Land of Hot Springs.
Uchiha Hachidai and his group covertly moved out.
Yamanaka Yuichi was responsible for coordinating the three-man operation.
Yamanaka Shimi used his Parasitic Worms to dig a tunnel leading all the way to the edge of the canyon cliff.
Next, he controlled the Parasitic Worms to fly across the canyon like ants moving a house, lying in wait on the other side.
Hinata Iruha used his Byakugan to monitor the opposite side of the canyon.
Uchiha Hachidai, meanwhile, patrolled various areas in disguise.
Time passed bit by bit.
Suddenly, Uchiha Hachidai felt a faint sensation of being watched; he remained calm and continued his patrol.
Hinata Iruha's voice also echoed in his mind:
"A Chakra signature is slowly approaching!"
"300 meters from Shimi's Parasitic Worms' ambush point."
Uchiha Hachidai hurriedly said, "Shimi, don't act yet. We're not sure if it's Onigumo."
"I understand!"
"He is moving toward the ambush site," Hinata Iruha continued the real-time report.
"200 meters from the ambush point."
"100 meters."
The figure moved outward, stepping out of the forest.
A small moving dot appeared in everyone's sight.
At this distance, even Uchiha Hachidai, who was pretending to patrol at the cliff's edge, could see him if he looked closely, though not clearly.
"He spat a bow and a Chakra Arrow out of his mouth."
It's definitely him!
Onigumo has taken the bait!
Seeing the plan proceeding as intended, everyone relaxed slightly.
"He's still approaching, 80 meters."
"50... 30..."
"Oh no, he seems to have noticed something; he's stopped." Hinata Iruha's voice grew anxious.
"It doesn't matter anymore," Yamanaka Shimi's voice rang out. "This distance is enough."
His hands, hidden under his wide sleeves, continuously issued various commands to the Parasitic Worms.
Across the canyon.
Onigumo crawled forward cautiously.
Suddenly, a flash of trepidation crossed his mind, and he immediately stopped in his tracks.
The next moment!
A massive swarm of Parasitic Worms rose from the ground all around him.
They pounced toward him in a dark, dense mass.
Onigumo was scared out of his wits; he hurriedly turned and fled desperately back the way he came.
Someone from Kumogakure had told him that Konoha couldn't hold out anymore.
They had started sending Genin out to patrol again, and he had thought about getting some revenge on his old employer while earning some bounty money on the side.
As it turned out, the other side was well-prepared.
He might actually lose his life here today.
He ran at top speed.
But the distance was too short; the 30 meters were covered in an instant, and the Parasitic Worms formed a black curtain that blotted out the sky.
Once it enveloped Onigumo, it would suck him dry.
Suddenly!
Hinata Iruha's voice rang out again, very urgently.
"Shimi, act fast! There's another powerful Chakra approaching near Onigumo."
Just as he finished speaking, a flash of lightning appeared out of thin air and streaked across.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Curtain!"
Powerful lightning surged toward the swarm of insects, spreading out instantly upon contact.
Zzzzt!
The dense black curtain of insects immediately began to smoke, falling to the ground in scattered clumps.
Looking back at Onigumo, he had already vanished into the forest, his tracks gone.
"Saga!"
Uchiha Hachidai couldn't see the figure clearly, but he had seen with perfect clarity the Lightning Curtain that suddenly appeared in the forest and knocked down Shimi's Parasitic Worms.
Clenching his fists, he jumped directly onto the bridge and charged toward the checkpoint on the opposite side in a rage.
The Land of Lightning Ninjas at the checkpoint went on alert, drawing various weapons with a series of clicks and whistles.
"Saga, get out here!" Uchiha Hachidai roared in front of the checkpoint.
"Oh my! If it isn't Captain Hachidai."
Saga emerged from the checkpoint with a smile, looking very smug.
"What brings Captain Hachidai here today?"
"A guest is a guest. Come, come, let's go to my place for a drink."
Saga spoke as he reached out to pull Uchiha Hachidai toward the checkpoint.
Uchiha Hachidai swatted his hand away. "Cut the crap. That Lightning Release jutsu that attacked the Parasitic Worms just now—was it your people?"
"Parasitic Worms?" Saga looked somewhat bewildered, as if he didn't understand.
Then he had an epiphany. "Ah, so those were Parasitic Worms."
"Were they meant to catch the rogue Ninja Onigumo?"
"Oh dear, my apologies, my apologies."
"When my subordinates were on patrol, they detected an unfamiliar Chakra signature."
"Thinking it was an enemy, they had no choice but to strike it down."
Saga spread his hands with a look of helplessness.
"I had no idea you were using them to catch a rogue Ninja. I'm truly sorry."
Uchiha Hachidai's eyes widened as he suppressed his fury. "You won't let us pass, and now you're even interfering when we try to kill a rogue Ninja."
"You Kumogakure people!"
"Just what are you trying to do?"
By the end, his voice was practically squeezed out of his throat.
"What are we trying to do?"
Saga chuckled, suddenly leaning forward to whisper in Uchiha Hachidai's ear.
