Yako charged forward while forming hand seals.
"Wood Release: Wood Impalement Technique!"
Spiral Zetsu loved using the Wood Impalement Technique.
Yako hurled a wooden spear. To increase the attack range, he caused the spear to bloom open mid-flight.
The wooden spear exploded outward instantly, becoming something like a mace covered in long, vicious spikes.
Yako frowned.
Mitokado Homura leapt high into the air.
Jumping into the air during a ninja battle was extremely dangerous. A ninja in midair had no leverage.
Unless… unless he was extremely confident.
Mitokado Homura twisted his body midair and avoided the Wood Impalement Technique.
At the same time, he violently unfurled the scroll in his hands.
Puffs of white smoke burst from the scroll.
From within the smoke, kunai flew toward Yako like a torrential storm.
Yako fully immersed himself in Spiral Zetsu's role. Beneath the mask, the White Zetsu widened its Sharingan, using its insight to weave left and right through the dense barrage of kunai.
His movements were unbelievably agile.
Amid hundreds—no, thousands—of incoming kunai, not a single one touched him.
Each blade whistled past his clothes and flew into the valley behind him.
Mitokado Homura's technique resembled Tenten's style from the old war stories.
She too fought using weapons sealed inside scrolls.
At one particular moment, Yako's eyebrow twitched.
One of the kunai had an explosive tag tied to its handle.
Yako twisted sideways to avoid the kunai.
But it detonated right against his chest.
BOOM!
After the first explosion came another.
Then another.
Many of the kunai were bound with explosive tags.
Explosions erupted in rapid succession.
But by then, Yako had already sunk into the earth.
Spiral Zetsu possessed Wood Release.
He also had the Sharingan of White Zetsu.
Who says only others can be stitched-together monsters?
Behind Yako's mask were two three-tomoe Sharingan.
As the chain explosions thundered across the battlefield, Mitokado Etsu and Mitokado Hiki both showed pleased expressions.
Their father's explosive-tag kunai created overwhelming suppression.
But when they glanced back toward him, they saw something unexpected.
Mitokado Homura's expression was extremely serious.
He quickly formed hand seals and slammed his hand against the scroll.
White smoke erupted again.
When it cleared, five weapons stood embedded in the ground.
Etsu's heart surged with excitement.
There it was—the First Hokage's legendary Five Ninja Blades!
These were treasured weapons of the Senju clan. Each one had earned tremendous fame through generations of Senju warriors.
The Senju greatsword.
A giant Fuma shuriken.
A chakra-metal ninja blade.
An assassination black blade.
And a nine-section chain sword.
Mitokado Homura grabbed the Senju greatsword in one hand and the chakra-metal blade in the other, strapping the rest of the weapons across his back before charging forward.
The masked enemy rose from the earth.
A muffled voice echoed from beneath the spiral mask.
"So the Five Ninja Blades of Senju Hashirama are in your possession?
Mitokado Homura… these weapons once crossed blades with Lord Madara himself.
You? And you think you're worthy of wielding them?"
Mitokado Homura's eyes sharpened.
As expected of a subordinate of Uchiha Madara.
Spiral Zetsu even recognized these weapons.
Had Madara really told him stories from decades ago?
If that was the case, weapons like the assassination black blade and the nine-section sword might not work as surprise attacks.
Yako gripped his wooden spear and rushed forward.
The three tomoe of his Sharingan spun rapidly as he engaged Mitokado Homura in close combat.
Homura's taijutsu was extremely refined.
It was one of his greatest strengths.
He specialized in ninja tools.
The half-meter-wide Senju greatsword moved lightly in his hands, seamlessly switching between offense, defense, and parries.
Even with Yako's taijutsu, he couldn't gain the upper hand for the moment.
Yako retreated.
He needed to force out Homura's trump card.
Inside his right eye, the three tomoe fused rapidly.
Through the mask, Mitokado Homura saw Guruguru close his left eye.
It was as if all of his chakra were gathering into the right.
And then—
The Mangekyō Sharingan appeared.
Mitokado Homura instantly grew serious.
One wrong move and a Mangekyō ocular technique could kill him instantly.
Without hesitation, he used his own trump card.
He pulled the giant Fuma shuriken from his back.
