Nara Kyoichi had heard before—
That powerful Water Release users could perform large-scale techniques even without water.
But what unfolded before his eyes—
Left him shaken to the point of fear.
Fox—
Had created a waterless environment… in the middle of the sea.
From the seabed—
Dense Wood Release structures erupted upward like walls.
A two-hundred-meter-wide area—
Was completely enclosed.
A square cofferdam.
Then—
Beside himself, Fox created a wooden filtration net.
He unleashed a surge of water outward.
The seawater inside the enclosure—
Was continuously drained—
Forced through the wooden filter.
The water level dropped rapidly.
The Mist ninja hiding beneath the surface—
Were all intercepted as they passed the filter.
Even Hōzuki clan members using Hydrification—
Couldn't escape Fox's detection.
Until finally—
The enclosure was drained completely.
The seabed lay exposed—
Coral and sand revealed beneath the air.
Hōzuki Miyatsuki.
The Terumi clan head.
And the remaining Mist ninja—
Stood atop the coral—
Staring upward in stunned silence at the Konoha forces above.
Miyatsuki's expression turned bitter.
He had just tried to break through the Wood Release walls—
But sharp spikes had suddenly grown from them—
Killing his subordinates.
When he attempted to escape—
Vines had wrapped around him—
Nearly draining his chakra.
He had been forced to retreat.
Wood Release…
Was terrifying.
Those vines—
Could absorb chakra—
Just like Samehada.
But compared to Wood Release—
Samehada's ability felt like a trivial trick.
Yako glanced at the surrounding ships.
Many people were watching through binoculars.
Among them—
There were definitely spies.
He lowered his gaze toward the trapped Mist ninja.
"You dared insult Advisor Shinnosuke… and still thought you could escape?"
"When the lord is insulted, the vassal must die."
"If I don't kill you—"
"How could I repay the trust Advisor Shinnosuke has placed in us?"
"Today… none of you will leave alive."
He turned.
"Advisor Shinnosuke—"
"Please take action."
"Use your forbidden technique."
"And let your name spread across the shinobi world!"
Beside him—
Hippo nearly crushed his own teeth from clenching.
When the lord is insulted, the vassal must die…
How did Fox even come up with that?
Why couldn't he think of something like that?!
He had always believed—
That he failed to become Vice Commander because he lacked strength.
But now—
He realized the truth.
Strength was the smallest gap between them.
In loyalty—
He was nowhere close.
Just look—
Fox was about to rise to ANBU Commander purely through loyalty.
And what about him?
Hippo clenched his fists.
I want to improve too!
From now on—
He would go all out.
Spread the word.
Raise Advisor Shinnosuke's prestige.
Wait—
No.
Not rumors.
Facts.
Carefully selected facts.
Soon—
The entire shinobi world would know his name.
All eyes turned toward Shinnosuke.
He felt at ease.
Fox had created a perfectly enclosed battlefield—
Ideal for his forbidden technique.
As expected—
Fox understood him best.
He formed hand seals.
Four shadow clones appeared.
The moment others saw this—
Excitement spread.
Shinnosuke—
Had mastered the Third Hokage's self-created S-rank forbidden technique.
"Five Elements Great Barrage!"
Hōzuki Miyatsuki's eyes filled with terror.
His Hydrification Technique made him immune to physical attacks—
But weak against fire and explosions.
In this technique—
He couldn't turn into water—
Or he would be vaporized instantly.
The attack covered a massive area.
Even Body Flicker couldn't escape it.
He immediately used Water Release.
The Terumi clan head responded with Lava Release.
Their techniques collided with the five elemental barrage—
And then—
Explosion.
The violent clash of chakra—
Detonated instantly.
Both of them were swallowed whole.
Inside the semi-enclosed Wood Release structure—
The explosion's power was amplified.
Nara Kyoichi thought to himself—
As expected of the Hokage's son.
His mastery of the five elements is overwhelming.
Fox spoke again—
"Advisor Shinnosuke—"
"You truly are the strongest of the Sarutobi clan's younger generation!"
"That rogue Sarutobi Kanosuke's Five Elements Great Barrage—"
"Is nowhere near your level!"
"If you encounter him—"
"You must not only kill him—"
"But defeat him head-on with the same technique!"
"Crush his pride completely!"
Hippo's heart churned again.
How had he not connected flattery—
With eliminating traitors?
He felt deeply ashamed.
Shinnosuke nodded repeatedly.
Fox's suggestion—
Was excellent.
Killing Kanosuke wasn't enough.
Destroying his pride—
That was the real victory.
The Five Elements Great Barrage—
Only truly belonged to the Hokage's lineage.
Only they could unleash its full power.
Shinnosuke asked,
"Hyūga Ketsu—where is Yagura?"
Ketsu replied,
"He escaped before Fox created the enclosure."
"His strength is considerable."
"Even such a large Wood Release barrier couldn't contain him."
Yako sighed inwardly.
You Hyūga…
No sense of timing.
He spoke instead,
"Advisor Shinnosuke—"
"Yagura likely recognized your strength early and prepared his escape in advance."