"You already know what we're trying to do, Captain Hachidai."
"You!"
Uchiha Hachidai's teeth were gritted as he pulled out a Kunai, wishing he could stab this two-faced man into a corpse.
"Captain Hachidai... calm down."
Yamanaka Shimi and the others arrived and together held Uchiha Hachidai back.
"Let's head back for now."
They pulled Uchiha Hachidai back.
Uchiha Hachidai's eyes remained fixed on Saga. "Captain Saga!"
"I hope you don't run into me on the Battlefield."
"I'll be waiting, Captain Hachidai!"
Saga smiled broadly as he watched them depart, a flash of regret crossing his eyes... Hyuga Aokawa looked at the Spirit Dissolving Gloves appearing on his hands and cursed inwardly.
"If you're going to give me something, just give it to me. Who told you to put them on me directly?"
He couldn't sense reishi to begin with, and now he was being forced to wear a device that dispersed reishi.
Moreover, once this thing was taken off, his Quincy abilities would vanish.
Hyuga Fū didn't have the ability to fire a Holy Arrow 19mm from his heart.
For him, if his Quincy abilities were gone, they were gone.
"Wait a minute!" Hyuga Aokawa was suddenly startled as he remembered, "Once the Spirit Dissolving Gloves are on, a Quincy can't even manifest a Spirit Bow!"
He hurriedly channeled Chakra into the back of his hand.
Hum!
A silver-gray Spirit Bow with black trim appeared in his hand.
"Thank goodness!"
Looking at the Spirit Bow connected to the manifested Spirit Dissolving Gloves, he breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems the Spirit Dissolving Gloves don't affect Chakra."
He tried drawing the bowstring, and a Chakra Arrow condensed into form.
When he released it, the arrow shot out with great speed.
He drew the string repeatedly, and arrows shot out one after another, piercing through many large trees ahead.
Seeing this, Hyuga Aokawa frowned. "Strange, the Spirit Bow didn't actually increase the arrow's power; it only increased the fire rate."
"Is something happening?"
While he was lost in thought, a voice suddenly came from beside him.
Hyuga Aokawa turned to look; it was Hakugin Sohma.
Looking in the direction where Hyuga Aokawa's arrows had flown, he frowned. "An enemy?"
"No, I was testing a skill," Hyuga Aokawa apologized with a smile.
After traveling for a full day, the group was resting here, and Hyuga Aokawa had taken the opportunity to take stock of his gains.
He hadn't expected that trying out his new Spirit Bow would cause a misunderstanding.
Hakugin Sohma nodded. Looking at the Spirit Bow in Hyuga Aokawa's hand, his eyes showed appreciation as he praised, "A very powerful Ninjutsu. Even I might not be able to dodge it if I were caught off guard."
"You're being too modest, Sohma-sama," Hyuga Aokawa said.
With Hakugin Sohma's level of Konoha Shunshin, it wouldn't be easy for his arrows to hit him.
Currently, his level was enough to catch some ordinary Jonin off guard, but facing these long-renowned Elite Jōnin was still a bit difficult.
"However..." Hakugin Sohma's tone shifted. "With this style of combat, you have the most to fear from enemies getting close."
"Even if you have the Byakugan, you can't keep it active at all times. You still need some Taijutsu for self-defense."
Having spent time together on the return journey, Hakugin Sohma had grown to appreciate this junior, Hyuga Aokawa.
At the same time, he had learned from Hyuga Fū that Hyuga Aokawa hadn't valued the Gentle Fist in the past.
That was why he had offered the advice.
"What about swordsmanship?"
"Swordsmanship?" Hakugin Sohma was slightly stunned. "Swordsmanship can certainly be used for self-defense."
"But the Gentle Fist is something you've been exposed to since childhood. Even if you're lacking for now, more practice will always lead to improvement."
"But if you switch to swordsmanship, it's like starting over in an unfamiliar field; it might be more trouble than it's worth."
"Sohma-sama, actually, I've learned a bit of swordsmanship on my own. Could I ask for your guidance?" A strong Battle Intent flared in Hyuga Aokawa's eyes.
"Oh?" At the mention of swordsmanship, Hakugin Sohma immediately became interested.
He took out a captured Ninja Blade and tossed it to Hyuga Aokawa. "No need for reservations; give it your all."
Hyuga Aokawa reached out and caught the tossed Ninja Blade. His wrist dipped slightly as he reflexively flourished the blade.
Feeling the weight of the sword, he stood with the blade in hand. His entire aura suddenly became calm and steady, his sharp gaze locking onto Hakugin Sohma.
"Please guide me, Sohma-sama."
Before his voice had even faded, Hyuga Aokawa shifted his footing and lunged forward like an arrow from a bow, his Ninja Blade tracing a simple, sharp line as he thrust directly at Hakugin Sohma.
A flicker of surprise crossed Hakugin Sohma's eyes. He had originally thought Hyuga Aokawa's "bit of learning" would likely be some flashy but hollow Moves, but he hadn't expected the opening strike to be such a solid and steady thrust.
