Early May.
The gentle breeze swayed, allowing warm sunlight to filter through the forest's dense canopy. Bug Man shielded his eyes from the sun's glare, squinting as he did so.
Soon, he noticed an unusual occurrence nearby. A man emerged from the ground, hoisted off the ground entirely. His complexion was pallid, and he seemed out of breath. He appeared visibly fatigued, bearing the marks of a recent struggle.
Bug Man regarded him and inquired, "Trouble, I presume?"
The other party responded, "Indeed. I didn't anticipate the presence of such keen sensory ninjas in Kusagakure. I nearly fell into their trap."
He was Earth Man in the team, skilled in Earth Release Subterranean Voyage Jutsu. He specialized in reconnaissance for the Bug Men team. However, during his latest mission to investigate the location of the Uzumaki clan remnants imprisoned within Kusagakure, he had drawn the attention of Kusa's sensory ninja.
This was the first time such a situation had occurred.
"Kusagakure is still an official ninja village, so it's not surprising that they possess unique abilities. So, have you uncovered the whereabouts of the Uzumaki clan remnants in Kusagakure?"
It had been nearly a month since they first learned about some of the Uzumaki clan's survivors being held in Kusagakure. During this time, they had discreetly arranged attack and retreat routes, set traps along the way, and hindered the Kusa Ninja's movements during their retreat.
On the other hand, they had deployed organization members skilled in infiltration to investigate Kusagakure's layout. Most importantly, they needed to confirm where the Uzumaki clan survivors were being held, which was important.
"We have a general idea of the location. However, But if i continue to investigate further, I feel like I won't be able to make it back." he replied.
Indeed, it was an official ninja village, fundamentally different from the rogue ninja they had encountered in the past, both in terms of skill and level. Kusagakure alone posed a significant challenge, making them wary. Confronted by the combined might of the five major ninja villages, their stratagems would prove futile. They'd be crushed outright by the ninja forces.
"So, they are indeed being held within the Kusagakure? Bug Man deduced.
"Correct."
"Now that this is confirmed, matters become more manageable. The past month has been spent on organizing attack and retreat routes. Once we extract the Uzumaki clan remnants from within Kusagakure, we'll be done."
"If only it were that simple" Earth Man replied, frowning as he looked at Kusagakure in the distance, where the outline of a massive structure could be discerned.
"So strategically, we can use a diversion this time."
"A diversion?"
Earth Man's expressed uncertainty about Bug Man's statement. Bug Man produced a map of the Land of Grass from his belongings, unfurled it on the ground, and pointed to a location in the Land of Grass.
"Here's the location of Kusa. This is the route we'll use to attack Kusa, with three retreat paths fitted with traps to intercept any pursuers. The pivotal part of our operation is to attack this place to the west... right here."
Bug Man indicated a location near Kusagakure, where a castle was faintly marked.
"Hozuki Castle. It was established by the request of various nations and serves as a prison for ninja who have committed serious crimes. It's located on a small island surrounded by the Inland Sea. The warden of Hozuki Castle is an elite ninja from Kusagakure. We need to feign an attack here and signal to Kusagakure that we are planning a major assault on Hozuki Castle. They will ensure the safety of the dangerous criminals inside Hozuki Castle and prevent any repercussions from the major ninja villages. Kusagakure will undoubtedly send reinforcements here."
"I see. It's indeed an effective method to disperse Kusagakure's forces. When will this plan be executed?" Earth Man inquired.
"Tomorrow night. We need some time to assemble the assault team."
The next evening, at nine o'clock.
On a small island not far from Kusagakure, in the Inland Sea, a massive fortress loomed faintly through the mist. This fortress was Hozuki Castle, a prison established by the request of various nations and where ninja who violated the rules and committed heinous crimes were held.
It was said that few prisoners had ever escaped from Hozuki Castle since its establishment. The warden of Hozuki Castle was an elite ninja from Kusagakure who could use a ninjutsu called "Fire Release: Heavenly Prison." This jutsu was planted on the criminals, ensuring that they could never leave Hozuki Castle until the jutsu was released.
This place was the core facility that sustained the Kusagakure's existence, as it allowed them to maintain a balancing act between the five major ninja villages and avoid being crushed in the wars between the major nations.