"The Five Elements Great Barrage—"
"Is comparable to a Tailed Beast Bomb."
"A truly terrifying technique."
Nara Kyoichi thought bitterly—
I've been too proud…
I could never bring myself to say something like that.
Shinnosuke was in excellent spirits.
"Let's continue our mission."
"Inform the outposts to prepare for Mist retaliation."
"We're heading to the Land of Hot Water next."
As the Wood Release barrier dissolved—
Yako glanced at the distant ships.
Watch carefully.
In the end… it was Shinnosuke who killed two clan heads with a single technique.
He moved beside Hippo and spoke quietly,
"Hippo."
"Advisor Shinnosuke has just taken office."
"He needs recognition."
"Spread the word."
"Say that at Toga Port—"
"He killed the heads of the Hōzuki, Kaguya, and Terumi clans in a single battle."
"Konoha needs a powerful Foreign Affairs Advisor."
"To emerge from the shadow of Madara's attack."
"You're an ANBU veteran."
"You know what to do."
Hippo nodded vigorously.
"Leave it to me!"
"I'll make sure everyone hears of it!"
Yako smiled faintly.
"Some things…"
"Our advisor cannot say himself."
"As his subordinates—"
"We must ease his burden."
"Understood?"
"Yes!"
"I'll do it properly this time!"
Yagura fled alone back to the Land of Waves.
His expression dark.
He said nothing—
And returned straight to Kirigakure.
The Mist ninja stationed there were left confused—
Unsure whether to prepare for Konoha's retaliation.
According to the original plan—
Yagura would sabotage Toga Port—
Then repel Konoha's counterattacks—
And use that momentum to negotiate control over the Land of Whirlpools' missions.
But soon—
Information arrived.
Not even through spies—
Merchant ships carried the news.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke—
Had killed three clan heads in a single battle.
Hōzuki.
Kaguya.
Terumi.
All major bloodline clans.
Such terrifying strength—
Back in Kirigakure—
Yagura faced countless accusations.
Three clan heads had died.
Their clans burned with fury.
In the end—
Elder Gensui intervened.
At a high-level meeting, he declared—
From now on—
Sarutobi Shinnosuke would be the primary assassination target.
Only then were the clans pacified.
If he appeared on the battlefield—
He would be killed first.
His name—
Spread rapidly across the shinobi world.
Upon entering the Land of Hot Water—
Shinnosuke did not head for the capital.
Instead—
He went straight to the frontlines.
After hearing of Konoha's losses—
The Cloud Village had already launched a large-scale invasion.
One outpost had already fallen.
The remaining three had been abandoned.
The defenders had retreated—
Forming a second line of defense.
The front had been pushed back over a hundred kilometers.
Another few dozen—
And they would reach the capital.
A minor northern noble had already been killed.
The Daimyō had repeatedly sent urgent requests—
Demanding Konoha deal with the threat.
At the front—
Sarutobi Sakihi struggled to hold the line.
Three outpost units—
Over a hundred ninja—
All under his command.
But what they needed—
Was a Kage-level fighter.
As a jonin—
Aside from his surname—
He had nothing special.
He didn't dare counterattack.
He could only retreat—
Maintaining distance.
When he heard that Advisor Shinnosuke had arrived—
The tension in his face finally eased.
Reinforcements had come.
And not just anyone—
A Sarutobi advisor.
Shinnosuke entered the makeshift camp.
"What's the situation?"
"Enemy numbers?"
Sakihi led them inside and pointed to a map.
"Advisor Shinnosuke—"
"The Cloud has sent a 500-man elite vanguard."
"This is a probe."
"Our intelligence indicates… more forces are gathering behind them."
"If they gauge Konoha's strength—"
"This could escalate into full-scale war."
Shinnosuke's expression darkened.
First the Mist—
Now the Cloud.
And their own numbers—
Barely over a hundred.
Sakihi continued,
"The best strategy—"
"Is to crush the 500-man vanguard in one decisive blow."
"If we do that—"
"They'll know Konoha hasn't weakened."
"And they won't escalate."
Hippo immediately stepped forward.
"Five hundred Cloud ninja?"
"That's nothing!"
"Advisor Shinnosuke has the Five Elements Great Barrage!"
"No matter how many come—they'll be wiped out!"
"This technique is perfect for large-scale combat!"
"The more enemies—"
"The better it shines!"
"In times like this—"
"We strike hard!"
"Find their main force—"
"And crush them!"
He spoke with absolute confidence—
As if victory was already certain.
Nara Kyoichi stepped in quickly.
Cooling the atmosphere.
"Sakihi—"
"Who commands the vanguard?"
"How many jonin? Chunin?"
Sakihi answered,
"It's led by the Two-Tails Jinchūriki—Ryuuren."
"There are eleven jonin."
"The majority are chunin."
Hippo froze.
Wait…
Why was Fox so quiet?
He turned.
Fox-sama… why aren't you saying anything?
Why am I the only one talking?
This is getting awkward…
Is dealing with a Jinchūriki… actually difficult for Advisor Shinnosuke?