Chapter 78 — Returning Again… Search!
"Damn it! Today I'm going to make those people pay!"
At the front of the group, A shouted loudly, showing no concern whatsoever about alerting anyone nearby.
It turned out that after sensing something strange earlier, he had not immediately acted. Instead, he returned to the border and summoned reinforcements from Kumogakure, preparing to conduct a sudden inspection of Hell Valley.
---
Deep within Hell Valley, Yami's Kagura's Mind's Eye sharply detected several chakra signatures rapidly approaching.
A had returned—and this time he brought reinforcements from Kumogakure.
That was definitely not the kind of decision a simple brute would make.
"Looks like we all underestimated him," Yami murmured softly.
He quickly left the laboratory and arrived beside the unconscious Uchiha Yashiro.
With a precisely measured tap, he woke him.
"You dare, Batō—… huh? Namikaze Yami?"
Yashiro instantly grew alert, scanning the surroundings before his gaze finally settled on Yami.
Yami tossed him a scroll taken from the underground laboratory.
"See for yourself. Uchiha Batō was conducting forbidden human experiments involving bloodline fusion."
"Even Uchiha clan members were used as test subjects."
"These are the records."
Yashiro flipped through the notes quickly.
His expression darkened with every page.
The experimental data regarding the fusion of the Ketsuryūgan and the Sharingan was so detailed that it could only have been produced through extensive human experimentation.
It sent a chill down his spine.
"How could he…?" Yashiro muttered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
---
At that moment, Yami suddenly formed hand seals.
Massive chakra gathered within him.
"Earth Release — Earth Core Shift!"
As his palms struck the ground, the entire mountain began to tremble violently.
The underground laboratory and the tunnel connecting it collapsed in succession.
Before Yashiro's shocked eyes, the hidden space filled with countless bloody secrets was completely buried beneath the earth.
"Uchiha Batō has already been dealt with," Yami said calmly.
"He died in that laboratory."
"This ending… is best for everyone."
Yashiro's expression became complicated.
He understood exactly what Yami meant.
Such a scandal within the Uchiha clan could never be allowed to surface.
Batō's "death in the line of duty" was the perfect cover.
Before he could fully process everything, Yami spoke again.
"A is already returning with a group of Kumogakure shinobi."
"They'll be here in ten minutes at most."
"As the highest-ranking officer currently in charge of the camp…"
"You'd better think carefully about how to explain this."
---
At the entrance of Hell Valley, A arrived at high speed with two elite squads of Kumogakure shinobi.
When he saw Yashiro and Yami already waiting in the camp, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
"Captain Yashiro."
A's gaze swept over the two men.
But when it passed over Yami, his eyes paused briefly.
"Where is Captain Batō?"
Yashiro kept his expression calm and delivered the explanation they had prepared.
"Captain Batō has already returned to Konoha for rotation duty."
"This is Chūnin Namikaze Yami. He will temporarily take over Batō's responsibilities."
A's gaze locked onto Yami.
A meaningful smile slowly spread across his lips.
"Well now… the wandering samurai from Konoha."
"I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon."
Yami merely smiled faintly.
He neither confirmed nor denied the remark.
Beside him, Yashiro feigned confusion.
"The Kumogakure envoy returning so suddenly—may I ask the reason?"
"I feel that my trip to Hell Valley contained… certain irregularities," A replied, scanning the surroundings.
"Especially the ninja who attacked me—and whoever was behind him."
"I doubt the matter is so simple."
Yashiro was about to speak, but A raised a hand to stop him.
"No need to explain."
"Let my men investigate."
"The truth will reveal itself soon enough."
Immediately, the Kumogakure shinobi dispersed and began conducting a carpet-style search of Hell Valley.
Yami and Yashiro stood side by side, calmly observing the situation unfold.
"It seems this future Raikage candidate…"
Yashiro said quietly,
"…is far more shrewd than we expected."
Yami nodded slightly and replied,
"Sometimes… you have to admit the instincts of a beast."
His Kagura's Mind's Eye was fully expanded, carefully sensing every movement made by the Kumogakure shinobi.
Their search was extremely thorough.
From the settlement to the training grounds, they inspected everything. Even the narrow cracks along the rock walls were carefully examined.
Minute by minute, time passed.
The search perimeter of the Kumogakure forces continued to expand.
Yami soon noticed several squads moving toward the abandoned camp.
"Don't worry."
Seeing Yami glance in that direction, Yashiro explained reassuringly.
"Batō was always cautious with his work. Places like that would have been cleaned up long ago."
In truth, Yami wasn't worried at all.
He had just fused a new pair of bloodline eyes. Even without activating them directly, his visual perception had greatly improved.
He was simply testing their capabilities.
And just as Yashiro had said—
The Kumogakure shinobi found nothing in the abandoned camp.
Even the traces of Yami's earlier techniques had already been erased.
Not a single remnant of chakra remained.
---
Three hours later, the Kumogakure squads gradually returned.
The jōnin leading them reported to A.
"Lord A, we found nothing unusual. The Chinoike clan members are all inside their settlement, and the Uchiha camp appears completely normal."
A's expression darkened.
His unwilling gaze settled on Namikaze Yami.
His instincts told him that all these strange developments were somehow connected to this seemingly ordinary "wandering samurai."
"Perhaps I was overthinking things."
There was a hint of irritation in his voice.
"But…"
Suddenly he stepped forward.
Chakra began to surge around his body.
"I'd still like to personally test the strength of this Chūnin Namikaze."
"If he's capable of replacing Captain Batō, he can't be an ordinary chūnin."
He deliberately emphasized the word "chūnin," as if trying to pry open a crack in the situation.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
The Kumogakure shinobi stepped back to clear space.
The Uchiha clan members also grew alert.
Yami, however, merely smiled calmly, completely unconcerned by A's provocation.
If it had been A's father—the monstrous Third Raikage whose raw strength and charging power rivaled that of a Tailed Beast—
Yami might have needed to take the situation seriously.
But facing the still somewhat inexperienced young A?
He simply didn't see him as much of a threat.
---
Just as the tension between the two sides reached its peak, Yashiro suddenly spoke.
"Lord A must be joking."
"Chūnin Namikaze is merely an ordinary chūnin. How could he possibly dare challenge Kumogakure's candidate for Raikage?"
His tone was calm.
But his eyes had already quietly activated, staring directly at A.
Seeing A remain silent, Yashiro continued.
"Lord A, since the investigation has already concluded, it would be best not to create unnecessary complications."
"After all… this concerns the peace between our two nations."
A clenched his fists.
Then slowly relaxed them.
He understood the deeper meaning behind Yashiro's words.
If he started a fight in Hell Valley, such a sensitive location, it could easily trigger diplomatic conflict between the two villages.
"…Fine."
A finally snorted coldly, locking his gaze on Yami.
"I'll let it go this time."
"But next time we meet, things won't end so easily… Chūnin Namikaze."
With that, he turned and led the Kumogakure shinobi away.
Flashes of lightning flickered as their figures quickly vanished beyond the horizon.
---
Only after the Kumogakure group disappeared did Yashiro finally let out a breath.
"That was close. If a fight had really broken out…"
"Doesn't matter."
Yami answered with just two words.
Yet those simple words carried an overwhelming confidence.
Yashiro couldn't help recalling how powerless he had been before Batō.
And the opponent who had left him nearly defenseless…
Had been defeated and killed by Namikaze Yami in such a short time.
The realization left him deeply shaken.