Why Was the Gap Between People So Huge?!

Taking advantage of the moment Ao flew into a rage and lost focus, Aragaki Yasushi willed it, and a streak of green light suddenly shot toward him.

But Ao had the Byakugan and sensed the danger in advance. He dodged the green light with a quick, clumsy sidestep, narrowly escaping disaster.

Aragaki Yasushi looked disappointed and clicked his tongue. "Damn! He actually dodged it?"

"That Byakugan sure is a pain!"

He narrowed his eyes, glaring at Ao's Byakugan as he taunted him viciously. "Hey, you despicable Kirigakure Ninja! Is that Byakugan yours? You think you can just use it?"

"Next time we meet, I'll dig both your eyes out."

Ao's face darkened. He stuck out his chin and shot back, "Come and take them if you can! I bet you don't have what it takes!"

Aragaki Yasushi scoffed and couldn't be bothered to waste any more words on him.

The mission was complete, and he had his 400 points. Staying any longer would be a waste of time.

If another powerful enemy showed up, it wouldn't be worth the risk.

Aragaki Yasushi gave the Paper Wings on his back a flap and shot off into the distance, leaving a group of Kirigakure Ninja behind, stamping their feet and cursing furiously in helpless rage.

Standing by the sea, Ao stared intently in the direction Aragaki Yasushi had flown. He used his Byakugan to scan the distance, and soon spotted Yuhi Kurenai and Asuma waiting to meet them on the far-off shore.

He pointed in their direction and said gravely to the Kirigakure Ninja beside him, "There are two more Konoha Ninja over there. Go after them. Don't let them make it back alive!"

Terumi Mei immediately spoke up. "I'll go too."

Ao shook his head helplessly. "There's no need. That Paper Style ninja can fly, and he's incredibly fast. We probably won't catch them."

After speaking, he looked toward the direction Aragaki Yasushi had disappeared and couldn't help but sigh. "Konoha sure has a lot of geniuses!"

"Among the younger generation, there was Body Flicker Shisui, and now there's a Paper Style ninja. I've also heard about the White Fang's son. He's extremely strong, too."

"If we let them grow unchecked, we might end up with several more ruthless figures like the Yellow Flash. Then our village will be in trouble!"

Meanwhile, Aragaki Yasushi hadn't been flying for long when he spotted Yuhi Kurenai and Asuma in the distance. He flapped his Paper Wings and dived down, landing safely on the paper boat.

Yuhi Kurenai and Asuma had actually noticed the commotion from Aragaki Yasushi's fight with the Kirigakure Ninja some time ago.

But they knew they'd only get in his way if they went over to help, so they hadn't dared to get too close. Instead, they'd prepared to flee at a moment's notice and waited for Aragaki Yasushi to meet them.

The moment Aragaki Yasushi's feet touched the paper boat, Asuma immediately formed hand seals.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

A powerful gust blew against the sail. The paper boat shot toward the shore like an arrow loosed from a bow, as if afraid the Kirigakure Ninja might catch up if it slowed down for even a second.

Yuhi Kurenai hurried forward, her face full of concern. She asked softly, "Yasushi, are you all right? Are you hurt?"

Lately, in addition to practicing genjutsu, she had also been learning some Medical Ninjutsu from Rin.

She mainly wanted to better support her teammates.

Yuhi Kurenai had a clear sense of her own role.

Aragaki Yasushi replied casually, "Don't worry. What could happen to me?"

"The mission's done. Let's hurry and get out of here!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Aragaki Yasushi's expression suddenly turned serious. He looked back into the distance and saw several figures racing across the sea toward them.

He was furious. "Some Kirigakure Ninja actually dare to come after me?"

How brazen!

They hadn't run away from him when they should have, and now they actually dared to chase after him?

They must have a death wish. Just wait—I'll make you regret it!

Aragaki Yasushi didn't waste any time. He willed it and activated the skill he had just drawn.

Thunderbolt!

Blinding golden lightning burst from his body and spread rapidly through the seawater, moving at an absurd speed.

"Argh!"

A series of agonized screams rang out across the sea. The pursuing Kirigakure Ninja were struck by the lightning, their bodies convulsing as they collapsed into the water, their lives uncertain. They didn't even have the strength to struggle.

Asuma stared, stunned. A storm of emotions surged through him.

Golden Lightning Style?!

As Aragaki Yasushi's teammate, he naturally knew that before developing Paper Style, Aragaki Yasushi had been a Lightning Style ninja.

But this was the first time he'd seen this golden Lightning Style.

Asuma mulled it over.

Could this be Chakra Nature Transformation, combined with another type of chakra?

As the Third's son, Asuma had a deep family background. He had already begun studying the nature transformation of Wind Release chakra.

He knew that Chakra Nature Transformation didn't simply strengthen the original nature. By combining it with chakra of another nature, a ninja could unlock even more properties.

Take Water Release, for example.

Water Style: Water Syrup Capture could make water thick and sticky, giving it powerful adhesive properties.

Water Style: Great Shark Bullet Technique could make water absorb an enemy's chakra.

The Second Mizukage's Water Release even had oil-like properties.

However, techniques of this caliber were secret arts that the various ninja clans kept under wraps. Ordinary people had no chance of learning them.

One more step beyond that, and it reached the level of a Kekkei Genkai.

As for Lightning Style, ordinary lightning was blue-white.

If it was any other color, it almost certainly meant that Chakra Nature Transformation had been combined with chakra of another nature.

For example, the Third Raikage's Lightning Style: Black Panther was an incomplete Storm Style technique. It could spread in all directions like flowing water.

The more Asuma thought about it, the more shocked he became.

Could that kid really have reached that level already?

Even the old man hadn't managed that.

The old man had studied the nature transformation of different types of chakra, but all he'd managed to develop were a few combined techniques.

Yasushi could actually do something the Hokage couldn't!

Well, he had even figured out the secret art of Paper Style from scratch.

Coming up with something new for Lightning Style, the nature he knew best, didn't seem all that strange.

Asuma also knew that lately, Aragaki Yasushi had often been getting together with Kakashi to exchange ideas about developing ninjutsu.

That guy Kakashi focused on Lightning Style. Maybe Aragaki Yasushi had gotten his inspiration from him and come up with this golden Lightning Style!

The more Asuma thought about it, the more envious he became. He grumbled inwardly, That talent of his is just ridiculous!

I'm still working on the basic nature transformation of Wind Release chakra.

Meanwhile, he's already combining it with chakra of another nature.

Why was the gap between people so huge?!

Aragaki Yasushi had no idea that Asuma was going through all these convoluted thoughts.

If he knew Asuma thought his golden Lightning Style was so impressive, he'd probably burst out laughing.

This so-called golden Lightning Style wasn't some new technique created by combining two chakra nature transformations.

It wasn't an attempt at a Kekkei Genkai, either.

It was simply a special effect that came with a Pokémon move.

There was nothing impressive about it.

Still, not needing chakra to activate it was something ordinary ninjutsu couldn't match.