He didn't draw his own sword; he simply moved his feet slightly, turning his body to evade the swift thrust, while simultaneously using his right hand like a blade to precisely strike at Hyuga Aokawa's sword-wielding wrist.
Hyuga Aokawa seemed to have anticipated this. The blade that had missed its mark pressed downward, changing the thrust into a flick, his wrist turning to parry the other's hand-sword.
At the same time, his other hand shot out like a venomous snake, aiming straight for Hakugin Sohma's ribs.
The transition between sword technique and Taijutsu was smooth and natural, without the slightest hesitation.
"Oh?" Hakugin Sohma let out a soft sound of surprise, stepping back another half-pace to avoid the continuous assault.
Hyuga Aokawa pressed his advantage, closing in.
He executed the most basic Moves of Basic Swordsmanship to their absolute limit.
Under this dense offensive, Hakugin Sohma was forced to draw his own Ninja Blade.
Clang!
The sound of clashing metal echoed continuously through the forest.
Hakugin Sohma's internal surprise continued to grow.
"His foundation is incredibly solid, his footwork is steady, and his power delivery is precise... This doesn't look like someone who just 'learned a bit' at all."
With every clash, he felt the other's foundation was shockingly firm, as if he had put in immense effort into his swordsmanship.
After over a dozen exchanges, the two figures separated and came to a stop in silent agreement.
Hakugin Sohma looked at the slightly panting Hyuga Aokawa and praised sincerely, "Remarkable! Aokawa, the solidity of your swordsmanship foundation is truly rare among the younger generation I've seen."
"However..." he changed the subject, continuing, "it's precisely because it's too standard that it feels a bit mechanical. Your sword lacks its own variation and killing intent; that will be your Bottleneck."
Hyuga Aokawa sheathed his sword and stood, listening intently.
He knew Hakugin Sohma was right; the proficient level granted by the Stone Gate allowed him to master all basic techniques.
But how to sublimate those techniques and integrate them into his own understanding and combat style was the task for the next stage.
Hakugin Sohma pondered for a moment before saying, "Since you've learned Basic Swordsmanship to this degree, it will be hard to progress further. You can try learning some Advanced Swordsmanship."
"For example, our Village's Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu and the Uchiha-ryu Kenjutsu."
A look of confusion appeared on Hyuga Aokawa's face. "Sohma-sama, where would I go to learn those two styles of swordsmanship?"
"I happen to be quite proficient in Konoha-ryu Kenjutsu. If you don't mind, I can give you some pointers."
"That would be a great help, Sohma-sama!" Hyuga Aokawa's eyes lit up at the words.
After all that setup, wasn't I just waiting for you to say that... Hokage Office.
Bang!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's fist slammed onto the desk, causing the water glass to jump.
"Just what do those savages from Kumogakure want?"
Nara Shikaku frowned. "Hokage-sama, although Kumogakure has always been boorish, they are meticulous in their own way. They wouldn't be unreasonable without a cause."
He picked out two scrolls from the desk and handed them to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Based on the recent reports from the garrison captains and the intelligence provided by Root."
"Peace has lasted too long, and they are already growing restless."
"They are only held back by the treaty signed after the Second Ninja World War and want to provoke us into acting first."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down slowly, picked up his pipe, and took a puff to calm himself.
"The frontline garrison should try their best to avoid conflict with Kumogakure."
"We've already engaged with Iwagakure. Though it's only small-scale skirmishes, it could escalate into full-scale war at any time."
"We've also committed many people to the Land of Rain Battlefield."
"If we have friction with Kumogakure as well, it will be trouble once we're fighting on three fronts."
Nara Shikaku nodded in agreement.
"The garrison in the Land of Hot Springs has been quite restrained."
"Uchiha Hachidai is one of the more level-headed members of the Uchiha; several recent conflicts between the two sides have been suppressed by him."
"But if this continues, sooner or later, it won't be suppressed anymore."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. "I didn't think dealing with a mere Onigumo would be this much trouble."
"But trouble or not, it must be resolved."
His voice turned cold. "Onigumo is now like a poisonous thorn stuck in our throats. If we don't pull it out, Konoha will never know peace."
Nara Shikaku's expression was grave as his gaze swept back and forth across the map.
"To avoid Kumogakure and kill Onigumo, we can only perform a long-range attack from this side of the canyon."
"But among the people the Village can currently dispatch, there are no others with long-range strike capabilities like the Aburame clan."
"In that case, we can only change our approach."
He walked to the other side of the map and traced two routes with his finger.
"Instead of breaking through from Kazegake Valley in the northwest, we could infiltrate the Land of Frost from the southeast or by sea."
"After crossing the entire Land of Frost, we can secretly kill Onigumo."
"However, after the kill, there will be a lot of pursuit on the return journey."
Nara Shikaku measured the distance on the map with his fingers, his brow furrowing.
"It's too far. It will be a massive test for the infiltration team's Chakra reserves."
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't answer.
He just puffed heavily on his pipe.
No long-range attacks like the Aburame clan?
No!
There actually is one!
more chapter available in p@tréøñ(Atoki_29)