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A specific bath within the hot spring inn had been reserved by four Leaf ninja.
**Yu Sarutobi** reclined in the steaming water, while a team of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio stood guard on the deck. Clad in their flak jackets, the Akimichi ninja gripped a heavy iron staff, eyes scanning the room as he protected the man in the pool.
The Nara ninja spoke up. "Yu, let's make a final push for the Land of Fire tomorrow. Once we reach the border fortresses, we'll be safe."
"Yeah," Yu replied. "Shimura Tan actually died in the Land of Grass... and they still haven't found the killer. To dare assassinate a Shimura on the verge of becoming a Jonin... once Uncle Danzo finds the culprit, he'll definitely hand them over to Orochimaru for experiments."
Yu Sarutobi was Hiruzen Sarutobi's biological nephew, a highly anticipated rising star within the clan. He had lived up to those expectations, reaching the threshold of Jonin at only nineteen. Given another decade, he might have become an elite.
Yu placed a towel over his forehead and slowly sank into the hot water. Suddenly, the light from the side dimmed. A figure erupted from the water, lunging toward the Ino-Shika-Cho trio!
Usually, the *Self-Exerting Binding Seal* causes a victim to struggle and exert hidden force, leaving behind blurred or odd footprints. To keep his identity perfectly hidden, Yagami refrained from using it.
Appearing via Water Flicker, he launched six kunai at point-blank range, heavily wounding the three guards. He followed up instantly, finishing off the Ino-Shika-Cho members in rapid succession.
Behind him, the sound of hand signs being formed cut through the steam. Yu Sarutobi leapt from the water, finishing a technique directed at Yagami.
Yagami had intended to keep the slaughter going, but he froze when he saw Yu's hand signs. *Yu Sarutobi just unleashed Fire Dragon Flame Bullet with only three signs?*
The version Yagami had learned required seven. *The Sarutobi clan is holding out on the public versions?*
He suddenly recalled the intelligence stating Yu was a prodigy in Fire Style. Instead of dodging, Yagami allowed the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet to consume him. Yu possessed a specialized understanding of this jutsu; Yagami sensed he could extract a "Master-level" version of the technique from him.
Yu watched in bewilderment. Why had the assassin moved with such lethal speed to kill the guards, only to stand still and let himself be burned to death? Was his target the trio all along, and not him?
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Everything went black. The sea of fire vanished, replaced by the familiar sight of Soba-i's bedroom behind the izakaya.
Soba-i felt a warmth and a slight itch at her ear. It was Yagami (as Rice Malt) kissing her. she shifted her posture, curling into his arms. Since the war ended, he rarely left the village, which had significantly increased her sense of happiness.
[Moon-Viewing Arc Activated!]
[The host has one revival chance per month, reviving on the previous full moon night.]
[Reward: One gacha draw opportunity:]
1. Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning (Entry)
2. Jonin-level Chakra Reserves (Stackable)
3. Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet (Master)
The first two options were immediately discarded. The third made Yagami's eyes light up. As suspected, the technique could be elevated to Master-level. He made his choice.
Inside his underground training hall, he couldn't wait to test it. Upon activating the jutsu, the chakra flow pathways within his body shifted. Certain meridians were now permanently primed. Now, it required only a **single hand sign** to unleash the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.
With this, the strength of his "White Ghost" persona—his "smalt" account for revenge—had surged.
Three days after the full moon, Yagami received the notification from his summons and traveled to the border of the Land of Hot Water. He navigated back to the inn's water tower and used Water Flicker to enter the baths.
Yu Sarutobi sat in the water, towel on his head, relaxing.
Yagami materialized beneath the surface, driving a kunai deep into Yu's throat. This time, he chose to kill the primary target first. Blood erupted, swirling into the hot spring water and turning it a violent crimson.
Leaping from the water, Yagami formed a single seal. Before the Ino-Shika-Cho guards could even process the movement, he unleashed the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet at point-blank range.
The fierce dragon of flame roared forth, instantly engulfing the trio. The Nara ninja, possessing the quickest reflexes, managed to jump back. His mind was filled with pure terror—*how can someone use Fire Dragon Flame Bullet with only one sign?* Even Yu, the clan's genius, needed three.
However, the technique was a continuous stream. Yagami pivoted slightly, and the flame dragon swallowed the Nara ninja mid-air. After ensuring they were charred husks and destroying their skulls, Yagami vanished via Water Flicker.
Outside the town, Yagami held the White Ghost mask. "Yuka, this mask is excellent. I'm keeping it."
"Good," Yuka replied, her eyes reflecting the glowing fire of the burning bathhouse. That was the feeling of vengeance.
Yagami gripped her shoulder. "That's enough for now. I'll head back to the Leaf to gauge the reaction. If it goes as planned, I'll draw up a new list. Get back to the hideout for now."
With a nod to the brothers, Yagami vanished into a cloud of white smoke.
Yuka watched the flames until the townsfolk finally extinguished them. "Uncle Kaicho, Uncle Gencho... we need to strengthen our tracking and infiltration techniques. Fox gave us the general locations, and it still took us days to find them. This efficiency is too low; it could cause the revenge to fail."
Kaicho nodded. "Agreed. We'll study scouting and tracking maneuvers, but as for building a full intelligence network, we should discuss that with Fox first. It involves recruiting spies and complex logistics; too much movement might expose us. Fox has his own rhythm; we should listen to his advice before making big moves."
Yuka realized that the two veterans were even more devoted to Fox's lead than she was. When she later sent a scroll via the stone pandas, Yagami vetoed the idea of a broad intelligence network, fearing it would lead to their discovery. He insisted they focus solely on perfecting their personal scouting skills.
The journey from the Land of Hot Water to the Leaf took five days. By the time the town reported to the nobles, the nobles sent samurai to investigate, and the Leaf's guardians were notified, three days had passed.
It wasn't until ten days after the event that Hiruzen Sarutobi received the news. He stared blankly at the scroll. His nephew—the gifted fire master—was dead in a bathhouse.
He looked at his assistant. "Go find..."
The assistant saw the Hokage's eyes flicker from panic to ruthlessness before settling into a cold calm. "Go find Danzo and Orochimaru! Bring them here immediately!"
***