Kill Them All

Yue's plan was simple.

The other bandits would inevitably return to the cave.

Therefore, they just needed to intercept and ambush them along the way.

And the best place for a surprise attack during this process was outside the cave.

When the bandits saw the cave and were about to arrive, he and Yoshitaka acted in coordination.

This was because when they approached the cave, whether returning to their base or seeking information, the two Grass Ninjas' minds would relax for a moment, regardless of whether they had heard the explosion inside the cave just now.

Their brains would prioritize receiving information about what was happening inside the cave and the situation with the big guy.

Their attention would be drawn away.

After Ryuga healed the two of them using his Kekkei Genkai, he hid inside the cave.

Yue found a suitable spot for the ambush and informed Yoshitaka how to proceed.

However, before that, he had used the downtime to pack the Ninjutsu scrolls from inside the cave into his backpack.

Because there were too many, Yue gave them a general scan and picked out some that seemed particularly important.

One was the Heart Curse Mark that the big guy had used.

Another was a binding Ninjutsu called Binding Jutsu, a D-rank Ninjutsu for support, mid-range, and close combat. It was worth noting that this technique was not the same type or level as the Binding Illusion Arts that Itachi Uchiha cast on Orochimaru using the Sharingan.

The effect of this Ninjutsu was like using an invisible rope to restrict the target's limbs, and it could be cast on multiple targets, not just a single one.

But if Yue remembered correctly, some high-ranking officials in the Grass Village could use a binding Ninjutsu stronger than Binding Jutsu, one that didn't even require hand seals, just a slight wave of the finger to produce a more powerful effect, though it seemed to have certain requirements for casting distance.

Although Yue came from a ninja family, his father, Fuma Ryoma, was from the Land of Rice. To this day, there was no ninja village in the Land of Rice, so there were no inherited Ninjutsu resources to speak of. The only thing he could rely on was the Fuma Clan's mastery of ninja tools, and Fuma Ryoma's ability to become a Chunin depended on his skill in wielding ninja tools.

As for other aspects, his foundation was solid.

Therefore, Ninjutsu resources were very important to Yue.

The Ninjutsu taught in the academy were the most basic and of lower rank.

To learn advanced Ninjutsu, one had to carry out various missions and exchange them for merits and status within the village... unless, of course, one had connections.

Among the pile of documents, Yue also found the plan for the Grass Seed.

It turned out that the big guy and his two companions, in addition to using the Curse Mark to control the village's fresh blood, were also preparing to cultivate a hidden force 'underground' outside the village, essentially a private army. And these ordinary people were the first batch of personnel from various parts of the Land of Grass.

He just hadn't expected their plan to be disrupted right after it began.

"These can be taken back and given to Grass Flower as evidence."

Yue fiddled with the documents in his hand, lost in thought.

But this would make it impossible to conceal the existence of the Ninjutsu scrolls like the Curse Mark and Binding Jutsu... Furthermore, it might completely enrage the people of Grass Seed.

So, after thinking about it... he gave up.

He decided to destroy all the items in the cave and combine it with eliminating the witnesses, making Grass Seed suffer a silent loss.

Relying solely on the methods of the Ryuga clan should be enough to preserve his life.

A few minutes later, Yue and Yoshitaka each hid near the mountain path.

Yue was very confident that the remaining two Grass Ninjas, due to their trust in the big guy's strength, would never imagine the possibility of his death.

Therefore, they wouldn't be too vigilant when approaching the cave.

Most likely, they would just think that a minor disturbance had occurred inside the cave.

As expected, soon... he heard movement.

Since they were ninjas, the first to return would definitely be these two.

As for the other bandits, their pace would be slower.

This also created a good opening for Yue's ambush.

"No signs of a fight... that explosion, was it inside?"

The two Grass Ninjas stood on different tree trunks, overlooking the dark cave entrance and the ground in front of it, observing.

"Hmph, it was probably some trick those two brats pulled... Judging by the sound, it should be Explosive Tags."

"So they had this up their sleeve..."

"Angering Muramasa will bring no good consequences. Although you won't die, some physical pain is unavoidable."

Just as the two Grass Ninjas exchanged a knowing smile, suddenly, one of them's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Watch your back!"

Yue had already transformed into a silent, black streak, using the ground to unleash powerful leg strength, launching himself behind one of them after a second jump.

He wielded a gleaming silver samurai sword.

This was the last ninja tool he had left.

This weapon was nothing special, just a sword.

But... it was sharp enough.

The ninja who was ambushed had not expected to be ambushed at the cave entrance and was completely unprepared for the danger.

