White Phosphorus Incendiary Bomb

The sun slowly tilted westward, and the dusk of sunset shrouded the Sato Clan estate. Sato Ken, carrying a cloth sack on his back, stood on the bluestone path beneath his feet, swallowing nervously from time to time.

He looked around and found the road completely empty, which brought a sliver of security to his terrified heart.

He reached into the sack on his back and pulled out the last spherical object, the size of a watermelon and gleaming with a silvery-white metallic sheen.

Feeling the cold metallic texture in his hand, he swallowed and placed it in the grass by the roadside.

"Whew... I hope nothing serious happens!"

He shook his head. His quiet mutter echoed along the deserted path as he glanced at the grass concealing the metal sphere, a complicated look flashing through his eyes.

This was the last of the twenty-four target locations marked on that map. From the moment he received these items at the teahouse at noon until the sky darkened, he had finally finished placing them all.

Taking a deep breath, he wiped away the sweat constantly beading on his forehead and headed toward his residence.

At the courtyard where the head of the Tanaka Clan resided.

As night fell, the courtyard, which should have been quiet, became lively once more. Servants carrying trays constantly moved in and out, while the food laid out on the main hall's dining table vanished at a visible rate.

Already accustomed to this sight, Tanaka Yoshikado sat in his chair, occasionally spearing food that had not yet been wiped out with his fork. He calmly placed it on his own plate and slowly enjoyed it.

After nearly eating himself sick yesterday, Guy had no desire to challenge them again. Although he often kept the words "Youth must never be abandoned" on his lips, he had not reached the point of stubbornly taking on a challenge he knew he would lose.

Besides, every challenge left his stomach so bloated that he could not train for an entire day. That was something he could not endure, so he could only sulkily pick up his bowl and chopsticks and gather scraps from the edges of the table.

"Ah! Ah! I'm full!"

After a while.

Samu Kokaze patted his completely unbloated belly, a blissful look appearing on his cute yet handsome face.

He looked toward Tanaka Yoshikado, who had long since put down his utensils.

"Thank you so much for the meal, Brother Yoshikado. I could never eat such a complete spread at home."

Thinking of the delicious food he had tasted earlier, saliva still involuntarily filled his mouth even though his body no longer felt hungry.

"It was just a meal!" Tanaka Yoshikado waved a hand magnanimously. "If you're willing, you can eat here for the rest of your life."

At those words, Guy's ears immediately perked up, and he looked over with a trace of tension on his face.

"Well, forget it. I'm used to staying in Konoha, and there are people waiting for me to return. I can't stay here."

He shook his head slightly and rejected Tanaka Yoshikado's invitation again. Seeing Guy breathe a sigh of relief, the corner of his lips curled upward.

"Let's go for a walk outside!"

Samu Kokaze, full and satisfied, stood and invited Tanaka Yoshikado.

Without hesitation, as though he had known the invitation was coming, Tanaka Yoshikado rose and followed him outside.

After leaving the gate, Tanaka Yoshikado glanced at Guy, who was following behind and looking around, then lowered his voice. "Is everything ready?"

Hearing the question, Guy stopped walking. He closed his eyes and sensed carefully. All twenty-four coordinate points were emitting the special fluctuations of Nanobugs. He opened his eyes, let out a long breath, and nodded.

A tiny amount of Nanobugs had been placed inside every object given to Sato Ken, to serve as activation mechanisms.

As the absolute controller of the Nanobugs, Samu Kokaze could control them wherever they were. Of course, because the Nanobugs relied on Samu Kokaze's chakra to function, once some time passed and they received no energy supply, they would enter a self-destruct state. He had tested this before, and the limit was around twenty hours. The time was short, but clearly more than enough for this.

"Does Brother Yoshikado's home have any tall buildings? The kind where you can see the outside scenery."

Samu Kokaze asked as he strolled down the road.

"A tall building?"

