Kurobei and Mifune

Nightview City, General's Residence, Outer Court.

Compared to the Inner Court, the Outer Court's layout was more complex and meticulous. Nearly every building served a military function.

Rather than a residence, it was more like a massive military fortress.

Training Ground No. 1.

"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"

Kakuzu's powerful voice rang through the air.

Empowered by Earth Release ninjutsu, his right arm rapidly darkened, becoming harder than steel.

While maintaining formidable defensive power, it also possessed immense destructive force.

Clang!

A katana struck Kakuzu's blackened arm, producing a fierce collision.

A layer of incomparably sharp, tangible chakra flowed at high speed across the surface of the swinging blade like rushing water.

Because this tangible chakra flowed across the blade at such astonishing speed, it rubbed violently against the air, creating a faint, piercing screech.

Although Kakuzu's right arm, hardened far beyond steel through Earth Release, successfully blocked the katana's attack, a deep gash was still cut into it.

Yet before the deep wound had lasted long, it began healing at a visible rate.

The man wielding the katana and fighting Kakuzu was Kurobei, a man in his thirties with long hair tied in a single ponytail.

He was the leader of the Land of Night's samurai, the general's right-hand man, an Asura samurai whose powerful battle instincts erupted whenever he appeared on a battlefield.

During the war that founded the Land of Night, he had been a terrifying existence second only to Yayoi in killing.

Even Kakuzu, a ninja, felt somewhat ashamed of himself when it came to efficiency in killing.

In terms of raw strength, Kurobei was also a powerful opponent Kakuzu had always wanted to surpass.

Kurobei has gotten even stronger at chakra infusion. As expected, close combat was the wrong plan. The best way to fight this guy is to keep him at range and kite him, never letting him get close...

Having made up his mind, Kakuzu quickly retreated, intending to open up a safe distance.

However, Kurobei clung to him like a maggot to bone. The moment Kakuzu moved, he abruptly flashed in front of him, gripping his sword in reverse and fiercely driving its tip toward Kakuzu's body.

With no other choice, Kakuzu once again used Earth Release: Earth Spear, refining a considerable amount of chakra in one go to fully harden the area about to be struck.

Clang!

He blocked Kurobei's attack again, leaving a wound on his body, then watermarks appeared beneath his feet as he swiftly escaped Kurobei.

After using Water Release: Water Body Flicker, Kakuzu was far faster than before.

Once he landed, he rapidly formed hand seals and slammed both hands onto the ground.

"Earth Release: Cracking Earth Palm!"

The ground tore apart. Chunks of rock sank or thrust upward, forming uneven terrain in an instant.

Kurobei, who had been charging at Kakuzu, was hindered for a moment by the abruptly altered terrain. Then he swung his katana, carving a cold, tangible sword aura through the air that slashed toward Kakuzu at astonishing speed.

The flying sword aura roared like a beast, while the wind pressure it carried made Kakuzu's clothes flap violently.

The wind pressure accompanying the sword aura's roar was equally intimidating—a fierce wind meant to restrain the enemy's body and make movement difficult.

Though it was not ninjutsu, it controlled airflow through tangible sword aura, creating an immobilizing effect similar to the Golden Binding Technique.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

Realizing the danger, Kakuzu immediately erupted with powerful chakra, blowing away the intense wind pressure that arrived before the sword aura.

He then rapidly formed hand seals, pressed his palms to the ground, and used Earth Release.

A towering earthen wall a meter thick rose from the ground in front of Kakuzu.

Boom!

The sword aura launched from Kurobei's katana struck the towering earthen wall, leaving a deep scar several meters long. As it exploded, it sprayed dirt and dust everywhere, kicking up dense clouds.

The sword aura had cut from the wall all the way into the ground, reaching a depth of half a meter. It was a terrifying sight.

"Good thing I used more chakra for the Earth-Style Wall. Otherwise..."

An ordinary Earth-Style Wall was less than half a meter thick. With the power of Kurobei's sword aura, even if it was weaker than a full-strength close-range slash, it would still be enough to split an ordinary Earth Release wall apart in an instant.

It was precisely because he had considered this that Kakuzu refined more chakra to reinforce the wall's thickness.

"In that case, I'll use the ninjutsu I seized not long ago."

"Water Release: Tengu Cannon!"

Kakuzu's combat instincts and experience were not to be underestimated. As if he knew Kurobei would appear on his right, he formed hand seals, opened his mouth, and fired a water ball less than twenty centimeters in diameter toward the right.

Kurobei, attacking from the right, widened his eyes. His keen perception, honed between life and death, made him immediately dodge to the side, abandoning the idea of slashing the water ball with his katana.

Though it looked no different from an ordinary water ball, and its size could not compare at all to the fireball released by Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.

The samurai's instincts told him that recklessly cutting into that water ball would lead to something dangerous.

Sure enough, boom—

A small mountain used to simulate real combat on the training ground exploded the instant it was struck by the water ball.