Therefore, by attacking this location, they could successfully divert the Kusagakure's attention. In order to satisfy the major ninja villages and avoid any losses here, the Kusagakure would definitely dispatch reinforcements.
A group of individuals dressed in black cloaks, relying on boats, approached the small island in the Inland Sea where Hozuki Castle was situated. They had already scouted the patterns of the guards' movements and shift changes, so their infiltration proceeded smoothly.
Opening a map, it displayed the layout of Hozuki Castle.
"The cells of the prisoners are located at this point, which is marked as point A. The entrances are at points B and C. There are two attack routes, and on the way, avoid engaging in battles as much as possible. Once we reach point A, make it look like we're killing and silencing, launch indiscriminate attacks, and then withdraw from point D, where there will be support personnel waiting ashore."
"Yes."
"After collecting what we need, we'll take action immediately."
The leader produced a wooden box containing neatly arranged explosive tags.
After distributing the detonators, the eight individuals automatically split into two teams, converging on the previously designated B and C locations.
At location B, one of the group members consulted a pocket watch, indicating 9:30.
"It's time to initiate the attack."
Without exchanging words, each person retrieved prepared kunai with five attached explosive tags and hurled them toward the imposing wall before them.
The kunai embedded themselves into the city wall's stones, igniting the explosive tags. In an instant, a brilliant flash followed by a deafening explosion erupted from the city wall.
Simultaneously, at the location designated as C, another explosion echoed.
The Hozuki Castle's internal alarm system was promptly triggered, prompting the guards to organize and move towards the source of the disturbance.
However, the infiltrators had already breached the shattered city walls, casting kunai in every direction.
Each kunai bore five explosive tags, unleashing a devastating explosion upon contact with any human body.
Explosions reverberated continuously throughout the area, resulting in collapsed structures everywhere. Violent dust clouds billowed across the streets, further exacerbating the pandemonium within Hozuki Castle.
"Extreme situation alert, level two!"
"Extreme situation alert, level two!"
"Extreme situation alert, level two!"
The announcement repeated three times, the announcer displaying a mix of shock and anger as they observed buildings erupting in explosions.
At that moment, two kunai were launched at a towering, slender building, resulting in a resounding blast. The structure began to collapse from its center, shaking the ground and burying unfortunate guards beneath it.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
One of the assailants, draped in a black overcoat, performed hand seals, exhaling a massive fireball.
Over a dozen Hozuki Castle guards charged forward. Upon spotting the incoming fireball, they swiftly scattered, hurling kunai at the attackers.
Within the dust clouds billowing from the explosions, the cacophony of metal weaponry clashing, jutsu colliding, and explosions echoed, intensifying the chaos.
"Stop them! They're after the prisoners! Don't let them succeed!"
The guards who had been blown away by explosive tags screamed amidst their bloodied coughs.
However, regardless of their cries, the attackers refrained from protracted confrontations with these individuals. Their sole aim was to sow chaos, forcing the guards to divert their attention toward the defenseless inmates, thereby complicating their task.
Moreover, they were very near to the imprisoned criminals, and distracting the guards for their protection added an additional layer of complexity to the mission.
Explosions flared, buildings continued to crumble, and agonized screams filled the air.
Eight attackers maneuvered through the cell area, pretending to search for a specific prisoner, all within view of the guards.
This tactic was employed to create the impression that they had come to liberate a particular inmate.
"Move!"
As the time neared its end, lingering any longer proved futile. While retreating, the eight continued hurling kunai equipped with explosive tags, creating a chaotic and riotous scene.
Without hesitation, the eight formed a battle line, utilizing explosive tags to clear their path, preventing flesh-and-blood guards from closing in.
The effort to extinguish fires and tend to injured inmates stretched Hozuki Castle's available personnel thin.
Once the fires were under control and injured prisoners received treatment, attempts to pursue the attackers revealed that they had already departed the small island housing Hozuki Castle, leaving the once orderly city in disarray.
"Next, we simply wait for Kusagakure's response."
One of the attackers on the boat, who had exited the Hozuki Castle vicinity, remarked.
The entire attack on Hozuki Castle had taken less than ten minutes, yet the scale of the riot and the destruction left behind were undoubtedly substantial.
