Self-Created Ninjutsu-Taijutsu

Whoosh!

A woman burst out of the tent!

She had dark skin, a broad build, and well-developed muscles.

With one powerful taijutsu move, she kicked Sakura to the ground!

Koinu Shunichiro's greatsword plunged straight down as well...

Fortunately, Sakura dodged in time, and the blade only sliced across her leg.

Even so.

She collapsed in agony, her ligament severed.

Koinu was truly arrogant!

"Konoha Dragon God!"

Chiye Jun roared, his voice echoing through the sky.

Then!

A blue tornado resembling a true dragon came howling toward them.

It seemed to announce the birth of "the new generation's strongest taijutsu king of Konoha"!

However!

While unleashing the tornado, he also added Raikiri to it!

"Crackle, crackle..."

The spinning storm laced with blue lightning instantly swallowed Koinu whole.

By the time the tornado vanished.

Koinu Shunichiro had been sliced into countless wounds and shocked until he was charred on the outside and tender within.

Then.

He died in extreme agony!

Kakashi's battle had ended as well, and they all rushed over.

Having just watched the electrified tornado, Kakashi was utterly astonished.

During the battle of the Three Sannin, he had once seen Master Chen use it.

Master Chen.

His real name was Chen Long.

He had been brutally killed during the Third Shinobi World War, then later revived through Impure World Reincarnation.

He had once had a story with Rock Lee.

"This is a secret technique... And Master Chen is already gone, so how could Chiye Jun... Still, it's different from Master Chen's. It seems Raikiri was added too! He can use Raikiri as well..."

"Wait... Ninjutsu-taijutsu?"

"Chiye Jun created a new ninjutsu-taijutsu!"

Sasuke and Naruto were stunned too...

Ninjutsu-taijutsu:

The combination of ninjutsu and taijutsu to achieve an effect greater than one plus one.

For example, the Raikage's "Lightning Release Armor" form...

However, Kakashi quickly came back to his senses.

He was already used to Chiye Jun suddenly coming up with absurdly powerful techniques.

Chiye Jun called his improved ninjutsu-taijutsu the "Konoha Thunder Dragon."

Sakura was crying pitifully.

Naruto hovered around her with deep concern.

Although Chiye Jun knew the Mystical Palm Technique, he could not treat a severed ligament.

Sakura had to be hospitalized to recuperate.

As for the dark-skinned woman, she had already been subdued and tightly bound.

Just as Chiye Jun wanted to step forward and finish her off, Kakashi stopped him.

"Wait. I suspect she's a rogue shinobi from the Hidden Cloud Village!"

Kakashi had already seen the taijutsu she used.

"Most people from the Hidden Cloud Village are skilled in taijutsu, and many of them have dark skin and strong builds."

"Kakashi-sensei, then what should we do with her?" Chiye Jun asked.

Kakashi let out a devilishly lecherous laugh.

(That laugh from episode 4 of the anime, at 06:38...)

"Hehehehe... Ibiki Morino likes plump women. Maybe he can get some Hidden Cloud Village intelligence out of her."

Before leaving, Chiye Jun summoned an army of skeletons.

[Corpse Fusion Technique and Skeleton Resurrection proficiency +62]...

On the way back.

Kakashi carried Sakura on his back.

Naruto clung to Chiye Jun.

"Can you teach me that tornado move from earlier? It was insanely awesome! I'm going to learn it and defeat that smug bastard."

Sasuke said coldly, "Secret techniques are only passed down to descendants... Idiot!"

"Then how can I learn it?!" Naruto was unwilling to give up.

Chiye Jun thought, Unless I reincarnate as Minato and become your dad...

After Ibiki Morino's coercion and temptation with his "eighteen forms of torture."

The plump woman finally admitted that she was a rogue shinobi from the Hidden Cloud Village.

The mission rank was upgraded to B-rank as a result.

But Potlid Village was not wealthy, and the mission payment had been gathered house by house.

Softhearted Kakashi ultimately agreed to calculate it as a C-rank mission...

Sakura underwent ligament repair surgery and was admitted to Konoha Hospital.

Although the operation was a success, she had to avoid putting weight on the injured leg for at least a month after surgery.

In other words!

Sakura would most likely be unable to participate in the upcoming missions...

The next day.

Chiye Jun passed by the entrance to the bathhouse.

He was suddenly bumped into by a man hurrying along.

Chiye Jun looked up and was dumbfounded!

The man was tall, dressed in a red outer robe and wooden clogs, with a forehead protector bearing the character for "oil."

His white hair reached his waist.

There were red markings beneath his eyes.

"A wandering dragon returns to the sea, yet the sea does not welcome Jiraiya..." Chiye Jun could not help muttering.

"What did you say?" the man asked.

Chiye Jun immediately shook his head.

"What a strange little fellow. Hehe."

The man kindly patted his head before hurrying away...

This man, whose life had been full of partings and reunions, was one of Chiye Jun's favorite people.

Whenever he saw the scene of his sacrifice, Chiye Jun could not help tearing up.

At this moment.

Watching his departing back, Chiye Jun secretly vowed:

"I'll use every possible means to make sure you never die again!"

There were still more than ten days until the Land of Waves mission.

One morning, Chiye Jun woke up.

The system suddenly appeared.

[Ding! Check-in mission issued. Host, earn 5,000 ryo within ten days.]

Although completing missions now earned him payment, it was pitifully little.

The Third Hokage had also stopped issuing pension money.

Chiye Jun could not help sighing. "Just how corrupt are Konoha's higher-ups..."

However, he had long since thought of a way to make money.

That day.

He called Sasuke and Naruto to his house.

He mysteriously shut the door, then took out several playing cards.

Naruto beamed. "Haha, Landlord? But we're one player short. Let's go to the hospital and ask Sakura to play..."

Chiye Jun shook his head.

"These will be the tools that make you money from now on."

In the world of Naruto, gambling was extremely popular and a legalized form of entertainment.

Konoha Village had a bustling casino.

It was also a place Tsunade often visited, though she was frequently treated as easy prey...

However, they played traditional Japanese games, which were dull and boring.

Chiye Jun planned to introduce the "Three-Card Brag" game from his previous life.

Commonly known as "cheating chicken"...

Naruto truly had a gambler's talent and grasped it quickly.

Sasuke had much poorer aptitude in this area.

"Wrong, wrong. That's a pair, not a straight..." Naruto corrected him.

Finally.

By midnight, Sasuke had barely learned it.

"But how do we make money?" Naruto asked with a yawn.

"Very simple. We'll set the venue at my house and take a commission from the kids who win money. We'll also offer side businesses..." Chiye Jun planned.

After all, Konoha Village had plenty of wealthy clans!

"What side businesses?" Sasuke asked.

"Like Wanda Pictures. Besides movie tickets, its greater income comes from popcorn. That shows just how profitable side businesses can be..."

Chiye Jun had acquired the Cooking God skill.

Combined with the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, he would have no trouble making delicious food to sell!

The three of them then discussed the operational details...

At this very moment.

Team 8 was carrying out a night watch mission.

They were guarding corn in a cornfield to prevent black bears from stealing it.

Kurenai Yuhi had injured her leg while protecting Hinata and was hospitalized, temporarily unable to lead the team.

Ever since the Cloud Shinobi infiltration, Konoha Village had gathered its forces and strengthened its defenses.

Assigning another jonin specifically to lead them would be somewhat wasteful.

Therefore.

Hinata, Kiba, and Shino from Team 8 were temporarily assigned to other teams.

Because Sakura was absent, Team 7 needed an additional member...