Massive amounts of dust and thick smoke scattered outward, nearly filling the entire training ground.

A terrifying shockwave that tore up the ground and swept away boulders also surged in every direction.

Some tiny flying stones even struck Kurobei's body with a soft rattling sound.

Once the smoke and dust dispersed, Kurobei barely opened his eyes and immediately sucked in a cold breath.

A hemispherical crater over ten meters wide had appeared in the formerly solid, thirty-meter-tall mountain, as if someone had gouged out a piece of it.

The mountain's core, which had been directly struck, had been pulverized into dust and scattered into the air.

The astonishing destructive power made it impossible to imagine that it had been caused by a water ball less than twenty centimeters wide.

If it had been any more powerful, the entire small mountain would have collapsed.

And all of this had been caused by an ordinary water ball whose power and appearance were severely mismatched.

This Water Release was far too deceptive.

"Kakuzu, are you trying to kill me with such a dangerous move?"

Cold sweat immediately appeared on Kurobei's face, and lingering fear filled his heart.

If his instincts had not been so sharp, he might very well have fallen to that attack.

His body, tempered through countless trials, would not have been killed by it, but he would certainly have spent at least half a month in the hospital. The arms he used to wield his sword might even have suffered severe fractures.

"Uh, sorry, sorry. I didn't control the power of the technique very well."

Kakuzu smiled sheepishly. He had not expected that refining so much chakra for this move would raise its power to such a level. Even he had been startled.

Two months ago, through Earth Grudge Fear, he had finally acquired his first heart.

Its former owner had been a ninja who fled to the Land of Night, and that ninja's Water Release: Tengu Cannon had caused Kakuzu considerable trouble.

In the end, Kakuzu had relied on his greater chakra reserves to drag the fight out until his opponent was exhausted, only then barely managing to subdue him.

Afterward, he used Earth Grudge Fear's vascular tentacles to seize the man's heart, gaining the Water Release ninjutsu Water Release: Tengu Cannon that had captured his interest.

Its power had not disappointed him. Even a powerful samurai like Kurobei, who could casually cleave through ninjutsu, did not dare take the move head-on.

Against large summoned beasts with thick hides and tough flesh, this Water Release could also inflict tremendous damage.

Moreover, because Yayoi had modified Earth Grudge Fear's capabilities, Kakuzu could directly use even stolen ninjutsu as the main body. He no longer needed to release a clone first in order to use the techniques he had taken.

"Forget it. I'm done fighting. That Water Release of yours is too powerful—I don't want to get myself covered in injuries."

Kurobei sheathed his katana and decided to end the battle.

The corner of Kakuzu's mouth curled beneath his mask. He had clearly seen through Kurobei's guilty true thoughts.

After all, if they continued, Kakuzu's odds of winning would only grow higher.

Not to mention, he had not yet used Earth Grudge Fear's tentacles to fight alongside him.

Otherwise, with the tentacles interfering and that Water Release technique used in tandem, Kurobei definitely would not have been able to dodge if caught off guard.

Once I get three more hearts, I'll be able to bring Earth Grudge Fear's power to its fullest. I can't wait to see that.

Having finally gained the upper hand over Kurobei, Kakuzu withdrew in a good mood.

After this, he needed to keep an eye out for ninjas who used powerful Lightning Release, Wind Release, and Fire Release.

As long as he obtained their hearts, he could seize their techniques and freely wield all five elemental releases.

At that point, perhaps he could even try challenging the Tailed Beasts.

"Come to think of it, Kakuzu, you've grown incredibly fast. Only a year has passed, yet you've already caught up to me."

Kurobei sighed with emotion.

In their previous sparring matches, Kakuzu had never beaten him even once.

He and Kakuzu had sparred a year ago as well. The outcome went without saying—Kakuzu had been chased around and slashed at everywhere, with no chance at all to use ninjutsu.

Yet he had never expected his opponent to advance by leaps and bounds within a year, surpassing him in one stroke.

Not only had his ninjutsu improved, even his taijutsu had undergone a qualitative transformation.

In the past, even when Kakuzu used Water Release: Water Body Flicker, Kurobei could chase him down until he was in an extremely sorry state.

As for the battle just now, if it had continued, there was no doubt that Kurobei would have lost.

"Still, that technique from earlier wasn't originally yours, was it?"

Kurobei paused, his gaze probing.

Though he phrased it as a question, Kurobei was already certain of it.

"You could tell?"

Kakuzu was slightly surprised.

"I know your level with Water Release. That Water Release from earlier doesn't seem like a technique you could have developed, especially not in such a short time. After all, Earth Release ninjutsu is what you're best at."

Though he was not a ninja, Kurobei's eye was sharper than that of many ninjas.

To train the nature transformation of water-attributed chakra to the level of power shown earlier, Kakuzu would need at least another two or three years to reach that standard at a normal training pace.

"..."

Kakuzu was speechless.

It was true. His talent was excellent, but Water Release at that level was indeed not something he could develop casually.

