Chase My Back! (Seeking Recommendation Tickets)

Rest time always passes quickly. Since Araki didn't have many acquaintances in the village, he spent these past few days sparring with Kisame and Zabuza, while also finding time to instruct Ringo Ameyuri, who was still at the Ninja Academy.

She was truly a genius girl when it came to Lightning Style. In the short time since they last met, besides mastering her Flash Thrust, she had begun experimenting with integrating Lightning Style ninjutsu into her swordsmanship.

By the seaside, at their usual spot.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Rod!"

Electric sparks crackled from the red-haired girl's palms, and tiny blue bolts of lightning flowed along the metal blade. Even though it was just a standard-issue sword, she wielded it as if it were a weapon made of chakra-conductive metal.

"Big Brother Araki, after learning several Lightning Style techniques, I found that this [Lightning Rod] is the best fit for swordsmanship. Now, let me show you the results of my training!"

As she spoke, a smile full of fighting spirit appeared on her face. Combined with her sharp teeth, her entire aura shifted instantly.

Whoosh!

With a push from her feet, Ringo Ameyuri lunged forward, her sword tip, shimmering with electric sparks, thrusting toward Araki at high speed.

Blue lightning flickered and danced before her; this strike felt like the true—

Flash Thrust!

If Araki hadn't mastered the Wind-Slaying Sword Technique, he might have found this strike quite troublesome.

Because Lightning Style can utilize the conductivity of metal, even an ordinary sword can conduct it, albeit with significant energy loss.

Furthermore, when the blades clashed, the current could potentially flow onto the enemy, inducing a paralyzing effect. This was why Lightning Style ninjas proficient in close-quarters combat were so terrifying.

In the midst of a lightning-fast melee, a single moment of stiffness could decide the outcome of the battle.

And who wouldn't be afraid of an enemy whose every attack carried a paralyzing effect?

Of course, all things have their strengths and weaknesses; Lightning Style is kept in check by Wind Style.

Araki didn't bother using nature transformation to bully her; he simply wrapped a whirlwind around his blade and met her strike.

Clang!

Tip against tip, Wind Style against Lightning Style. The baring, clawing electric sparks ultimately failed to cross the line, unable to reach Araki's blade.

"Hah! Stardust Splash!"

Seeing that her lightning could never break through Araki's defense, Ameyuri slightly bent her elbows and flicked her wrists. In an instant, she unleashed eight consecutive slashes. Under the illumination of the electric light, they looked like eight lightning snakes baring their fangs, tearing toward Araki.

"Little Ringo, watch closely. This is the technique I'm going to teach you this time!"

After Araki offered this calm piece of advice, he quickly sheathed his sword, and then—

Bent his waist, Stepped forward, Drew his blade, And slashed!

Zing—

Accompanied by a high-pitched sword hum that pierced the clouds, Araki's figure had already appeared behind Ringo Ameyuri.

As he slowly stood up and sheathed his sword, a lock of red hair drifted down from beside Ameyuri's ear, silently telling the tale of how breathtaking that strike had been.

"This is..."

Little Ringo stood stunned for a moment before immediately turning to hug Araki's arm. "Big Brother Araki, I want to learn this!"

"Hehe," Araki reached out and ruffled her red hair, laughing, "Don't be impatient, I was going to teach it to you anyway."

"Although both Lightning Style and Wind Style favor high-speed swordsmanship, there are still differences between them. Wind is ethereal and continuous, better at destroying enemies with an endless stream of attacks. But lightning is different; it favors instantaneous bursts. Therefore, compared to combo techniques, Iai-style drawing techniques are much better suited for you."

As Araki explained, he lowered his stance, assuming the standard drawing posture of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu.

"The essence of a draw-slash lies in 'speed.' The coordinated force of the legs, waist, shoulders, elbows, and hands, combined with breath control, allows you to unleash your greatest power in a split second. For example, like this..."

Araki performed a standard [Dragon Soaring Flash].

A clear flash of light originated from his waist, yet it cut through the air before him like a bolt of thunder. By the time Ameyuri recovered from her shock, all she could hear was the "click" of Araki's sword returning to its scabbard.

"This is the most basic draw-slash practice. As for how to combine it with your Lightning Style to unleash even greater power, that will depend on your own research. I hope that when I return from my next mission, you will have something to show for it."

"Don't worry, Big Brother Araki! Next time, I will definitely show you the swordsmanship I've created myself!"

Ringo Ameyuri made her vow, her apple-like face full of determination.

"Then, give it your all to chase my shadow, Little Ringo. I won't be slowing my pace just to wait for you~"

Araki rubbed her bright red hair and said with a smile.

"Investigate the Sea Demon? What is that thing?"

Hearing the name of the mission, Araki was somewhat surprised. Did things like "Sea Demons" actually exist in the world of Naruto? Could it be that Sea Kings from the neighboring world had invaded?

"We have a protection agreement with the Land of the Sea, an island nation to the south. They provide us with significant funding every year in exchange for our protection when needed. Recently, some sea monsters that specifically attack merchant ships have appeared there, severely impacting the Land of the Sea's trade, so..."

Under Kisame's detailed explanation, Araki vaguely recalled this plot point.

However, this business in the Land of the Sea seemed to have something to do with Orochimaru!

If he remembered correctly, there should be a biological laboratory established by Orochimaru there. It seemed that in the future, Anko's Cursed Seal was planted in that very place.

Araki rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, glanced at Kisame beside him, and then swept a look at Zabuza, whose combat power was currently negligible, finally setting his mind at ease.

At this point in time, Orochimaru should not have come into contact with those forbidden jutsus yet, nor had he modified his own body; at most, he would only have a Cursed Seal currently under research. In other words, the current Orochimaru was merely an "ordinary" Jonin who was proficient in five elemental jutsus and possessed one large summoning beast.

