The Importance of Flying Raijin Jutsu

"Truly impressive, Second Hokage."

Li Ke couldn't help but express his awe to his Spirit Tool... no, his Substitute Personnel.

"Hmph, this is merely basic technique. After all, stripped to its core, a Bloodline Limit is nothing more than a ninjutsu passed down through blood. While it holds a massive advantage against ordinary shinobi, its fundamental nature remains unchanged."

Senju Tobirama was quite pleased by Li Ke's praise, yet he still began to explain.

"Essentially, it is just various applications of chakra. My elder brother's Wood Release is slightly unique in its ability to absorb chakra, but there are no shortage of ninjutsu that can do the same. The key lies in the application of the technique and the scale of one's chakra."

As he spoke, Senju Tobirama released his control over Li Ke's body and looked toward the three remaining shinobi.

"The rest is up to you."

Li Ke took a deep breath. His vision was adapting much faster than he had anticipated, though his head still spun with nausea. But...

He had a way.

"No problem."

Li Ke watched the shinobi who had survived the Water Release, his eyes rapidly identifying their specialties.

The first shinobi on the left had well-developed arm and leg muscles but relatively low chakra, marking him as a taijutsu specialist. The one in the middle had noticeably stronger tendons in his fingers, suggesting he was a ninjutsu specialist.

The one on the far right looked unremarkable, but Yin Release Chakra was gathering!

He's going to cast a genjutsu on me!

The moment Li Ke realized this, he immediately disrupted his own chakra, performed the seal to dispel genjutsu the instant the opponent released their Yin Release Chakra, and simultaneously hurled a Flying Thunder God Kunai.

At the same time, his eyes instantly shifted into the Four-pointed Star Mangekyo!

Yes, he would use the Mangekyo's vision to avoid the dizziness caused by the 360-degree sight, using the Byakugan only as a detection skill.

Seeing the kunai flying toward them, two of the three Mist Shinobi quickly dodged, while the taijutsu specialist rushed forward, his blade ready, though he didn't strike immediately.

But—

Wind Severing Technique!

A sharp wind blade erupted from Li Ke's mouth, surging directly toward the taijutsu specialist charging at the Flying Thunder God Kunai. The moment the opponent dodged, Li Ke activated the Flying Thunder God Jutsu.

The blade in his hand instantly severed the shinobi's head, but the next moment, the ninjutsu from the second Mist Shinobi and the genjutsu from the third arrived simultaneously.

But—

Bang! Li Ke's figure vanished into a dissipating Shadow Clone. At the same time, a hand erupted from the ground beneath the feet of the two remaining shinobi!

Both men were dragged deep into the earth. Li Ke then rose from the ground, driving two kunai directly into their eye sockets.

"Not bad."

Senju Tobirama chuckled. By using the moment they were distracted by the Flying Thunder God Kunai to activate a Shadow Clone, he had used his clone to kill the taijutsu specialist while using Earth Release to finish off the other two. Li Ke's foundation was quite solid.

His tactical thinking was very similar to his own: using ninjutsu to create opportunities, attacking within those windows, and achieving the greatest results with the least amount of chakra.

"It was only because the Second Hokage made them exhausted and drained them first."

Li Ke saw it clearly. If these shinobi—who were clearly Jonin—hadn't been forced to expend massive amounts of chakra to escape the range of Senju Tobirama's techniques, he would have had a much harder time.

At the very least, he would have had to endure two or three waves of probing between clones...

Of course, he was just being modest. With these eyes, the Mist Shinobi's water clones couldn't hide from him.

"It is good that you know your own shortcomings. Your chakra far exceeds what I had at your age. While you still cannot compare to my elder brother, it is more than enough for an average shinobi."

Senju Tobirama stopped controlling Li Ke's body, for all twenty shinobi were now dead.

Just then, other Konoha patrol units arrived. Chojuro Akimichi, leading the group, stared at the shinobi on the ground with eyes full of shock.

"Dark Water White Mountain... and..."