A single strike could leave such a crater in a solid mountain over thirty meters tall, even pulverizing the central impact point into dust. Even a Tailed Beast would feel pain and let out a muffled grunt if it took that move head-on.

"It's a forbidden technique Lord Yayoi gave me. That Water Release technique earlier was seized from someone else."

In the end, Kakuzu still gave an explanation.

As for further details, Kakuzu could not conveniently reveal them.

It was not that he did not trust Kurobei, his comrade, but that ninjas were simply like this.

The secrets of ninjutsu sometimes could not be fully disclosed even to one's own people.

It was not to guard against allies, but to prevent information from leaking out.

"I see. Then it's no surprise. Lord Yayoi really does always pull out strange things that make people stronger. But a forbidden technique... are you really all right?"

Kurobei looked at Kakuzu with concern.

Forbidden techniques inevitably carried immense risks along with the power they granted, sometimes even endangering one's life.

"So far, there haven't been any adverse reactions. Barring any surprises, this forbidden technique is highly compatible with me."

Though he said that, Kakuzu's tone still carried a trace of caution.

He now deeply understood the strength of Earth Grudge Fear. Using techniques seized from others was no different from using techniques he had cultivated himself, and the effects were even better.

Through proficiency, he could also make the techniques stronger; they would not remain unchanged forever.

As for the matter of risk, though none had appeared yet, Kakuzu remained constantly vigilant against the backlash that a forbidden technique could bring at any time.

"I really envy you ninjas. If it were me, even if I wanted to use something like that, I couldn't... sigh."

Kurobei suddenly sighed.

If someone could be a ninja, who would want to be a samurai?

Samurai were basically half-finished products cast aside by ninjas.

When he was young, he had also dreamed of becoming a great ninja.

Unfortunately, his talent for ninutsu and genjutsu was too poor. Although Yayoi had taught him some introductory ninjutsu, he had been completely lost and simply could not understand the principles behind ninjutsu and genjutsu.

So he stubbornly chose one path and followed it to the end, continuously honing his chakra and swordsmanship.

He wanted to prove that even if he could not become a ninja, he could still become a powerful warrior others revered through taijutsu and swordsmanship alone!

Kakuzu did not respond. Any comfort now would feel like tearing open his friend's wounds.

"So you two are both here. Good, that saves me from having to look for you one by one."

A voice silently appeared in the training ground.

"Lord Yayoi!"

Following the voice, Kakuzu and Kurobei abruptly turned to look into the distance, surprise appearing on their faces.

Yayoi stood there in traveling ninja attire, along with a black coat patterned with red spider lilies.

At his side was a young female ninja: Kicho.

Like Yayoi, she had shed her usual magnificent and elegant kimono, changing into a light-purple ninja outfit suitable for travel.

White leg wraps bound her blue ninja trousers, whose hems fell just below her knees. She wore black, low-heeled, strapped ninja shoes that seemed to make her look a little taller.

Though compared to Yayoi beside her, her figure still appeared petite and delicate.

"Lord Yayoi, are you going out?"

Kakuzu and Kurobei were curious.

In their memories, after conquering the Land of Night, Yayoi had rarely gone out except under special circumstances. He spent most of every year in the Tenshu Tower of the General's Residence.

"There's been some trouble at the border with the Land of Grass. I'm going to deal with it. So, how about it? Do you two want to come along?"

Yayoi extended an invitation.

Irori had returned to Nightview City a few days ago. During his absence, Irori was the acting general of the General's Residence.

Therefore, even if Yayoi was away from the General's Residence, he was not worried that anything unexpected would happen here.

If necessary, he and Irori could also support each other using the Summoning Technique or the Reverse Summoning Technique.

"Oh, working together again after so long? The last time we acted together was several years ago, wasn't it?"

Kakuzu became interested. Yayoi's words reminded him of days long past.

Though Kurobei was greatly tempted by the suggestion, he suddenly remembered something and helplessly shook his head.

"Sorry, Lord Yayoi. You know my boy was just born, so I can't leave right now."

That was right. After the situation in the Land of Night stabilized, Kurobei, commander of its samurai, had found himself a young, beautiful wife more than a decade younger than him over a year ago.

Yayoi naturally knew about it. Back then, he and Kakuzu had even attended Kurobei's wedding and personally sent a gift to show how highly they regarded him.

"Then there's nothing we can do. By the way, have you chosen a name for your son?"

Yayoi's tone was regretful as he casually asked another question.

He knew that Kurobei's wife had given birth to a son a few days ago. Though he had not gone in person, he had someone deliver a gift: a samurai sword forged entirely from special Chakra Metal.

A gentle look flashed through Kurobei's eyes, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

"We've already chosen one, Lord Yayoi. Mifune. That child will be called Mifune. I have a feeling that he may grow into an exceptional samurai who surpasses even me."

(Barring anything unexpected, updates will be set for midnight from now on. There will also be another chapter later today.)