Chapter 131: I Won't Strip the Forbidden Jutsu
At that moment, a girl stepped forward—she was the leader's daughter, Hotaru. She volunteered to protect the Forbidden Jutsu, as she was familiar with the mountain's terrain and traps.
Team 7 decided to escort Hotaru and the Forbidden Jutsu to safety before departing. However, on their way out, they were ambushed by a bandit group seeking to steal the Forbidden Jutsu.
"You've come at just the right time!" the leader of the bandit group sneered coldly, "Hand over the Forbidden Jutsu, or you won't leave here alive!"
Team 7 engaged in a fierce battle with the bandit group. During the fight, Foam suddenly appeared and joined the fray against the bandits. Although Foam had betrayed the Tsuchigumo Clan, he did not want the Forbidden Jutsu to fall into evil hands.
With Foam's help, Team 7 successfully repelled the bandit group's attack. However, Foam's identity was discovered by the bandits.
"Foam is a traitor of the Tsuchigumo Clan and must be punished!" the leader of the bandit group shouted.
A voice from the shadows of the Kirigakure Anbu spoke up: "Yamato, hand Foam over to us, and we'll guarantee your safety. Otherwise, don't blame us for what happens to that girl."
Yamato glanced at Hotaru beside him, her eyes filled with fear. Yet, Yamato's gaze was unusually resolute: "No, our mission is to protect the Forbidden Jutsu and Hotaru. We cannot hand over Foam."
"Hmph, then don't blame us for being ruthless!" The bandit group and the Kirigakure Anbu launched a simultaneous attack.
Yamato and the others found themselves in a tough battle, with Foam becoming their target. His identity put him in danger, but he fought fearlessly.
Just as the situation grew critical, a figure suddenly appeared on the battlefield.
"Stop!" a commanding voice rang out.
Everyone halted and looked toward the source of the voice.
It was a Ninja dressed in Kirigakure attire, his face exuding confidence.
"I am the leader of Kirigakure—Ken!" he said, "We are not here to fight; we are here for the Forbidden Jutsu."
Yamato tightened his grip on his weapon, watching Ken warily: "What do you want?"
"Simple, hand over the Forbidden Jutsu to us, and we guarantee your safety," Ken said, "Moreover, we will release Foam."
Yamato fell silent, pondering his options.
Ken looked at Foam: "Foam, you were once a Ninja of the Tsuchigumo Clan. You should know what to do."
Hearing this, Yamato clenched his fist, his heart filled with conflict. Yet, he looked at Hotaru, the young girl whose eyes shimmered with hope—hope for the future of the Tsuchigumo Clan.
"Fine," Yamato finally made a decision, "We accept your proposal. But you must guarantee the safety of everyone, including Foam."
Ken nodded with a smile: "Of course, that is our agreement."
As the Forbidden Jutsu was handed over, the bandit group and the Kirigakure Anbu retreated. Yamato and the others safely returned to the mountain stronghold of Mount Katsuragi.
Upon returning to the stronghold, Naruto eagerly pulled Tonbee aside to ask about the method for stripping the Forbidden Jutsu.
"Tonbee, do you know how to strip the Forbidden Jutsu from Hotaru?" Naruto asked anxiously.
Tonbee shook his head: "This Forbidden Jutsu has been passed down through our clan for generations. Only the leader and a few others know how to strip it."
"What should we do then?" Sakura asked, "We can't let Hotaru carry this danger forever, can we?"
At that moment, Hotaru walked in, her expression firm and resolute: "I won't strip the Forbidden Jutsu."
"Why?" Yamato asked in surprise.
"Because the Forbidden Jutsu is the hope of our Tsuchigumo Clan," Hotaru said, "Only by possessing it can we stand firm in this world and revive our clan."
"But this Forbidden Jutsu is too dangerous," Naruto urged, "It could destroy everything."
Hotaru fell silent, knowing Naruto spoke the truth. Yet, she remembered her long-lost senior brother—Shiranamie, who was once her most admired person and the most talented Ninja in the clan.
"I believe in Senior Brother Shiranamie," Hotaru finally spoke, "He must have found a way to protect the Forbidden Jutsu. I will find him and entrust it to him."
Just as Hotaru made up her mind, the long-missing Shiranamie suddenly appeared before everyone. Dressed in black attire, his eyes were sharp as blades.
"Hotaru, you are indeed here," Shiranamie said with a smile, "I heard your call, so I returned."
Hotaru looked at Shiranamie in astonishment, unable to believe her eyes. Yet, Shiranamie's gentleness and determination gradually eased her guard. She decided to trust him and hand over the Forbidden Jutsu.
"I will strive for the revival of the Tsuchigumo Clan," Shiranamie declared solemnly. Then, he vanished into the night with Hotaru and the Forbidden Jutsu.
However, Shiranamie's sudden appearance and disappearance made Naruto and the others deeply suspicious. They decided to track Shiranamie's trail to retrieve Hotaru and the Forbidden Jutsu.
Naruto and Foam followed the remaining footprints to an abandoned Tsuchigumo mountain Village. This Village was once a prosperous place for the Tsuchigumo Clan, but now it lay in ruins.
"This must be where the Tsuchigumo Clan used to live," Tonbee said, "But why did it end up like this?"
They continued exploring deeper, only to find the Village shrouded in an eerie atmosphere. Strange sounds emanated from the abandoned houses, as if something was watching them from the shadows.
"Be careful, there's an ambush here," Yamato warned cautiously.
Just then, a group of Ninja swarmed in from all directions, surrounding them completely. Standing at the front of the Ninjas was actually Shiranamie.
"You 377 actually followed me," Shiranamie sneered. "But you're too late. Hotaru and the Forbidden Jutsu already belong to me."
"Shiranamie, what exactly did you do to Hotaru?" Naruto shouted angrily.
The corners of Shiranamie's mouth curled up, revealing a sinister smile. "Nothing much, just made her a bit quieter... After all, the power of the Forbidden Jutsu isn't that easy to control."
At that moment, Sakura, Matsuri, and Yamato also arrived at the scene. Seeing Naruto and the others under siege, they immediately joined the battle.
However, Shiranamie seemed to have been prepared. He moved his hands through Hand Seals, and the surrounding natural Chakra began to grow restless.
"Word Bind Jutsu: Nature Control!" With Shiranamie's shout, a powerful force surged from the ground, firmly binding Sakura and the others.
"Damn it, what is this power?" Yamato struggled to break free from the restraint, only to find he couldn't move at all.
Naruto, relying on his strong willpower and the power of the Nine-Tailed, managed to break free from the restraint. He looked at Foam beside him and found that Foam had also broken free, watching Shiranamie with a wary gaze.
"Foam, let's go!" Naruto shouted. He and Foam charged toward Shiranamie together, attempting to stop him from activating the Forbidden Jutsu.
However, Shiranamie easily dodged their attacks. While evading, he continued to form Hand Seals.
Loving Book So Far Check Out 80+ Chapters In Advanced At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FicTonic1