As a result, significant actions from Kusagakure were all but guaranteed.
As anticipated by Bug Man and the others, Kusagakure quickly learned of the attack on Hozuki Castle, which resulted in numerous buildings collapsing. In response, they promptly dispatched hundreds of ninjas to Hozuki Castle. The prevailing belief was that the attackers hadn't succeeded in locating the prisoner they intended to rescue, raising the likelihood of a second assault.
These hundreds of ninjas constituted only the initial wave, as more Kusa ninjas were en route to Hozuki Castle, effectively sealing it off like an impenetrable iron barrel, thwarting any potential infiltrations.
"It seems our plan to surprise Hozuki Castle last night worked, and many Kusanagi ninjas went to support them this morning," Bug Man observed, his satisfaction evident as he perused the reports from his subordinates.
"The plan was successful, but it came at quite a cost," Earth Man said with a wry smile. After all, the key to the operation's success had been the exploding tags.
These tags were pricey, one-time-use explosive ninja tools. Each one packed the explosive punch equivalent to a typical Fire Release jutsu. Using so many explosive tags in just under ten minutes last night... well, it was like tossing money away.
Though the buildings within Hozuki Castle had indeed suffered huge damage, their own expenses were far from negligible.
"No worries, the organization still has considerable funds at its disposal. Plus, if we ever run short,Ruri is there to help," the Bug Man reassured.
"True," Earth Man conceded, remembering their wealthy benefactor within the organization.
Viewed in this light, the expenditure on those detonating symbols last night didn't seem as burdensome.
"With the bait set, our next target is Kusagakure," Bug Man said, standing on the cliff and looking at Kusagakure in the distance, his words murmured more to himself than to anyone else.
....
On a weekend evening, the waning sunlight filtered through the forest, illuminating an empty training ground. The only sounds were the clash of metal, marking a fierce duel between a short knife and a shadow blade.
Compared to one side, which was fighting with all their might, both the power and speed of their knife techniques were maintained at full capacity, and their eyes revealed a serious demeanor. On the other side, it was merely accompanying them for a 'play.'
Because this was a battle with a significant power imbalance.
Kakashi gripped his sword, looking at Shiraishi, who had never left his original position, with a serious expression. Around Shiraishi, there were solidified shadow blades emerging from the shadows, slowly rotating around him.
It was a type of 'absolute defense' shadow domain.
From any angle or method, it would be flawlessly blocked and then rebounded.
Shiraishi folded his hands across his chest, standing there with an extremely relaxed posture. He only needed Shadow Dancer from within his shadow to act, and it placed absolute suppression on Kakashi.
However, this was only natural. The speed, power, and hardness of the shadow blades were such that even a Jonin ninja would be killed in an instant if they were not careful.
Moreover, who would have thought that there would be an assassin lurking in his shadow?
Shadow dancer didn't need sleep, and as long as they had enough chakra and natural energy, they could block any attacks aimed at Shiraishi at any time, and even counterattack.
For those unfamiliar with him, each of the traps set by Shiraishi was an instant-death area.
It was also Shiraishi's pride.
Currently, Shadow Dancer had practiced a trial version of Sage Mode. The speed, power, and hardness of the shadow blades, compared to before, were now even stronger.
At this moment, Shadow Dancer fighting Kakashi was still using chakra to emit the shadow blades.
If she used Senjutsu chakra to create shadow blades, White Fang would probably be shattered in an instant.
Yet Kakashi was content with his progress. At just seven or eight years old, he couldn't demand as much from himself as an adult could. His prime as the fastest-growing ninja prodigy was still ahead of him.
Shiraishi was confident that Kakashi could become a Jonin before turning twelve. With proper training, his future achievements might surpass even those of his father, Konoha White Fang.
Kakashi wielded the White Fang, cutting through the air. The blade's sharp aura split tree leaves neatly. White Fang blade technique's accuracy, suitable for actual combat, was complemented by its power, speed, and the incredible body flicker technique.
The simplicity of White Fang's technique was its strength. Its power, combined with remarkable movement jutsu, had created by his father with his formidable reputation.
The simpler the technique, the more terrifying it could be in practice.
Kakashi's breathing remained steady, his eyes focused.
