After leaving Rōran, Natsuhiko didn't hesitate for even a moment as he set off toward the Land of Rivers.
This trip had already brought him more than enough rewards.
In fact—
What he gained had far exceeded his original expectations.
At first, his goal had been simple: obtain some Ryūmyaku chakra, and perhaps extract something useful from that piece of Hashirama Senju's flesh.
If possible, he also wanted to confirm whether his chakra fruit had matured, so he could better prepare himself for the challenges ahead.
But now…
Not only had he resolved his chakra shortage—though he would still continue planting in the future, at least for now, his reserves were at their absolute peak—
He had also unexpectedly obtained something of immense significance to the Senju clan.
Wood Release.
On the surface, Wood Release had already disappeared from the shinobi world.
But Natsuhiko knew the truth—
There were still people who could use it.
And the tragic part was…
Not a single one of them belonged to the Senju clan.
Now, for a true-blooded descendant of the Senju to reclaim Wood Release—
One could easily imagine how significant that was.
Of course, Natsuhiko had no intention of making this public.
At most, he would reveal it to Senju Shoma.
After all, the value of a secret wasn't just in keeping it hidden—
Sometimes, it lay in revealing it to the right person.
Turning it into something even more valuable.
—
"Still… the requirements for Wood Release are no joke."
As he moved swiftly across the terrain, Natsuhiko mulled things over in his mind.
"Advanced Earth Release, advanced Water Release… and on top of that, Yang Release to tie it all together."
Thinking about it carefully, though, it made perfect sense.
The reason Wood Release was so powerful—capable of contending with something like Susanoo, the ultimate manifestation of Yin Release—
Was likely because it embodied the extreme of Yang Release.
Without sufficient Yang Release to support it, Wood Release probably wouldn't live up to its reputation.
A perfect example would be Yamato.
To be blunt, the reason Yamato's Wood Release ended up more like "construction work" was likely due to his lack of sufficient Yang Release to truly unleash its potential.
As for his own Wood Release…
Natsuhiko hadn't had the chance to fully test it yet.
He lacked both the data and the environment for proper experimentation.
And even if he did—
He wouldn't recklessly reveal it.
He planned to save it for the right moment.
However, even without direct testing, he had already come up with some… interesting ideas.
Seeds.
Natsuhiko had discovered that while he couldn't yet freely generate branches or large-scale wood structures—
He could create seeds.
These seeds were formed entirely from his chakra and could be spread silently throughout his surroundings.
After several trials, he had more or less mastered this technique.
And the improvement it brought to his combat capability was undeniable.
It meant he could now face enemies that would have previously given him serious trouble—
With far greater confidence.
—
"…Hm?"
Moving swiftly through the territory of the Land of Wind, the blazing sun stretched his shadow long across the desert sands.
It had already been five days since he left Rōran.
For those five days, he had been traveling non-stop.
Perhaps his earlier actions had been too deceptive—
Because along the way, he hadn't encountered a single shinobi.
That alone was enough to make him feel a bit uneasy.
After all, he was already nearing the border between the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers.
And just then—
Natsuhiko suddenly sensed something.
His gaze lifted slightly.
Something… was off.
A trained hawk sliced across the sky, its shrill cry piercing the air.
The moment that sound rang out, Natsuhiko clearly sensed it—
Multiple presences were rapidly closing in on his position.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"So… they finally showed up."
He murmured softly, continuing forward as if nothing had happened, completely ignoring the incoming shinobi.
After all, he had no intention of returning quietly.
He still needed to test the things he had gained.
And more importantly—
He hadn't forgotten that Pakura was still in Kakashi's hands. If nothing unexpected had happened, Kakashi should already be on his way back to Konoha with her.
Natsuhiko had some understanding of Pakura's situation.
But not enough.
He needed more intelligence.
Without it, making proper plans would be difficult.
And if everything went smoothly…
He might even gain more leverage—and greater benefits.