The massive weapon—over a meter in diameter—spun forward at terrifying speed.
Seeing the new movement, Yako immediately aborted the Mangekyō technique.
He leapt into the air and twisted his body sideways to avoid the incoming shuriken.
But as the weapon passed beneath him, Yako's eyes trembled.
At the center of the shuriken was a metal ring.
Inside the ring—
An explosive tag spun with the weapon.
Through the Sharingan's vision, the details became clear.
Special sealing patterns were etched into the tag.
When Yako lifted his gaze, he noticed something else.
Mitokado Etsu and Mitokado Hiki were leaping away.
They were clearly avoiding something.
Mitokado Homura formed hand seals.
"Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Technique!"
The specialized explosive tag inside the Fuma shuriken detonated.
The shuriken's mechanism unlocked.
It split into four flying blades that shot outward in different directions.
Yako dodged one blade—
But he couldn't dodge what came next.
Endless explosions.
In an instant, thousands of explosive tags detonated around him.
Before the blast swallowed him, Yako took one last look at Mitokado Homura.
The First Hokage's Five Ninja Blades.
The Second Hokage's Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Technique.
Both had been passed down to Mitokado Homura.
His taijutsu was exceptional.
And with Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags as a trump card…
No wonder he controlled the mission distribution of the Land of Rivers.
That technique required enormous wealth and manpower to sustain.
In the unending storm of explosions, Yako's body was torn apart.
Two minutes later—
The final explosive tag detonated.
The explosions finally stopped.
Mitokado Etsu stared anxiously into the smoke.
Only when his father relaxed his shoulders and straightened up did he finally breathe again.
"Spiral Zetsu wasn't much after all," Mitokado Homura said calmly.
"In front of my teacher's technique, he was completely powerless.
Though it's a pity about the Mangekyō Sharingan. I wonder if Danzo will feel like his heart is being sliced apart when he hears that I destroyed it."
He chuckled.
"Etsu, go collect the four blades of the giant Fuma shuriken. That weapon is very valuable. The pieces can be reassembled."
Darkness swallowed Yako's vision.
The world shifted.
He returned to the previous full moon night.
He appeared once again in a corner of the Treasury Pavilion.
[Arc of the Waning Moon Activated!
The host has one resurrection opportunity per month.
After death, the host revives on the previous full moon night.
Reward: One draw opportunity.
1 — Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Technique (Beginner)
2 — Ninja Tool Mastery
3 — Kage-level Chakra Reserves (Stackable)]
Reward one: Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Technique.
Extremely powerful.
But it required massive financial investment.
A technique reserved for second-generation ninja elites and rich heirs.
Ordinary ninja learning it would be meaningless—without resources, the technique could never reach its true destructive potential.
Reward two: Ninja Tool Mastery.
Useless for Yako.
He chose the third option.
Chakra reserves.
His chakra capacity rose to 3.2 times Kage-level.
The increase in chakra made him feel immensely satisfied.
Tomorrow morning, Mitokado Homura would arrive outside the capital.
Yako already knew the exact location where he would appear.
There was no need to monitor Mitokado Etsu in advance.
Yako entered Chisa's bedchamber.
It was the latter half of the night.
Their son slept peacefully in a small bed nearby.
Slipping onto Chisa's bed, Yako whispered softly,
"It's me."
Chisa almost screamed.
But when she realized it was the Fox, she quickly pulled him under the blanket.
Her red lips breathed warm air as she whispered beside his ear,
"Be quieter tonight… don't wake our son."
After a long night of passion, Chisa lay weakly across the bed.
Yako whispered,
"Chisa, your daimyō brother isn't simply sick. I suspect he's been poisoned by the Hidden Sand Village.
The Hidden Stone Village wanted the Land of Grass mission share.
The Hidden Sand Village wants the Land of Rivers share.
They're testing the waters.
They poisoned the daimyō, causing his coma.
This poison is unusual—periods of consciousness followed by unconsciousness.
I've never heard of it before.
It won't be easy to cure."
Chisa's heart jumped.
She stared at the Fox in shock.
After receiving confirmation, a chilling thought crossed her mind.
Was the Hidden Sand Village planning to assassinate the daimyō?
Even the daimyō of the Land of Wind wouldn't allow such a thing.