Tanaka Yoshikado pondered briefly, then turned and led Samu Kokaze and Guy in another direction.

"Here it is!"

After walking for around ten minutes, the three arrived at a five-story tower. This was a pagoda temple worshiped by the Tanaka Clan, though it also served as a high vantage point for observation.

"Clan Head!"

Seeing the three approach, an elderly monk in robes, who had been guarding the pagoda temple, walked over and slightly bowed.

"Master Di Mu, I've brought some people to take a look around."

Facing the old monk, Tanaka Yoshikado spoke directly.

"Please follow me!"

Without asking further questions, the elderly man nodded slightly and led the three toward the pagoda temple.

Creak...

The wooden gate opened with the dry sound of age and disrepair. When they reached the top floor of the tower and looked into the distance, a brightly lit scene unfolded before them.

"Whenever I feel troubled, I like standing here and looking at the scenery outside."

Tanaka Yoshikado stood at the front, gripping the railing with a wistful expression, as though something had come to mind.

"It is beautiful."

Samu Kokaze walked to his side and acknowledged the view before them. "Do you want to see an even more beautiful sight?"

He raised his head slightly and looked at Tanaka Yoshikado's face.

Tanaka Yoshikado said nothing. His hand tightened slightly around the railing, and he nodded.

A trace of coldness appeared in the eyes beneath Samu Kokaze's ever-present smile. He looked toward the Sato Clan estate and said softly, "Fireworks, bloom!"

Clang... clang... clang...

As his words fell, the twenty-four metal spheres placed throughout the Sato Clan estate began trembling violently. Their entire surfaces glowed red before they suddenly exploded, scattering white powder mixed with fine iron fragments across every corner of the Sato Clan estate.

Carried by the heat released in the explosion, the powdery mixture covering every part of the Sato Clan estate began burning violently, releasing thick white smoke that enveloped the entire estate.

"What's going on?!"

Sato Liandu, who had been inside the house, heard the violent explosions and ran outside.

"Cough... cough..."

Violent coughing erupted. Smelling the choking odor in the air and feeling his mind grow increasingly dizzy, Sato Liandu hurriedly looked toward the ninja protecting him. However, when his gaze shifted in their direction, his heart sank completely.

The moment the explosion occurred and the yellow flames ignited, the ninja guarding the Sato Clan used Water Release ninjutsu to extinguish them. But to their despair, the common knowledge that fire went out upon meeting water was challenged here. Once the already burning flames were struck by water, they instead blazed even more fiercely. The dense white smoke made it impossible to see more than three meters ahead, and the disoriented members of the Sato Clan were like rats trapped in a box, able only to scurry back and forth within a tiny space.

Even the few ninja with strength, spirit, constitution, and will greater than ordinary people collapsed after inhaling more and more white smoke, then were burned to death by the yellow flames.

Is this the end of my life?

Sato Liandu lay collapsed on the ground, watching the yellow flames cling to his skin as an increasingly powerful dizziness filled his mind. In the final moment of his life, he felt no hatred toward the person responsible for all this. Instead, memories surfaced of playing and fighting with Genichi as a child.

I really wish I could live in that moment forever.

A smile appeared on his sinister face, and his breathing gradually faded away.

Dense explosions rang out across the City of Fire. Yellow flames, thick white smoke, and near-endless heat bloomed from the Sato Clan estate.

At the same time, dense footsteps sounded in the streets. Patrol troops, ever vigilant, quickly arrived at the site of the explosions, while ninja in shinobi attire occasionally raced across the rooftops toward the target location.

The entire City of Fire entered an extreme state of alert because of the sudden explosions. Troops pouring in from all directions surrounded the daimyo's residence, preventing any suspicious people from approaching. Inside the residence, ninja who had appeared from nowhere took complete control and refused to let anyone near.

Standing atop the tower, Samu Kokaze listened to the violent explosions ringing in his ears and watched the thick white smoke spreading ahead. A pure, innocent smile appeared on his childish face.