Under the cover of night, the four figures moved swiftly through the dense forest like phantoms.
Not a single unnecessary sound escaped them.
Branches bent and sprang back as they passed, leaves rustled briefly before settling into silence again. Their movements were precise, disciplined—every step calculated to avoid detection.
The deeper they went, the darker the forest became.
Only faint moonlight filtered through the canopy above, casting broken shadows across the ground. The air was cool, damp, and heavy with tension.
No one spoke.
There was no need.
Each of them understood the gravity of the mission ahead.
The Summoning
Once they were far enough from the Konoha camp, Kakashi slowed his pace slightly.
The others immediately understood.
They stopped.
Kenta and Yui turned their gazes toward Aoki Yoru, their expressions serious.
This was his moment.
Aoki Yoru inhaled slowly, steadying his breathing.
Then—
His hands blurred.
Hand seals formed at incredible speed, so fast they left faint afterimages in the air.
He slammed his palms onto the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A surge of chakra spread outward.
Smoke burst forth with a loud bang, swirling and expanding rapidly.
From within the thick cloud, a massive figure began to emerge.
The Yatagarasu Appears
The smoke cleared.
Standing before them was a colossal creature.
A giant bird—its coarse gray feathers ruffled by the night wind, its massive hooked beak gleaming faintly under the moonlight.
The Yatagarasu.
At nearly fifteen meters tall, it towered over the trees around it, its presence alone enough to make the air feel heavier.
For a moment—
It looked completely confused.
Its sharp eyes darted around, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. Just moments ago, it had been tending to its five insatiable chicks, finally settling down to rest after an exhausting day.
And now—
It was here.
Its feathers bristled instantly.
A low, rumbling growl escaped its throat as it searched for threats.
Finding none, it lowered its head slightly—
And spotted the four tiny figures below.
Its gaze sharpened.
Annoyance.
Then anger.
Someone had dared to disturb its rest.
It spread its wings slightly, preparing to lash out—
Then froze.
Its eyes locked onto one figure.
Aoki Yoru.
Standing there with arms crossed, expression calm and indifferent.
The moment their gazes met—
The Yatagarasu's body stiffened.
Instant Submission
Recognition struck.
And with it—
Fear.
The memory of that brutal "contracting session" surged back into its mind.
The struggle.
The lightning.
The complete and utter domination.
Its fierce gaze vanished instantly.
Its wings folded obediently.
Lowering its massive head, it let out a soft, almost pitiful whine.
"Woo…"
Then, like an oversized pet seeking affection, it gently nudged Aoki Yoru with its enormous head.
The contrast was almost absurd.
Kenta stared, mouth slightly open.
Yui blinked in disbelief.
Even Kakashi's visible eye narrowed slightly with interest.
So this is how he tamed it…
Taking Flight
Aoki Yoru patted the Yatagarasu's head, calming it.
"It's fine. We've got work to do."
With practiced ease, he leapt onto its back.
The others followed.
The surface of its feathers was surprisingly stable, forming a natural platform.
The Yatagarasu spread its massive wings.
A powerful gust of wind erupted, scattering leaves and dust in all directions.
Then—
It took off.
First Taste of the Sky
They soared into the night sky.
The forest shrank rapidly beneath them.
The wind howled past their ears.
Kenta's eyes widened in pure excitement.
"Oh—! So this is what flying feels like?!"
He couldn't help himself—his voice rang out loudly, filled with awe.
Yui, though more composed, couldn't hide her amazement.
"This is incredible… Your luck is unbelievable, Yoru. A summoning beast like this…"
She shook her head slightly.
"A flying type… and this large… It's practically a game-changer."
Aoki Yoru didn't respond.
But inwardly, he agreed.
This wasn't just a summoning beast.
It was a strategic weapon.
Arrival at Sinking Rock Valley
After an hour of high-speed flight, the terrain below began to change.
Forests gave way to rocky formations.
Then—
A vast canyon came into view.
Sinking Rock Valley.
At Aoki Yoru's signal, the Yatagarasu slowed and began circling high above the canyon, maintaining a safe altitude.
They could not risk descending.