It was even more unexpected that Yue, who should have already fled, would reappear.

Moreover, Yue's speed was too fast!

Just as the man was about to dodge, the tip of the blade had already slashed his back, opening a massive wound and gushing blood.

With one strike, the Grass Ninja fell from the tree, plummeting towards the ground.

Yue gripped the hilt of the sword skillfully, striking a pose, his expressionless.

The Grass Ninja opposite him originally wanted to move to assist, but was also caught off guard and interfered with by Yoshitaka, who had suddenly appeared.

Although Yoshitaka couldn't threaten him, he was enough to keep him occupied.

After their kunai clashed, Yoshitaka landed and quickly retreated, standing beneath the branch where Yue was.

He was mainly assisting Yue; the real main force still depended on Yue's performance.

But at this moment, after forcing Yoshitaka back, the Grass Ninja directly leaped and landed, sprinting towards the cave.

He didn't turn back and flee down the mountain...

Such an instinctive action clearly showed that he believed the bearded man was still alive... the cave was the safest place.

Little did he know, he had entered a 'dead end.'

Becoming a turtle in a jar.

This was a fatal mistake where his brain hadn't had time to correctly analyze the current information.

Yue, holding his sword, followed closely.

"The person you're looking for... is already dead."

A moment later, Yue cornered him in a cave, saying coldly.

At this point, the opponent's fruitless search for his companion had clearly made him panic.

He flashed and slashed.

Engaging in a final battle.

Here, I have to praise Ryuga's Kekkei Genkai. Although it didn't restore his condition to its peak, it was enough to deal with an ordinary ninja who had already lost his composure and was distracted.

After a period of struggle, finally, the man's entire face was split open by the blade, and he fell backward at Yue's feet.

"I'm actually getting used to this Shinigami fighting style..."

Yue swung his long sword, smiling slightly.

This time, if it weren't for his training in the Shinigami world, he would never have been able to turn the tables successfully.

First, his mentality remained calm throughout. Second, what impressed him the most was that in the Shinigami's Soul Society, due to the special power system and setting, as long as he fought with others, the Spiritual Particles in his torso would strengthen, thereby making his body stronger as well.

The tempering of his spirit and will, when returned to Naruto, translated into Chakra reserves and experience.

As for the physical progress, it was the most direct.

It also eliminated a weakness he currently had in Naruto due to his young age.

That was Taijutsu...

After all, a boy's physique couldn't compare to an adult's, as he wasn't on the level of a 'prodigy.' So, normally, for him to have a strong body, he would have to train like Rock Lee to make his Taijutsu perform well in actual combat.

But now, he didn't need to refine his body through targeted training at all.

Because the battles in the Shinigami world were several times, even tens of times, more effective than training in Naruto.

Before, Yue hadn't really felt anything about this, but after experiencing this incident, he realized that he had underestimated the benefits brought by the Shinigami world.

"The physical feedback is more obvious than Chakra... I don't need to worry about it at all. Therefore, in Naruto, what I should acquire more of right now are techniques, a weapon arsenal... various resources."

"If this growth rate continues, I might directly become a Taijutsu expert like Rock Lee... perhaps reaching Might Guy's level isn't a dream, as long as there's enough time. But the problem is, that kind of fighting style with muscle clashes and passionate youth... it's really not suitable for me, and I don't really like it. I still prefer the diverse Ninjutsu, as it offers more options when dealing with different combat situations," Yue thought to himself.

Using the Shinigami world indeed allowed him to take a shortcut in a short period.

But the height of his physical limits still depended on his techniques.

For example, the well-known Eight Inner Gates.

The Eight Inner Gates were undeniably powerful.

Guy was also close, a man who could end battles with a single kick.

But for some reason, Yue couldn't bring himself to like that kind of Taijutsu.

Nor did he have any desire to covet it.

At this moment, voices came from behind.

It was Yoshitaka and Ryuga.

"So fast?"

"It's over?"

The two looked at the corpse at Yue's feet, once again astonished and dumbfounded.

"Let's go... clean up the rest of the trash on the mountain."

"Then... we can go back to the village."

Yue, covered in blood and holding a sword in one hand, walked past the two of them as if it were nothing.

His indifferent gaze and tone made killing seem as simple as crushing an ant…

This made the two brats, Ryuga and Yoshitaka, feel both cool and inexplicably chilled by him.

They felt a sense of fear.

After all, even when they had attacked those mountain bandits on the way up the mountain earlier.

They had only knocked the bandits unconscious and temporarily tied them up, planning to deal with them all at once after the mission.

But Yue's idea was pure and simple.

Two words: kill them all.