Inoichi used the Mind Reading Technique, Mangetsu's body suddenly splashed apart into a pool of clear water, scattering in every direction as he forcibly broke free from the Shadow Imitation Technique.

The scattered water droplets instantly gathered again, and bullet-like liquid burst from Mangetsu's hand, blasting toward Yamanaka Inoichi's head!

"Watch out!"

"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"

Just as the water blast was about to blow Yamanaka Inoichi's head apart, a mass of long white hair shot over, seized Inoichi around the waist, and yanked him backward.

The bullet-like liquid grazed past Inoichi's scalp and struck a tree trunk behind him, effortlessly blasting it to pieces.

After missing his strike, Mangetsu clicked his tongue. He wanted to flee, only to find that there was nowhere to run.

The moment he attacked, every opening around him had already been sealed off by Konohagakure's Jonin.

Unless he possessed a technique like Konohagakure's Golden Flash's Flying Thunder God Technique, or Shunpo like Lord Yoru's, there was no way he could escape such an encirclement.

"That was close!"

Yamanaka Inoichi, having narrowly escaped death, stared gravely at the tree trunk that had been completely pierced and shattered.

"Water Bullet Technique, and Water Transformation Technique... Lord Jiraiya, this guy is from the Hozuki Clan!"

"Yeah, looks like we've caught quite a big fish."

Jiraiya's expression turned serious.

The Hozuki Clan held an extremely special position in Kirigakure. Much like Konohagakure's Senju Clan, they were an absolute core of the village.

Even though Kirigakure now operated under the bloody Blood Mist regime, the Hozuki Clan remained at the very top of the village. Every member of the Hozuki Clan held an important post or occupied a high position.

Under such circumstances, the appearance of a Hozuki Clan member deep within the Land of Fire was something Jiraiya had no choice but to take seriously.

"Suiton..."

"Bang!"

Just as Mangetsu began to gather Chakra, Jiraiya vanished from before him in an instant.

With a thunderous boom, Hozuki Mangetsu's upper body was blasted directly into a spray of water.

Water splashed everywhere.

Jiraiya twisted around and drove an elbow viciously into Hozuki Mangetsu's shoulder.

"Crack!"

Bone shattered.

"How is this possible?!"

After just one exchange, Hozuki Mangetsu felt the entire right side of his body go numb. The immense force sent him flying like a cannonball, and he crashed heavily into a tree stump, coughing up blood.

Intense pain surged from his back and the right side of his body, but what frightened Hozuki Mangetsu even more was that his Water Transformation Technique had failed?

Was it insects...

Mangetsu raised his head slightly and, sure enough, saw that Jiraiya's arm was already covered with a dense layer of Kikaichū.

By draining the Chakra on the surface of his body through the Kikaichū, they had forcibly disrupted his Water Transformation Technique...

His Water Transformation Technique had been countered after only a single exchange. Was this the strength of Konohagakure's Jonin corps and one of the Sannin?!

"Looks like this is a certain death situation..."

"No, the things in my head, and the Scroll Lord Yoru gave me..."

I can't die yet. Even if I couldn't bring the Scroll back, I absolutely couldn't die in front of someone from the Yamanaka Clan!

Besides, intelligence about these people coming to the Kirigakure Front had to be sent out!

Hozuki Mangetsu took a deep breath and forced himself to his feet.

As his cheeks puffed out, his left hand seized a thin cord on the front of his vest, and a Signal Flare shot high into the sky.

"Still struggling?"

Jiraiya's figure instantly appeared before Mangetsu. Yet at that very moment, ripples abruptly emerged around Mangetsu and wrapped around his entire body.

"Suiton: Water Prison Technique!"

The Water Prison completely encased Hozuki Mangetsu. Even someone as powerful as Jiraiya was unable to break through it, and could only watch as the Water Prison Technique took shape.

Inside the Water Prison.

Hozuki Mangetsu removed his pale ANBU mask, revealing a faintly bitter smile. "I'm sorry, Lord Yoru."

"Shikaku, stop him!"

Jiraiya roared. Nara Shikaku, who had long been prepared at the side, unleashed his Shadow Imitation Technique, and a black shadow shot forth!

"Suiton..."

The black shadow and the water surged at once.

But in that instant—

Squelch!

The sound of flesh being pierced suddenly rang out. The Shadow Imitation Technique that had already extended before Mangetsu came to an abrupt stop.

Nara Shikaku, who had been casting the Shadow Imitation Technique, stared at his own chest in disbelief.

A sharp blade had pierced straight through his chest at some unknown moment!

[An A-rank target, "Nara Shikaku," has been detected. Side quests triggered:]

Quest (1): Successfully recruit Nara Shikaku. Reward: 10,000 Points.

Quest (2): Successfully defeat Nara Shikaku. Reward: 5,000 Points.

Quest (3): Successfully kill Nara Shikaku. Reward: 30,000 Points.

Blood sprayed from Nara Shikaku's mouth. The next moment, his body collapsed limply to the ground, stripped of all life.

[Ding! Successfully completed A-rank target "Nara Shikaku" Quests (2) and (3). Reward: 35,000 Points.]

[Ding! Successfully killed an elite Jonin. Reward: 2,000 Points.]

"Shikaku!!"

The Konohagakure shinobi's pupils shrank. Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza were especially stunned, utterly unable to believe what they were seeing.

Shikaku... was dead?

Mangetsu, who had been preparing to use a secret technique to kill himself, was similarly frozen in shock.

"Lord Yoru..."

"Why was he here?"

"Did he come because he saw my Signal Flare?"

Hozuki Mangetsu stood there blankly for a moment, but quickly snapped back to his senses and let out a sharp cry. "Lord Yoru, run! This is Konohagakure's Jonin corps and Jiraiya of the Sannin! Get this information out!"

With Lord Yoru's secret techniques and Body Flicker Technique, he would certainly be able to escape even from the Sannin and Konohagakure's Jonin corps.

And as long as intelligence about Jiraiya and Konohagakure's Jonin corps was delivered—

The main Kirigakure forces on the front line would have enough time to prepare, rather than being caught completely off guard.

"Discovering Konohagakure's reinforcements in time is a major merit. You're just handing the credit to me like that? Aren't you afraid those old men of the Hozuki Clan will give you trouble?"

Shunpo erupted, and Yoru's figure appeared directly before Hozuki Mangetsu. Holding a blade, he looked toward the grim-faced Jiraiya.

"Besides."

"Before you've completed the task I assigned you, I won't allow you to die just like that, Hozuki Mangetsu!"