Hmm.

With himself and Kisame, no matter what, even if they really ran into him head-on, escaping should be no problem, right?

After all, this was the open sea, which provided a massive boost to Kisame's combat prowess!

Moreover, as an early-game boss character, if we just charge straight at him, that should count as fulfilling the requirements of the Heart of the Wanderer, right? I wonder if it would increase the comprehension progress of the Gale Sword Technique?

Ever since he inadvertently used the E-Dash Technique on the pirate island last time, Araki had discovered that his comprehension of the Wind-Slaying Sword Technique had improved by a large margin, so he was now desperately hoping to encounter a similar opportunity again.

However, looking back at the life experiences of Yasuo, from his youth entering the sect, to his country being invaded, his master's death, being misunderstood, fleeing, and killing his brother—among this series of circumstances, there was truly nothing that Araki could immediately imitate.

I hope that this encounter with Orochimaru will allow me to experience what it means to have death, like the wind, always by my side!

Araki prayed silently.

However, as a steady swordsman, Araki would not indulge in the fantasy of crushing Orochimaru right after graduation; after all, he at least needed to give him two or three years to develop, right?

Carrying a vague and indescribable sense of anticipation, the Kisame squad boarded the ferry heading toward the Land of the Sea.

The main body of the Land of the Sea consisted of four islands: the main island located in the center, and the surrounding Dailang Island, Jiro Island, and Mysterious Island.

"So, where should we start our investigation?"

After disembarking, Araki looked around curiously.

"Just find a fisherman and ask; the intelligence says the Sea Demon situation is quite serious, so most fishermen should have heard about it."

As Kisame spoke, he had already taken the lead toward a fisherman setting up a stall.

"You mean the Sea Demons? They are half-human, half-fish monsters. They have massive bodies and will suddenly burst out of the sea to capsize our fishing boats. It's too terrifying..."

The middle-aged fisherman's eyes were filled with fear; it seemed he had encountered them personally.

"Then do you know where they frequently appear?"

"Most often around Mysterious Island!"

"Mysterious Island?"

"Yes, we have always had some ghost stories about Mysterious Island here."

Perhaps because Kisame's appearance was too kind, even though the fisherman was trembling with fear, he dared not refuse to answer the questions posed to him.

"Legend has it that the devil lives inside Mysterious Island!"

Through the fisherman's intermittent narration, Araki and the others finally cleared up the clues to the matter.

For a long time, the fish resources around Mysterious Island had been very rich, but at the same time, there were many reefs and whirlpools, making it a high-risk, high-reward area that many fishermen were willing to venture to.

However, starting some time ago, the fish resources in those waters gradually disappeared. Not only that, but many fishermen who attempted to explore the island also went missing. Over time, it became a forbidden zone that people spoke of with terror.

And those Sea Demons had also first appeared in that stretch of sea.

"This intelligence is too clear! Isn't the source of everything just that Mysterious Island? What are we waiting for? Let's go to the island together and take a look!"

Having just found his direction, Zabuza was full of energy.

However, the experienced captain, Kisame, was still weighing the situation.

Because after sorting out the sequence of events, there was a clear sign of human intervention. In other words, a battle would definitely occur on Mysterious Island, and the enemy was highly likely to be a ninja.

A battle between ninjas already exceeded the scope of a C-rank mission and should belong to the realm of B-rank missions, so Kisame was somewhat hesitant.

It wasn't that he was afraid; he was just measuring whether Zabuza's participation in a B-rank mission would cause problems given his current strength.

As a responsible captain, Kisame was still very concerned about the safety of his subordinates.

After a brief thought, he said to Zabuza:

"After we get on the island later, make sure you stay close to me."

"Yes, Captain!"

Although he didn't quite understand Kisame's meaning, obeying orders was the right thing to do.

Just like that, because none of the surrounding fishermen dared to sail to Mysterious Island, the three of them ran across the water to get there.

Passing through the craggy, rock-strewn coast, they quickly discovered a dark, gloomy cave on this small island.

Judging by this aesthetic, there was no doubt this was the base of the mastermind!

"Is the enemy inside here?"

The bold Kisame squad advanced into the cave in a triangular formation.

At this moment, inside the cave.

"Amachi-sama, we have detected enemy intruders!"

A man in a white lab coat turned his head from the operating table: "Oh? Have more fishermen who don't know the meaning of death come to the island? It just so happens that my recent experimental materials are running low; go and capture them!"

The eerie lighting, combined with the man's slightly crazed tone and the lifeless, dead-fish eyes on his face, added a layer of weird and terrifying atmosphere to the cave.

"B-but, judging by their headbands, they are ninjas from Kirigakure."

The person who came to report had a trembling voice.

"People from Kirigakure? What are they doing in the Land of the Sea?"

Amachi could no longer remain calm. Having originated from Konoha in the Land of Fire, he knew all too well the terror of these ninjas belonging to the Five Great Nations. With only his current half-baked research results, he feared he would be unable to contend with them.

He took off his gloves and, while walking toward the exit, ordered: "Go release those failed experiments to stall for time; I am going to notify Lord Orochimaru!"

"Yes!"

Zabuza, who was cautiously advancing through the cave, suddenly stopped in his tracks and called out a warning:

"A large number of footsteps are approaching us!"

"Have they finally arrived?"

Kisame bared his sharp teeth and pressed his palms together, ready to weave hand signs at any moment.

Araki also drew his sword, a layer of chakra wind blades instantly wrapping around the blade. He focused his gaze on his surroundings, prepared to begin a slaughter at any second.

As the enemies drew closer, the sound of footsteps grew increasingly chaotic, and battle was imminent.

Whew, this chapter is super long!

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