These shinobi were mostly Jonin, or high-performing Chunin; it was clearly an elite unit. Even if he had brought several squads to deal with them, he wouldn't have been able to resolve it so quickly, and there would have been significant casualties.

Many of the shinobi felt a sudden tightness in their chests as they looked at the corpses.

Although many had been promoted during wartime, their status as Jonin was undeniable. Yet, in front of Li Ke—who had only been somewhat famous until now—they were like clay chickens and pottery dogs.

A Konoha Jonin touched the scar on his face, looking in disbelief at the shinobi who had died in Senju Tobirama's first wave of attacks, and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"It's incredible... my own wounds were left by this very guy..."

He knew well that his own strength was no match for the enemy. But now, the shinobi he had just heard was only saved by the Hokage's son abusing his authority had been effortlessly slaughtered by that same person.

"It seems the Hokage's son is truly exceptional. He saw talents we failed to notice..."

The shinobi beside him couldn't help but voice this thought, while Asuma stood in silence. Because Li Ke had been zoning out earlier, he had quickly reviewed the battlefield intelligence after finishing Icha Icha Paradise, so he knew the faces of many enemy shinobi on the Mist front.

He knew exactly what Li Ke had done. If that was the case...

If that was the case...

Who is protecting whom, really?

Asuma couldn't help but think. Li Ke, who worked so hard, was forced to team up with him, performing boring tasks during the war, and even his teacher and Li Ke had to sacrifice for his sake.

Was someone like him truly worthy of Li Ke's protection?

The Hokage is not the King!

Asuma clenched his fists. He thought about leaving—not leaving the Mist battlefield at this moment, but going to see the world once the war ended to find out if there truly was a "King" worth protecting.

The so-called "King" refers to the General in Shogi, the equivalent of the General or Commander in Chinese Chess. If Li Ke knew this, he would realize that this guy's teenage angst and youthful arrogance were beyond saving.

The only reason he hadn't been assassinated by his own village was that he was the Third Hokage's son.

But there was no helping it; Asuma's perspective hadn't matured much despite his father being the Hokage, to the point that he could harbor such naive thoughts.

As for the other ninja, that went without saying.

"Have you mastered Lord Minato's Flying Raijin Jutsu?"

Chojuro Akimichi looked at the Flying Thunder God Kunai in Li Ke's hand, asking with a hint of excitement, having often worked alongside Minato Namikaze.

A ninja capable of using the Flying Raijin was undoubtedly a strategic asset. Even if such a ninja were only used to deliver intelligence or supplies, they could easily shift the tide of a war!

And if that ninja also possessed significant combat strength, they would be the most lethal weapon on the battlefield!

Because they could appear on any front at any time and retreat at will, becoming the greatest variable in the war.

"Yes, though I am not as proficient as Lord Minato, and I cannot fight exactly as he does."

Li Ke nodded slightly, then threw his Flying Thunder God Kunai and demonstrated the Flying Raijin Jutsu in front of the gathered Konoha ninja.

Watching Li Ke appear abruptly in another spot, all the ninja were stunned for a moment before erupting into a roar of cheers. Chojuro Akimichi gripped his weapon in excitement, his mind already racing with the implications of Li Ke's intelligence.

Ultra-long-range chakra sensory abilities, mastery of the Flying Raijin Jutsu, and the individual power to wipe out an elite Mist unit single-handedly.

Li Ke had undoubtedly become Konoha Village's new genius!

And a mature combat force that could be deployed immediately!

"Great! I'll notify Lord Minato right away. Qingtan, our strategy can be much bolder now!"

Even if Li Ke's Flying Raijin wasn't perfectly refined, as long as he knew it, he could provide massive support to Minato Namikaze. In the Mist battlefield, the combined presence of these two would become a total nightmare for every Mist ninja!

Furthermore, the entire Mist front would be revitalized!

"Ah, happy to serve."

Li Ke offered a calm smile, then noticed Yuhi Kurenai looking at him with flushed cheeks, while Asuma was nowhere to be seen.

Kurenai is so cute... Also, I hope Asuma isn't too triggered.

Although all of this was a bit sudden—whether it was learning the Flying Raijin in an instant or his sudden increase in combat power—none of it was a problem.

