I'll Stop Them

"Shikaku!"

Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza trembled as they knelt beside Nara Shikaku, unable to believe what they were seeing.

"His heart was completely shredded."

Jiraiya's expression was incomparably grim.

That man had shown no mercy. As he pierced Nara Shikaku's heart, he had twisted the blade, completely pulverizing it.

With an injury like this, even if Tsunade were here, she would not be able to save him.

Just moments ago, they had been laughing and talking over having captured a decent prey.

Yet in the next instant, Nara Shikaku had already been separated from them by life and death.

Jiraiya looked utterly terrible. The killing intent and rage in his eyes were even stronger than those of the other two members of Ino-Shika-Cho.

Nara Shikaku was no ordinary jonin.

He was immensely important to Konoha.

As the current Clan Head of the Nara Clan, Nara Shikaku represented the highest level of the Nara family's secret techniques. His combat strength far surpassed that of an ordinary elite jonin.

More than that, Nara Shikaku was the brain of Ino-Shika-Cho, the commander of the Konoha Jonin Corps, and the chief strategist of Konoha's front-line forces. With his extraordinary intelligence and vast knowledge, he had led Konoha to victory in several battles.

The conflicts with Sunagakure and Iwagakure had ended so quickly largely because Nara Shikaku had been involved.

But now...

"This bastard..."

His icy gaze fell upon Yoru, who stood in front of Hozuki Mangetsu. Nara Shikaku's death was an even greater loss to Konoha than the death of the White Fang of Konoha years ago!

"Lord Yoru, your eye..."

Looking at Yoru before him, Hozuki Mangetsu's gaze paused briefly on Yoru's bandaged right eye. Then he smiled bitterly. "Lord Yoru, you should have retreated immediately and passed on the news that the Konoha Jonin Corps and Jiraiya had arrived."

"I'm seriously injured. Your Body Flicker Technique may be fast, but there's no way you can take me away in front of so many powerful enemies."

"Leave quickly, Lord Yoru..."

"Since when did the Hozuki Clan's genius youth become such a nag?"

Yoru grinned and pulled Hozuki Mangetsu up from the ground.

"I'll hold them off. You retreat first."

"This..."

Hozuki Mangetsu froze slightly. Hold them off?

Although Nara Shikaku, their control specialist, was gone, there were still three top-tier Konoha jonin before them, along with Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, whose strength rivaled that of the Mizukage. Lord Yoru, you may be strong, but how were you supposed to stop them?

But since Yoru had spoken, Hozuki Mangetsu said no more.

Clenching his teeth and enduring the pain of his utterly shattered right arm, Hozuki Mangetsu raised his left hand and placed it on his right arm.

In the blink of an eye, his left hand turned into a pool of clear water and merged into his right arm.

After only a few breaths, the right arm, which had suffered an almost completely shattered fracture, began to twitch faintly and regain vitality.

This was the Hydration Healing Technique, a secret art of the Hozuki Clan!

"Neither of you is leaving today!"

Before Mangetsu could continue treating himself, a voice brimming with killing intent rang out.

Whoosh!!

Amid the shriek of tearing wind, Yoru felt the air before him suddenly explode. Chakra surged as Jiraiya's fist crashed toward Yoru's face.

Yoru raised his Asauchi directly, but instead of defending, he viciously thrust it toward Jiraiya's neck, actually intending to trade his life for Jiraiya's!

However.

Who was Jiraiya?

An attack of this level meant nothing to him.

With a tilt of his head, Jiraiya dodged the Asauchi. At the same time, his Chakra-covered fist shifted into an open palm and slammed heavily toward Yoru's lower abdomen.

At the critical moment, Yoru vanished from where he stood. Jiraiya struck nothing but air, and his palm hit the ground.

Boom!!

A huge crater suddenly appeared as Chakra erupted.

Yoru frowned tightly. If he were hit by an attack like that, his body would probably be wrecked on the spot!

He glanced to the side.

Hozuki Mangetsu had already used the Hydration Healing Technique to complete the initial treatment and was preparing to retreat.

But those Konoha jonin were no pushovers. The moment they noticed Mangetsu's retreat, they immediately prepared to give chase.

"Way of Destruction No. 58: Tenran!"

The sweeping gale sent the swarms of insects filling the sky flying. Yoru burst forth with Shunpo and vanished from Jiraiya's sight in an instant, only to appear before the gigantic Akimichi Choza.

The unstoppable Asauchi slashed toward Akimichi Choza.

"Slash!"

Blood sprayed from Akimichi Choza's front, and the intense pain forced the Akimichi Clan Head to halt.

[Detected A-rank target "Akimichi Choza." Side quest triggered.]

[Quest (1)...]

[Detected A-rank target "Aburame Shibi." Side quest triggered.]

[Quest (1)...]

[Detected S-rank target "Jiraiya." Side quest triggered.]

[Quest (1): Successfully recruit Jiraiya. Reward: 80,000 Points.]

[Quest (2): Successfully defeat Jiraiya. Reward: 50,000 Points.]

[Quest (3): Successfully kill Jiraiya. Reward: 200,000 Points.]

"I told you."

As the system notifications continued ringing in his ears, the figure, who was not particularly tall or imposing, casually flicked the filthy blood from his Asauchi.

"I'll stop all of you!"

The bizarre speed and vicious swordsmanship abruptly silenced the entire battlefield. Everyone from Konohagakure, including Jiraiya, turned their eyes toward Yoru at the same time!

"That speed just now..."

Jiraiya's expression had never been so grave.

His gaze remained locked on Yoru. In that instant just now, he had vaguely sensed traces of the technique mastered by his disciple from Yoru.

Flying Thunder God?

No, it probably wasn't Flying Thunder God, but an enhanced version of a special Body Flicker Technique—something similar to the move used by that genius brat from the Uchiha Clan.

Jiraiya quickly reached his conclusion.

Even so, anyone who could push the Body Flicker Technique to such a level, while also possessing such vicious swordsmanship and unusual secret techniques, was absolutely worthy of their attention.

But...

When had Kirigakure gained someone like this?

Could it be that those people had secretly cultivated him in order to win this war?

Jiraiya scrutinized Yoru, thoughts racing through his mind.

Yoru might have looked like he had put on quite a show, but inwardly, he was full of frustration.

Damn it, wasn't the plan for me to draw Konohagakure's attention while the Seven Ninja Swordsmen carried out the decapitation operation and assassinated Jiraiya?

Why the hell is Jiraiya here?!

Did that fat bastard Suikazan Fuguki even gather the intelligence properly?!

As their thoughts raced, their eyes met—and they moved at the same time.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Dull impacts rang out continuously.

Jiraiya's attacks were powerful and heavy, every punch landing solidly. Chakra coated the surface of each blow, and from time to time, he even threw out a Rasengan.

Yoru tried to meet him with his own taijutsu.

But after only a few exchanges, he felt both his hands and arms going numb from the impacts.

It wasn't that there was some enormous gap between their taijutsu. Yoru's Hakuda was beyond question; even in the Village Hidden in the Mist, it ranked among the very best.

But skill was skill—the difference in their physical attributes was simply too great.

Yoru was only fourteen. His body had not even fully developed yet, while Jiraiya was in his prime.

As a result, after only several exchanges, Yoru had already fallen into a disadvantage.

"Whoosh!"

Another Rasengan came straight at his face. The leaking Chakra had created streaks of light in the air, triggering a sonic boom.

Yoru's pupils contracted as he tried to dodge.

"Don't even think about dodging!"

"Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Technique!"

New book—please keep reading!