"What the hell is 'Lightning Prison Kirin' supposed to mean?"
Aoki Yoru muttered irritably as he flicked a stone across the surface of the lake. The stone skipped several times in a clean arc before sinking with a soft plop. Despite the satisfying trajectory, his mood didn't improve in the slightest.
He crossed his arms and frowned.
There was no doubt in his mind—this nickname had to be part of a propaganda campaign orchestrated by that old fox, the Third Hokage. Otherwise, how could battlefield intelligence spread across the entire Ninja World in just a few days?
This was clearly a carefully planned "god-making" operation.
By elevating figures like Kakashi and glorifying young talents like himself, Konoha was sending a clear message: We are still strong. We are still dominant.
Merchants, nobles, and clients from various countries would see this and regain confidence in Konoha. Missions would flow in again, and the village's economy would recover quickly.
It was a brilliant move.
But for Aoki Yoru…
It was nothing short of a disaster.
"I've basically become a walking bounty at this point," he muttered, rubbing his chin.
He had a strong suspicion that his price on the black market had already surpassed that of Asuma Sarutobi.
And that was a very dangerous position to be in.
"I'd better stop wandering around carelessly," he sighed. "If I run into someone like Kakuzu, things could get annoying."
It wasn't that he feared Kakuzu himself.
The real problem was Kakuzu's partner.
If his luck was bad enough, he might even attract Pain—and that would be a completely different level of trouble.
Yoru shook his head and pushed those thoughts aside.
"Hey, Yoru! What are you mumbling about over there?" Kenta's voice called out from behind.
Aoki Yoru turned and saw Kenta sitting on a rock, leaning against a crutch, waving at him energetically.
"Come eat! The venison's ready. If we keep roasting it, it'll turn into leather!"
Aoki Yoru dusted off his hands and walked over slowly.
The aroma of grilled meat filled the air, rich and inviting. Sitting down beside them, he picked up a piece of venison and took a bite before glancing at Kenta's heavily bandaged body.
"Your injuries haven't healed yet," he said. "Why aren't you resting in bed?"
Kenta let out a long sigh, his expression full of helplessness.
"Rest? I wish. Ever since people started calling us the 'Little Sannin,' we've had no peace at all."
He gestured vaguely toward the camp.
"Every day, people come to stare at us like we're some kind of rare animals. It's endless. I couldn't stand it anymore, so I ran out here."
"Same here," Jiei added as she turned the venison over the fire. "At first, it felt great—finally becoming famous. But after a while…"
She shook her head.
"It's exhausting."
Aoki Yoru nodded in agreement.
He had been avoiding the crowds too, coming out here to train or just enjoy some quiet.
"Give it time," he said calmly. "People's curiosity doesn't last forever."
He took another bite of meat and spoke casually:
"Anyway, the war is basically over. Yesterday, Kakashi-sensei mentioned that Advisor Mito will be signing a peace treaty with Kumogakure the day after tomorrow."
Jiei paused briefly before smiling faintly.
"So it's finally ending…"
Her expression gradually softened, but there was a trace of sadness in her eyes.
"We're lucky, you know," she said quietly. "Very few teams are still intact like ours."
She looked down at her hands, her voice growing heavier.
"Recently… every day, I've watched severely injured comrades die right in front of me. Even with treatment, we couldn't save them."
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"All I could do was watch… listen to their cries… and do nothing."
Silence fell over the group.
Aoki Yoru and Kenta both stopped eating. The fire crackled softly, but neither of them spoke.
After a long moment, Aoki Yoru finally broke the silence.
"This is war."
His voice was calm, but firm.
He leaned back slightly, looking up at the sky.
The blue expanse stretched endlessly above them, dotted with drifting white clouds. Birds chirped in the distance, their songs full of life.
"It won't always be like this," he said softly. "One day, this world will break free from this endless cycle of war."
Neither Kenta nor Jiei replied, but both of them seemed to draw some comfort from his words.
Just then—
"Ah! Found you!"
A cheerful voice broke the quiet atmosphere.
Aoki Yoru turned his head and saw three familiar figures approaching from a distance.
Tenten was waving enthusiastically, with Hyuga Neji and Rock Lee walking beside her.