He was part of the Hokage's inner circle, the kind of die-hard loyalist that even Danzo wouldn't dare mess with. As long as he didn't betray the village, all his power could be explained away as a sudden "awakening."

Naturally, the higher his profile and the more illustrious his war merits, the better!

Thinking of this, Li Ke couldn't help but glance toward the medical ninja camp, a thought forming in his mind.

"Madara Uchiha, you must send the Three-Tails to me!"

It wasn't particularly rare for one person to defeat a squad of ninja, but if someone could subdue a Tailed Beast and its Jinchuriki, they would be recognized as a powerhouse of the Ninja World!

Since he intended to become Hokage and end this chaotic world, he had to walk a high-profile path all the way!

Because he had learned the strategic Flying Raijin Jutsu, Li Ke was quickly brought to the Konoha main camp to meet Shikaku Nara, who had just arrived.

"Truly excellent. I hear good news the moment I arrive."

Shikaku Nara, who had been exchanging intelligence with his clansmen, narrowed his eyes the moment he saw Li Ke use the Flying Raijin. He quickly turned to his map, his mind racing with strategic possibilities.

The pieces representing the ninja were constantly being shifted in his hands.

This was the first time Li Ke had seen Konoha's truly detailed strategic map of the Mist front; the objectives for every outpost were fully laid out.

To Li Ke's surprise, although the Mist ninja had caught them off guard, Minato Namikaze's efforts had left the Mist in a miserable state. Minato's constant infiltration behind enemy lines had left the Mist's rear as riddled with holes as a sieve.

If not for the fact that Konoha was genuinely weak and had no intention of deploying their final trump card, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, onto the battlefield, this wouldn't have been an issue at all.

They could have simply crushed them with a large-scale force.

The Mist ninja, constantly disrupted by Minato, couldn't manage to assemble for a counter-attack, forcing them to shift the war into a stalemate of attrition between elites and occasional local skirmishes.

This explained why Chojuro Akimichi was so excited. The current state of the Mist front was entirely due to Minato's day-and-night raids, but Minato was only one man; he couldn't guarantee that the Flying Raijin coordinates he set weren't being camped or trapped.

But with a "sensory ninja" like Li Ke who also knew the Flying Raijin, even if he provided no combat help and only acted as support, they could launch the most terrifying attacks directly against the Mist Village.

What kind of devastating power would Minato Namikaze unleash if he had a teammate to assist him—someone who didn't need to return to base for supplies, and who could handle the maintenance of Flying Raijin marks and reconnaissance, leaving Minato free to focus solely on killing and destruction?

Especially since Li Ke had also demonstrated impressive large-scale destructive capabilities; he could prepare ninjutsu on the sidelines, be teleported in by Minato when necessary, and then teleport away!

For the Mist, this was a nightmare.

Just then, Minato Namikaze returned, bearing several wounds and looking exhausted, accompanied by Fugaku Uchiha. Minato froze when he saw Li Ke in the tent, but upon seeing the Flying Raijin mark on the kunai on the table, his exhaustion instantly vanished, replaced by a brilliant smile.

"It seems, Qingtan, that you are an even greater genius than I am."

He understood almost immediately why Shikaku Nara had asked him to return; Li Ke's mastery of the Flying Raijin must be significant, and he would be able to assist him on the battlefield.

If they utilized this well, even if only he and Li Ke went to the front lines, it would be enough to repel the Mist ninja's attacks!

Thus, Minato, who was also deeply eager for war merits, looked at Li Ke. He reviewed Li Ke's file and the summary of the ninja Li Ke had killed after the recent cleanup of the battlefield.

Minato's smile grew even brighter.

At this moment, he no longer viewed Li Ke as a greenhorn ninja.

He saw him as a powerful peer!

"Then, will you fight by my side? Jonin Murata Qingtan. Let the two of us bring this Ninja World War to a definitive end!"

Yes, the moment he saw Li Ke's file, Minato Namikaze had decided to team up with him and reap all the war merits on the Mist front for themselves!