Buzz—!
Just as he continued walking, a sharp sound tore through the air.
In an instant, countless kunai shot toward him, slicing through the wind and completely enveloping his position.
Natsuhiko glanced at them indifferently.
With one hand forming a seal, a surge of chakra burst forth.
If it had been before, he might have chosen to use the Body Flicker Technique to evade the attack.
But now?
Things were different.
With no seeds currently draining his chakra, he could afford a far simpler approach.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
With a rumbling roar, a massive wall of earth erupted from the ground.
And as if indulging in a bit of mischief, Natsuhiko had carved a massive lizard's head—complete with five bead-like ornaments—into the surface of the wall.
It was the image of Lizardmaru.
Protected by the towering wall, every single kunai was stopped cold, embedding themselves uselessly into the thick earth.
"…Hm?"
Natsuhiko's brow suddenly lifted.
In the next instant, he leapt away from the wall he had just created.
BOOM—!!
A deafening explosion erupted.
The earthen wall collapsed instantly, blown apart as a violent blast sent sand and debris spiraling into the air.
Explosive tags.
Clearly, the Sunagakure shinobi pursuing him had come prepared.
And not only that—
They were experienced.
The moment Natsuhiko landed, they launched their next wave of attacks without hesitation.
"Wind Release: Great Air Cannon!"
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
"Wind Release: Severing Gust!"
A barrage of Wind Release techniques tore through the air, slamming toward him one after another without pause.
The already chaotic desert winds were whipped into a frenzy, turning the battlefield into a storm of slicing air and sand.
It was clear—
These shinobi worked well together.
For an average ninja, this kind of relentless assault would have been impossible to withstand.
Unfortunately for them—
They had chosen the wrong opponent.
And worse still, this opponent had just entered a state where his chakra had been completely unleashed.
"How interesting… Just what I wanted. The more, the better."
Natsuhiko smiled faintly as he felt the violent surge of chakra collide with the raging winds.
"After all… it's not every day I get a chance to spend chakra this freely."
As that smile spread across his lips—
A faint trace of crimson eyeshadow appeared beneath his mask.
—
"Report! A signal flare has been detected to the northeast, along with intense chakra fluctuations!"
At a Sunagakure outpost along the border between the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, a ninja hurriedly delivered his report to Chiyo and the others.
Originally, this had been nothing more than a standard border outpost—one of many scattered along the frontier.
But after this incident began, its strategic location had turned it into a temporary command center.
Within its walls, ANBU operatives had gathered in force.
Even the sensory unit had been deployed.
And at the center of it all—
Chiyo herself, along with several high-ranking commanders, awaited updates.
Truth be told, many were puzzled as to why Chiyo had personally come here.
Given her rank, she had no need to involve herself in this operation.
But rank was precisely the problem.
As an elder of Sunagakure—and the head of the puppet corps—her authority was second only to the Kazekage.
Even the ANBU had to follow her orders without question.
Not least because—
Their commander was her younger brother.
"Have they found him?" Chiyo asked, visibly relieved upon hearing the report.
So much time had passed without any information that they had begun to suspect the Konoha operative known as Nightingale had already escaped.
If that were the case—
It would be disastrous for Sunagakure.
And equally unacceptable for Chiyo.
Based on Ebizō's intel, she had developed a keen interest in capturing Nightingale.
She trusted her brother's judgment.
This man likely held critical information about Sasori.
"Good. Dispatch reinforcements immediately."
After a brief moment of thought, Chiyo issued her orders without hesitation.
"Everyone should be aware—this target is suspected of wielding the Flying Thunder God Technique. Exercise extreme caution."
"And above all…"
"Do not let him escape again."
"Yes, ma'am! Forces will mobilize immediately!"
The outpost commander responded sharply before turning and rushing out.
The stationed troops had long been on standby.
Although only a limited number could be deployed—due to defensive obligations—
It would be enough.