The trio quickly closed the distance.
"Senior Yoru! Senior Kenta! Senior Jiei!" Tenten greeted them with a bright smile. "Congratulations on becoming famous across the entire Ninja World!"
The three exchanged glances and let out bitter smiles.
Fame, it seemed, wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
Kenta pushed himself up with his crutches and stood.
"This isn't a big deal," he said casually. "War is the easiest way to make a name for yourself. As long as you train hard, you'll have your chance in the next war."
"Next war?" Aoki Yoru thought, his expression twitching slightly.
"Senior Kenta, that's amazing!" Rock Lee suddenly shouted, his eyes blazing with determination. "I will train ten times harder! No—one hundred times harder! I will catch up to you!"
Kenta nodded solemnly.
"That's the spirit, Lee. To match a genius, you must work ten times harder… no, a hundred times harder."
Lee's eyes immediately filled with emotion.
Aoki Yoru stared at the two of them, black lines forming across his forehead.
What is this…?
Has Kenta spent too much time with Might Guy? Has he been… infected?
For a brief moment, Aoki Yoru imagined Kenta with a bowl haircut and wearing a green spandex suit.
He shuddered.
No. Absolutely not.
"Senior Aoki," Neji's calm voice interrupted his thoughts.
Aoki Yoru looked over.
Neji stepped forward, bowed slightly, and spoke seriously.
"I would like to request your guidance on Chakra Nature Transformation."
Yoru raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"The Hyuga Clan has its own training system," he said. "Aren't you supposed to specialize in the Gentle Fist?"
Neji shook his head.
"After sparring with you last time, I realized how narrow my perspective was."
His eyes were sharp and determined.
"Both Ninjutsu and Taijutsu can be integrated. They don't have to be separate paths."
He paused, his voice deepening.
"And after witnessing your battle against the Eight-Tails… I understood the limits of the Gentle Fist."
Even he, a prodigy of the Hyuga Clan, had to admit it.
Against a monster of that scale, the Gentle Fist alone was insufficient.
Aoki Yoru looked at him with clear approval.
Neji had finally begun to break free from the rigid framework of his clan.
That was the first step toward true strength.
"Alright," Yoru said.
Since Neji had asked sincerely, he didn't hold back.
He began explaining Chakra Nature Transformation in detail—breaking it down step by step, from basic principles to practical application.
Although his own mastery was focused on Lightning Release, his understanding extended far beyond a single element.
Before long, Kenta, Jiei, Tenten, and Lee had all gathered around, listening intently.
Opportunities like this were rare.
Time passed quietly.
When Yoru finally finished, Neji stood up and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Senior. I will never forget this."
For him, this knowledge was invaluable.
As a member of the branch family, such teachings were not easily accessible.
Aoki Yoru placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Neji," he said gently, "you're a genius. Don't let yourself be trapped."
He looked directly into Neji's eyes.
"Don't let the cage define you. Break it—and fly freely."
Neji's eyes reddened slightly.
"Yes… I will."
The Next Day
Inside the command center, Aoki Yoru, Kenta, and Jiei stood side by side.
At the head of the room sat Jiraiya.
The legendary Sannin observed them with a thoughtful gaze.
Aoki Yoru felt as if that gaze could see straight through him—down to his very core.
Kenta and Jiei, on the other hand, looked at Jiraiya with undisguised curiosity.
This was only the second Sannin they had ever seen in person.
"Ha ha ha!" Jiraiya laughed loudly as he stood up.
"I've been wanting to meet you 'Little Sannin' for a while now. Unfortunately, I've been busy dealing with the war."
He walked closer, looking them over.
"Heroes truly emerge from the younger generation."
Aoki Yoru immediately put on a polite smile.
"You flatter us, Lord Jiraiya," he said modestly. "You are one of the legendary Sannin. We're just being called 'Little Sannin' by others—we're not worthy of being compared to you."
Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively.
"Enough with the modesty," he said. "Even I wouldn't want to face that technique of yours head-on."
His expression turned serious.
"I called you here for a reason."
The three straightened slightly.
Jiraiya looked at them one by one before speaking:
"The rewards from the village… have arrived."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)