If one daimyō could be murdered by ninja, every daimyō would fear the same fate.
Yako continued.
"Your nephew, the First Prince… I've figured out his goal.
He wants control of the three hydroelectric stations you hold.
He knows he can't take them through normal means.
So he plans to use special methods.
He's hired Konoha ninja to assassinate you."
Chisa's expression instantly hardened.
Murderous intent flickered across her face.
Before the Fox, she might appear like a fragile noblewoman.
But a woman capable of controlling the Treasury Pavilion and three hydroelectric stations was never lacking in resolve.
"Fox… The First Prince, Kojii Yoruta—"
Yako finished the sentence for her.
"Don't worry. Kojii Yoruta will die.
I will kill him personally.
But I'll wait until Mitokado Etsu leaves the castle.
Tomorrow they'll go outside the city to meet Mitokado Homura."
Yako produced a vial of poison.
"Konoha ANBU stores many poisons from the Hidden Sand Village.
Perfect for framing them."
"I'll deal with Kojii Yoruta.
Chisa… does your brother have a second prince? A third prince?
Should we eliminate them all and let you become the ruling daimyō?"
"No, no!" Chisa quickly grabbed his wrist.
"My brother only has two sons.
There is a Second Prince. He's still young and close to me.
I only want to protect my child.
If the First Prince hadn't tried to kill me, I would never have turned against my own family."
Chisa felt that Fox's thinking was a little… extreme.
Yako nodded.
"As you wish.
If there's anyone you want gone, just tell me.
I don't know medical ninjutsu, so I can't save your brother.
But I'm the deputy commander of Konoha's ANBU.
There isn't anyone in the Land of Rivers I cannot kill."
After leaving the Treasury Pavilion, Yako infiltrated the Tenshu Castle.
When he saw Mitokado Etsu and Mitokado Hiki leaving the castle gate with three Guardian Captains, he moved toward the First Prince's palace.
In a hidden corner, he unsealed a set of Hidden Sand Village armor and a forehead protector.
He changed outfits.
Then he pressed both hands to the ground.
Wood grew from the floor.
The wood twisted and reshaped itself, becoming a six-armed wooden figure resembling a puppet.
If he was going to frame someone—
He might as well do it properly.
The wooden construct looked exactly like a puppet.
Inside a palace hall on the eastern side of Tenshu Castle, plates and cups lay scattered everywhere.
The First Prince slept drunkenly on his bed.
Around him were more than a dozen pure silver wine jars.
And four naked maidservants.
Crack.
Crack.
The wooden puppet moved.
The maidservants woke first.
They stared in terror.
A Hidden Sand ninja stood beside the bed.
Beside him was a puppet—famous throughout the shinobi world.
The women screamed and ran out of the room, wrapping themselves in sheets and silk cloth.
The First Prince slowly woke from his drunken stupor.
The moment he opened his eyes—
A spike pierced his chest.
The wooden puppet extended a mechanism.
The spike stabbed through his chest and burst out his back.
Dark purple poison dripped from the tip.
The flesh around the wound rapidly turned black and violet.
When someone was pierced by a spike, the body often didn't feel pain immediately.
The overwhelming shock caused numbness.
The First Prince slowly raised his head and looked toward the Hidden Sand ninja.
Several seconds passed before he managed to speak.
"Y-you… who are you…?"
"You were looking for Kojii Naito's father, weren't you?"
"I'm here."
"Need something?"
The First Prince weakly raised his hand, uselessly grabbing the spike.
Need something?
What kind of question was that?
You're killing me and still asking if I need something?!
At that moment, guards rushed into the hall.
All they saw was the back of a Hidden Sand ninja fleeing with a wooden puppet.
They chased a few steps.
But the assassin had already vanished.
"Something's happened! A Hidden Sand ninja assassinated the First Prince!"
Among the guards, a Hidden Sand spy stared at the First Prince's corpse in shock.
He had just earned the prince's trust and was preparing to win him over for the village.
Why had his own people killed him?
At that moment, Kojii Chisa arrived.
She immediately ordered the palace sealed and the Tenshu Castle locked down.
While issuing commands, she glanced toward the direction outside the city.
Every moment she delayed here bought the Fox more time.
More time for him to deal with Mitokado Homura.