Enough to harass.
Enough to restrain.
They wouldn't let Nightingale move so freely.
Chiyo gave a slight nod.
She understood that these forces weren't the main strike unit.
Her gaze shifted toward the ANBU.
"Viper. You will remain here and protect the sealing team. Ensure the barrier remains stable. Understood?"
"Yes, Lady Chiyo!"
"Vulture. Take your squad and move out. The stationed forces are only support—you are the main force. Do not fail."
"Yes, Lady Chiyo!"
With her commands issued, the two ANBU captains immediately turned and dashed out.
They both understood the gravity of this mission. And its difficulty.
That damned Nightingale—
Once he went to ground, he vanished without a trace, leaving them with nothing to track.
If not for the fact that he had finally surfaced—
Perhaps intending to leave—
They might never have found him at all.
Especially against someone who possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique—
Once he broke through, capturing him would become nearly impossible.
Watching the ANBU captains rush out, Chiyo took a slow breath before quietly stepping out of the command room herself.
She hadn't come here to direct operations.
She had come…
To meet him.
If Nightingale were captured, then all would be well.
But if not—
Then she would have no choice but to meet him privately.
—
"Sage Art: Earth Release — Earth Shore Return!"
Facing the incoming barrage of Wind Release techniques, Natsuhiko raised one hand calmly.
His index and middle fingers came together in a single seal—
And that alone was enough.
The jutsu activated instantly.
The benefits of the Advanced Earth Release fruit were on full display. Ever since consuming it, his mastery over Earth Release—and even dual nature transformation—had deepened to an astonishing level.
To the point where—
As long as he willed it, the jutsu would follow.
Clap his hands, and any technique he desired would manifest.
Though compared to that, Natsuhiko preferred one-handed seals.
After all—
He was a shinobi who excelled with a blade.
—
Another massive earth wall rose, once again bearing that unmistakable carved lizard face.
The incoming Wind Release techniques slammed into it head-on—
And in an instant, the already raging storm intensified even further.
A violent sandstorm formed.
Then spread.
Then consumed everything.
Even the blazing sun hanging high above seemed to dim, reduced to faint, scattered rays struggling to pierce through the storm.
The Sunagakure shinobi frowned.
Even though they had spent their lives in the Land of Wind—
This was not something they welcomed.
Vision was everything on the battlefield.
If you couldn't even locate your enemy—
How were you supposed to fight them?
Especially when that enemy could use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"All units, regroup!"
A commander barked sharply, sensing the danger brought by the swirling sands.
"Form up! Stay within support distance—reinforcements are on the way!"
At his command, the Sunagakure shinobi moved without hesitation.
Years of surviving in the desert had given them strong adaptability.
Within moments, they had found their teammates and reorganized into tight squads.
Each unit stayed close to the others—
Close enough that if anything went wrong, support would arrive instantly.
—
Gradually, the raging storm began to subside.
Without sustained chakra and facing heavy resistance, the techniques couldn't last forever.
Yet the sand…
Still hadn't settled.
It continued to swirl through the air, obscuring vision and choking the battlefield in a hazy veil.
And then—
Just before the sand could fully fall—
A surge of chakra erupted.
Vast.
Overwhelming.
Its sheer density and intensity made every single Sunagakure shinobi instinctively swallow.
There were over twenty of them—
Yet in the face of that chakra…
They suddenly felt insignificant.
"Sage Art: Earth Release — Earth Flow River!"
At the peak of that overwhelming surge—
The ground trembled violently.
And in the next moment—
Endless waves of sand surged forward like a raging tide, swallowing everything in their path as they crashed toward the Sand shinobi.
"Move! Get out of the way!"
There was no time to maintain formation.
If they hesitated—
They would be completely buried.
They scattered instantly.
But—
In the very moment they broke formation—
A figure had already appeared before them.
Silent.
Sudden.
Unavoidable.
...
...
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