Ruichi was comfortably soaking in his private hot spring pool, holding a glass of chilled milk in his hand. He narrowed his eyes, savoring the contrast between the hot spring's warmth and the cool night breeze.
"Ha—"
A sip of ice-cold milk slid down his throat, sending a refreshing chill through his stomach and making him squint in satisfaction.
Ah… this is living.
Ruichi sighed contentedly and set the cup down on the tray by the pool.
"The people from Taketori Village still haven't even reached the Land of Hot Springs. I wonder if Dao was just too incompetent to catch up, or if he gave up altogether… Either way, they probably won't make it to Konohagakure. I didn't reveal my background, either."
Having rested enough, Ruichi saw no reason to linger. He decided to head back to Konoha tomorrow.
This trip hadn't uncovered a suitable escape route—only confirmation that the Land of Fire contained remnants of the Kaguya Clan.
If they grow strong enough in the future, they might be worth absorbing… though that won't be anywhere near as fast as the Uchiha Clan's massacre night, which is already entering its final countdown.
"Hm… On the way back, I can test the Fire Temple's attitude again. Long-term protection is unrealistic, but letting a few people stay for ten days or half a month might be possible."
In the backyard, the deer enclosure was filled with water. A bamboo tube tapped against a stone slab, producing a clear, rhythmic sound.
Thunk—
…
Thunk—
---
Tayuya landed lightly on a roof beam.
This was an abandoned slaughterhouse. Below it lay the ritual site of the Jashin cult.
Over the past two days, aside from a few die-hards, most of the vagrants had joined the cult for its so-called "benefits."
Tayuya didn't blame them. They were just trying to survive.
But she never believed in that absurd religion. No matter how eloquent their speeches were, she refused to join.
As it turned out, she was right.
Last night, one of the earliest recruits stumbled back to their warehouse base, drenched in blood.
The truth was horrifying: the Jashin Cult was nothing more than a pack of lunatics who practiced human sacrifice and self-mutilation to please a so-called "evil god."
He had been among the first slated for sacrifice—and had only survived by playing dead.
The moment she learned that one of her people was still alive, Tayuya gathered the rest and came to rescue him.
The air below reeked of rust and decay. In the empty hall, a massive blood-red ritual circle had been drawn.
"Get ready," she whispered to her subordinates. "Our priority is rescuing people, not killing enemies. Save them and retreat."
"Yes, boss."
Everyone crouched silently in the shadows, waiting.
Finally—
The door creaked open.
---
At the same time, a waiter entered Ruichi's room carrying dinner.
Since he was leaving tomorrow, Ruichi planned to treat himself tonight—his own little farewell feast to the Land of Hot Springs.
The waiter laid out a lavish spread: grilled fish, skewered meat, tempura, and exquisitely prepared side dishes.
"As expected of the Land of Hot Springs. Top-tier service."
The aroma made Ruichi's mouth water.
"Your meal is ready, sir. Please enjoy."
"Thanks for the trouble."
After the waiter left, Ruichi lifted his knife. The blade gleamed under the lamplight—
---
—the dagger came down!
Tayuya and her people dropped from the beams, their broken blades plunging into the cultists' vital points. Blood splashed across the ritual circle.
The fight ended almost instantly. The cultists collapsed into pools of blood.
"Help them!"
They rushed to untie the boy who had been prepared as a sacrifice.
But Tayuya had gravely underestimated the cultists.
"Hehe… hehehe… it hurts so much…"
The believers—who should have been dead—slowly stood back up.
Their wounds were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"What exquisite pain… This is the evil god's blessing!"
The cult leader grinned savagely.
"Since you've delivered yourselves here, you'll all become sacrifices!"
A chill shot from Tayuya's feet straight to her scalp.
Immortality…? Is this even human anymore?!
"Scatter! Run!!"
She shouted and bolted for the exit without looking back, the cultists' manic laughter echoing behind her.
"Run!"
---
"Run!"
Outside an underground casino, Ruichi clenched a crumpled betting slip, cheering loudly.
"Go! Faster! Run!"
"Charge! Don't crawl into your shell and sleep, you useless thing!"
Passing by the tortoise-racing booth, Ruichi had joined on a whim, betting on a tortoise called Speedy Legs.
And surprisingly, Speedy Legs was actually in the lead.
"Almost there!"
Just as it was about to cross the finish line—
"Gah!"
A crow swooped down, snatched the tortoise, and flew off.
"…Huh? That's allowed?"
Ruichi reacted a beat too late. The shuriken he threw missed its mark.
"Tsk. These things happen," the dealer said, patting his shoulder.
"The fun of gambling is not knowing the outcome."
Ruichi hadn't cared much—until the crow didn't leave. Instead, it circled above his head mockingly.
"Oh, you've got some nerve," Ruichi muttered.
"If I don't pluck every feather off you today, I'll write my name backward."
He leapt onto the rooftop in pursuit.
The crow panicked and fled, but even with flight on its side, it couldn't outrun Ruichi at full speed.
A few bounds later, Ruichi was directly above it.
"Wind Release: Fly Swatter—Promax Edition!"
A massive gust of wind slammed downward, infused with natural energy.
Pfft—
The crow was crushed instantly.
Speedy Legs poked its head out of its shell, then slowly crawled into the grass.
"Ahh… much better," Ruichi stretched.
"Time to head back and sleep."
He turned into a quiet side alley to take a shortcut back.
Halfway through—
Rapid, frantic footsteps approached from the other end.
The stench of blood filled the air.
Ruichi frowned, instinctively preparing to leave.
But trouble, as usual, found him first.
"Huff… huff…"
A pink-haired figure, soaked in blood, staggered around the corner.
It was Tayuya.
Her once-arrogant face was smeared with grime and blood, her fierce eyes now filled with desperation.
Their gazes met.
"Run!"
She didn't stop—only left those words behind as she rushed past Ruichi.
"Hey—don't drag trouble this way!"
In the next instant, the cultists caught up. Their leader's eyes lit up when he saw Ruichi.
"Oh! What a perfect offering!"
"The evil god will surely be pleased!"
------
Enjoying the story?
Get ahead of everyone else!
Read up to 60 advance chapters right now on my Patreon, with early access, daily updates on all novels, and more perks for supporters.
👉 patreon.com/TheLazy_sage