The night was gradually coming to an end, and a faint sliver of pale light began to appear on the distant horizon.
Aoki Yoru had been lying in wait the entire night.
His body had grown slightly stiff from remaining motionless for so long. His fingertips tapped lightly against the ground from time to time, an unconscious habit born from boredom. His gaze appeared unfocused, almost blank, as if he had drifted into a half-dreaming state.
He was, quite simply… bored.
To conserve stamina, he had long since stopped using his sensory perception to monitor the situation inside the cave. Maintaining such heightened awareness for hours on end would only drain his energy unnecessarily.
If he hadn't already known from his previous life's memories that those four would eventually succeed, he might have assumed they had already died inside the cave, victims of Seimei's intricate traps.
The sky slowly brightened.
Birds began chirping cheerfully in the surrounding trees, welcoming the arrival of dawn.
At that moment—
A faint sound emerged from the cave entrance on the cliff.
Aoki Yoru's previously dull eyes sharpened instantly.
His entire demeanor changed in an instant, like a blade unsheathed.
After a brief pause, four figures stumbled out of the cave.
They looked disheveled and exhausted, their clothes torn in several places. Yet despite their condition, each of them held a weapon tightly in their hands, and their faces were filled with uncontrollable excitement.
"Whew… we finally made it…"
Houki panted heavily, wiping sweat from his brow.
"I didn't expect that even with the ancestor's notes, we would nearly die several times. Ancestor Seimei truly deserves his title—the traps he left behind are unbelievably intricate."
The others nodded in agreement, their expressions a mixture of fear and exhilaration.
They had risked their lives.
And they had succeeded.
Just as the tension began to ease—
A calm, unfamiliar voice echoed through the air.
"Then congratulations… on getting what you wished for."
The four froze.
Their expressions changed instantly.
"Who's there?!"
They tightened their grips on their weapons, eyes darting around cautiously.
Whoosh—
A figure appeared silently on a protruding rock near the cave entrance.
Aoki Yoru stood there with his arms crossed, looking down at them with a faint smile.
"Thank you for bringing out my treasures," he said lightly.
"Now… would you mind returning them to me?"
The four immediately raised their weapons, their gazes filled with hostility.
Houki stepped forward, his face dark and twisted with killing intent.
"Brat… whoever you are, since you dared to follow us here, you've already chosen death."
Then he shouted sharply:
"Don't hold back! Use the Sacred Tools and kill him!"
At once, the weapons in their hands began to glow with a strange brilliance.
A powerful surge of chakra flooded their bodies.
The four of them grinned viciously.
With the amplification from the Sacred Tools, they felt an overwhelming surge of strength, as if their chakra reserves had become endless.
This intoxicating power made them fearless.
Zzzzt—
Aoki Yoru vanished.
No warning.
No buildup.
Just a flash of lightning.
The four barely had time to register what had happened.
Their vision blurred.
And in the next instant—
He was already behind them.
Squelch—
Squelch—
Squelch—
Squelch—
Four nearly inaudible sounds rang out simultaneously.
A thin red line appeared across each of their necks.
Their expressions remained frozen in those cruel smiles.
But their bodies went limp.
One by one, they collapsed to the ground.
Silently.
Effortlessly.
Aoki Yoru stood still for a moment, then slowly sheathed his cracked ninja sword.
He turned around and looked at the four lifeless bodies.
His expression remained calm.
"A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit," he murmured softly.
He had no interest in showing off.
No interest in prolonging the fight.
Underestimating opponents was the fastest way to die.
Who knew what hidden tricks they might have had? If they possessed something like concealed assassination weapons, it could have turned into an unnecessary risk.
He would never allow that.
Raising his hand, he formed a seal.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
A massive fireball burst forth, engulfing the four corpses in an instant.
The flames roared fiercely, reducing everything to ashes within moments.
When the fire died down, nothing remained.
Aoki Yoru stepped forward calmly and picked up the four Sacred Tools that had fallen to the ground.
He took out a sealing scroll.
With practiced movements, he sealed each weapon into the scroll.
