Chapter 65: The Calm and the Coming Storm
Kujō Satoru looked at the sea of fire surrounding him, closed his eyes, and let out a bitter smile. The gap between them was truly immense. His Storm Ghost Dragon likely couldn't extinguish such a vast conflagration. This was the ultimate secret technique he had struggled so hard to master, paying for it with his own life, and in the end, he still couldn't take Akatsurugi down with him?
Above, the thunderclouds finished coalescing. A massive dragon of lightning tumbled within them before diving down, its target fixed on Akatsurugi.
In Akatsurugi's estimation, the power of this Storm Release felt far more potent than the so-called "Kirin" technique Sasuke would later use.
As the thunder dragon engulfed him, a significant portion of the fire making up his elemental form was scattered. However, the immense flames of the Enkai domain quickly replenished him. Glancing at the newly scorched crater on the ground, Akatsurugi stated calmly, "It's powerful. Unfortunately, it's useless against me."
By the time he finished speaking, Kujō Satoru had already closed his eyes for the last time. This was all he could do. Whether his comrades escaped was now beyond his control.
Akatsurugi returned to the caravan. There, Hatake Sakumo was locked in combat with Yi'er. Yi'er, already injured from Akatsurugi's earlier attack, was being thoroughly suppressed. Sakumo's swordplay was a seamless stream of white light, and Yi'er, covered in cuts, was showing clear signs of defeat.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru and Tsunade were engaged with Dan. Worthy of a veteran elite Jōnin, Dan—knowing the situation was hopeless—was fighting a retreat. Injured by the Sage Art flames, his arm was too damaged for hand seals, but he was holding his own through sheer experience and hidden tricks.
But then, Akatsurugi returned, standing in the air, looking down.
Dan sighed. Escape was impossible now. Akatsurugi was too fast. It seemed Kujō Satoru had been dealt with. It appeared his shinobi career would end here.
"The Captain's back! Great!" Tsunade laughed, launching a fiercer assault at Dan. With Akatsurugi watching over them, she could fight without reservation. Who knew what other tricks a veteran Jōnin had up his sleeve? With Akatsurugi there, she had nothing to fear.
Under Tsunade's ferocious attacks and with no way to form seals, Dan could only take a beating.
"End this quickly," Akatsurugi called down. "Sakumo has already finished his opponent."
It was true. Hatake Sakumo had already returned to the convoy, Yi'er's head separated from his body.
Spurred on, Orochimaru and Tsunade coordinated their ninjutsu, expertly cutting off Dan's retreat. Tsunade ended the battle with one of her signature earth-shattering punches.
With the battle over, Akatsurugi instructed the caravan to continue. The team recovered their energy as they traveled, and by that afternoon, they arrived at the designated handover point in the Land of the Moon. Their mission was complete.
When the few surviving Cloud ninja returned to their village and reported the mission's failure, the Third Raikage frowned deeply upon hearing Akatsurugi's name. He knew the man's strength all too well. Anyone facing him stood little chance.
Akatsurugi's presence in Konoha was a problem for every major village. His mobility was exceptional, his personal power immense, and he possessed fire techniques on a scale capable of devastating a village—he had seen it with his own eyes. No single village could withstand that inferno alone.
To deal with Akatsurugi, they would need to completely trap him. Since he could fly, they needed a powerful flier to intercept him in the air. They also needed supremely powerful Water Release users to counter his flames. With this in mind, the Raikage sent envoys to contact the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, and the Third Mizukage, Ei'ichi Hōzuki.
After the Raikage shared intelligence on Akatsurugi, the other two Kage recognized the threat. A shinobi of his caliber in Konoha tipped the balance of power dangerously.
Hearing the Raikage's proposal to set a trap to eliminate Akatsurugi, both were tempted. Though it wasn't wartime, a key strategy was to bleed the enemy of their strongest assets. A fighter like Akatsurugi, capable of single-handedly altering the outcome of a battle, was better removed sooner than later.
With this shared goal, the three villages began interacting more frequently. Among the Five Great Ninja Villages, there were no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Akatsurugi's existence threatened them all, so naturally, they sought a way to remove him.
As for Sunagakure, still struggling to elect a stable Third Kazekage, they were deemed too weak and remote to be included in the conspiracy. If not for their desert fortress, they might have already been absorbed by the others.
Unaware of the plot forming against him, Akatsurugi led his team back to Konoha without further incident. He reported his mission success at the Hokage's office and returned home to continue his training, focusing on the Yin Seal. He needed to solve his chakra reserves problem once and for all.
A month passed peacefully in Konoha. Akatsurugi finally achieved a breakthrough, successfully opening the Yin Seal. A diamond-shaped mark appeared on his forehead, a reservoir of vast chakra. While it couldn't rival a true Jinchūriki's reserves, it was more than enough to sustain him through any prolonged battle.
During this month, under Uzumaki Mito's guidance, he also made significant progress in his study of Fūinjutsu, filling many gaps in his knowledge and technique.
Furthermore, through his continued practice of sword meditation, he unlocked a new perception ability. When he closed his eyes, he could sense the unique "pressure" emitted by every living soul—their spiritual energy, or Reiryoku. Every person, especially chakra users, emitted this pressure, as chakra cultivation inherently strengthened the spirit. To Akatsurugi's senses, it was as clear as a signature. He theorized this was a result of his own soul's growing power and resonance with Ryūjin Jakka.
One day, a summons came from the Third Hokage. Entering the office, Akatsurugi knew a simple mission wouldn't warrant a personal call.
"Lord Hokage," Akatsurugi acknowledged. "What is the matter?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a long draw from his pipe. "Akatsurugi, I have a request. I need you to take on a student."