Not yet.
Reconnaissance
Aoki Yoru closed his eyes.
His breathing slowed.
His mental energy expanded outward, spreading like an invisible web.
He carefully extended his perception downward, scanning the entire valley.
He had to be cautious.
If there were sensory ninja below—and there almost certainly were—any careless probing could expose them instantly.
Seconds stretched into minutes.
Then—
He opened his eyes.
His expression was serious.
Enemy Forces
"There are sixty-three Cloud ninja below," he said quietly.
"Eight Jonin. Twenty-five Chunin. The rest are Genin."
Kenta's expression tightened.
Yui frowned.
Aoki Yoru continued:
"The supply depot is fully surrounded."
"There are also three ambush squads outside the canyon… and one squad stationed on each side of the cliffs."
He paused briefly.
"They're prepared for aerial attacks."
Silence followed.
No Easy Path
Kakashi's expression grew grim.
"So they were expecting this."
It made sense.
The supply depot was too important.
Konoha would inevitably target it.
And the enemy knew it.
A direct assault?
Suicide.
A stealth infiltration?
Nearly impossible.
This was a trap.
The Plan
Kakashi reached into his pouch and pulled out a thick stack of explosive tags.
Nearly a hundred.
"Commander Shikaku gave me these," he said.
"This is almost everything the frontline could spare."
His gaze shifted to the Yatagarasu beneath them.
"We'll combine this with aerial bombardment."
Aoki Yoru nodded.
Then—
He pulled out a scroll.
With a flick, he released its contents.
Barrels.
Sacks.
Supplies.
"Kerosene… and flour," he said.
The Science of Destruction
Yui blinked.
"Kerosene makes sense… but flour?"
Kenta looked equally confused.
Aoki Yoru smirked slightly.
"In a confined space, when combustible dust reaches a certain concentration…"
"It ignites explosively."
He gestured toward the canyon below.
"This isn't a sealed room—but the explosive tags and kerosene will create the right conditions."
"The flour will ignite instantly."
"The result?"
"A chain explosion."
Kakashi nodded slowly.
"I see…"
Yui and Kenta exchanged looks.
They didn't fully understand.
But they trusted him.
Final Preparations
Aoki Yoru worked quickly, attaching explosive tags and ensuring timing alignment.
Everything had to be perfect.
Too early—
The dust wouldn't ignite properly.
Too late—
The opportunity would be lost.
Finally, he stopped.
"It's ready."
Kakashi clapped once.
"Listen carefully."
Roles Assigned
"Aoki Yoru—you handle the drop."
"I'll intercept the left cliff."
"Kenta, Yui—you take the right."
His voice turned sharp.
"Do not let them destroy the payload."
"Understood."
Below the Cliff
Meanwhile—
Inside a cave carved into the cliffside, five Cloud ninja were relaxing.
They sat around a fire, eating roasted meat.
"Captain Damai," one of them asked casually, "do you really think Konoha will attack from the air?"
"Wouldn't ground ambushes make more sense?"
Damai took a bite of meat.
"Don't underestimate them."
"They have flying techniques. Summoning beasts. Insects."
He glanced at his team.
"These supplies are critical. Stay alert."
Then—
His expression changed.
Impact
"Enemy attack!"
He rushed outside.
Above—
Objects were falling.
Large… egg-shaped masses.
Followed by explosive tags.
Barrels.
Sacks.
His instincts screamed danger.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Laser!"
Beams shot upward—
But were blocked instantly.
Water.
Earth.
The interception had failed.
The Explosion
The sacks burst first.
White powder filled the air.
Then—
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion tore through the canyon.
Fire erupted violently.
Shockwaves blasted outward.
The flames surged like a tidal wave, swallowing everything.
The sky itself seemed to burn.
Aftermath
High above—
The four stared in shock.
Even from their altitude, they could feel the heat.
The roar echoed endlessly.
Aoki Yoru swallowed.
"…That was stronger than I expected."
Kakashi narrowed his eye.
"Stay alert."
"In this world… nothing is ever certain."
The flames continued to rage below.
And the outcome—
Was still unknown.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)