As the symbols lit up briefly and faded, the outlines of the four weapons appeared on the surface.
He nodded in satisfaction.
Rolling up the scroll, he tucked it securely into his robe.
The sky had grown much brighter now.
Aoki Yoru glanced toward the horizon, suppressing the fatigue that lingered in his body.
Without wasting any time, he turned and headed back toward the city.
By the time he returned, the morning mist was beginning to dissipate.
After grabbing a simple breakfast, he barely made it back to his room before collapsing onto the bed.
A yawn escaped his lips.
Moments later, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When he woke up again, it was already evening.
The sky outside had darkened, and the first stars were beginning to appear.
Aoki Yoru stretched slightly.
After the long rest, the exhaustion had completely disappeared. His body felt light, and his mind was once again sharp.
He changed his clothes and stepped out of the inn.
Tonight, he decided to explore the Land of Artisans.
Under the night sky, the city was alive.
Lanterns illuminated the streets with warm golden light.
The rhythmic sound of hammering echoed from blacksmith workshops, blending with the lively calls of street vendors.
Pedestrians filled the streets.
The scent of heated metal, oil, and food drifted through the air.
Taverns glowed warmly, their light spilling onto the stone-paved roads.
It was a completely different atmosphere from Konoha.
There was no sense of military tension here.
Instead, the city radiated the steady, focused energy of craftsmen devoted to their work.
Aoki Yoru walked among the crowd, blending in effortlessly.
He observed everything quietly.
This neutral land, despite its size, possessed a unique vitality.
Days later, he left the Land of Artisans and continued his journey.
His next destination:
The Land of Iron.
The Land of Iron was unlike any other country in the Ninja World.
It had no ninjas.
Instead, it was ruled by samurai.
It was a permanently neutral nation, located at a strategic intersection between several major countries.
Because of this, it had become a hub of trade and transportation.
When Aoki Yoru finally arrived after half a month of travel, he was genuinely impressed.
The streets were bustling with merchants from all over the world.
Ores, weapons, fabrics—goods of every kind were displayed openly.
Different accents filled the air as traders negotiated.
Samurai patrolled the streets, maintaining order.
Everything felt… stable.
Balanced.
As he walked through the capital, eating a skewer of Sixi meatballs, Aoki Yoru couldn't help but reflect:
"It seems General Mifune governs far better than most leaders in the Ninja World."
During his journey, he had seen much.
The suffering of common people.
The extravagance of nobles.
But here, things were different.
The farmers looked healthier.
The people had life in their eyes.
After asking around, he learned why.
The tax rate here was only forty percent—and there were no additional hidden taxes.
Compared to the oppressive taxation in other nations, this was practically humane.
"This place…" Aoki Yoru muttered, "is surprisingly well-run."
Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead.
The crowd surged toward the square.
Curious, Aoki Yoru followed.
At the center stood a raised platform.
Someone shouted loudly:
"Lord Souma and Lord Retsuga are going to duel!"
"What?! The two strongest young warriors?!"
Excitement spread instantly.
Aoki Yoru's interest was piqued.
A duel between young samurai elites?
That was worth watching.
Soon, two young warriors stepped onto the stage.
Souma stood calmly, his expression composed.
Retsuga, in contrast, radiated energy and aggression.
"Start!"
At the signal—
Retsuga moved first.
He dashed forward like an arrow, his blade slicing through the air with force.
Souma remained calm.
He sidestepped and parried with perfect precision.
Clang—
Sparks flew.
Retsuga attacked relentlessly, each strike powerful and direct.
Souma defended flawlessly, redirecting each attack with minimal effort.
Aoki Yoru watched closely.
His eyes followed every movement.
Every angle.
Every subtle shift.
Though their techniques were not yet refined, certain movements intrigued him.
"Interesting…" he murmured.
Some of their methods could indeed be incorporated into his own sword style.
He crossed his arms and smiled faintly.
"Well… since I'm already here…"
"There's no reason to leave so soon."
"There are plenty of sword schools in the Land of Iron."
"It would be a waste not to learn something."
And just like that—
His journey gained a new purpose.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)