This was the training regimen Shiraishi had designed for him. Initially, Kakashi had felt nervous, but as he grew accustomed to facing Shiraishi, that nervousness transformed into motivation to become stronger.
He no longer worried about how long he could last against Shiraishi; instead, he pondered how to break through the Shadow Blade domain and strike Shiraishi directly.
Shiraishi had explained that even a Jonin proficient in Taijutsu would struggle to match the shadow blades' speed and strength.
Breaking through this domain would signify Kakashi's readiness to take on a Jonin. In recent days, he had made significant strides in both speed and strength.
Under Shiraishi's rigorous teachings, his power grew rapidly. He consistently pushed past his limits, reaching new heights.
Kakashi's training with Shiraishi had honed his quick judgment and neural response abilities in actual combat. For a ninja skilled in physical and sword techniques, a sharp neural response was a fundamental skill.
According to Shiraishi's knowledge, the world's ninja with the strongest neural response abilities was the Third Raikage of Kumogakure, a ninj unmatched in both offense and defense.
Stimulated by the Lightning Release: Chakra Mode, the Third Raikage's neural response had likely transcended human capabilities.
"Let's call it a day, Kakashi. You've worked hard and need some rest."
After roughly half an hour of intense training, Kakashi's physical stamina began to wane. He panted heavily, his legs quivered as he stood, and the arm holding the knife shook slightly. It was clear that his overall energy had dropped to a point where he wasn't suitable for further exercise.
Kakashi wisely chose not to push himself beyond his limits, opting to sit directly on the ground to catch his breath.
"You've made great progress in these past days. If you continue at this rate, you'll soon be ready to advance to the next stage of White Fang's kenjutsu," Shiraishi commented, acknowledging Kakashi's dedication.
"However, I still can't land a hit on you" Kakashi said with a hint of frustration.
"Don't rush that aspect. Every person has their limits. For you, this is the foundational stage. It's not about raw strength right now. Strengthening your foundation will ultimately raise your upper limit," Shiraishi advised, offering perspective.
"Is that so?" Kakashi mused, glancing at the White Fang in his hand.
"Besides, your sword skills are currently at the maximum level suitable for your age. There's no need to push too hard; your body might not handle it. Next, you'll learn how to manipulate the nature of your chakra. What's your chakra attribute?" Shiraishi inquired.
"Lightning and Earth," Kakashi replied.
"Dual attributes? And one of them is Lightning Release, which is known for its speed. You might be more adept at Kenjutsu than Sakumo-sensei" Shiraishi noted.
Among evasion techniques, Lightning Release was the fastest type and paired well with Taijutsu
"Well, let's set aside Lightning Release for now. Next, I'll teach you how to change the nature of your chakra, specifically the Lightning Release chakra. This will complement your Taijutsu and Kenjutsu, eliminating any so-called bottlenecks on your path to becoming a Jonin. You'll be one step closer to your goal," Shiraishi explained, looking at Kakashi with determination.
Kakashi nodded, his gaze shifting to the White Fang.
"In that case, you're one step closer to that 'objective'..." he murmured.
.....
After his training session with Kakashi, Shiraishi returned to the Uchiha clan and made his way to the underground laboratory. Kakashi's training wasn't a pressing issue at the moment; the top priority was rescuing the surviving members of the Uzumaki clan imprisoned in Kusagakure and bringing them to the Land Of Demons.
"It's been a month; it should be about time..." Shiraishi muttered to himself as he descended the stairs.
In a corner of the underground laboratory, two large floor-to-ceiling glass cylinder devices contained the cultivation chambers for his own "clones." This time, he had created two clones. Filling them with natural energy and chakra took longer than the creation cycle for his General Tu and Shadow Dancer clones.
While General Tu and Shadow Dancer had also experienced performance improvements through their infusion of Sage Mode System, these newly born clones exhibited even greater potential in their nascent forms.
"Unfortunately, I don't possess the Yin-Yang Release that is said to create all things; otherwise, this process would be quicker..." Shiraishi remarked.
Although Yin-Yang Release chakra was used when creating the clones and Yin Release and Yang Release were separately employed, Shiraishi understood that this wasn't the application of Yin-Yang Release. Yin Release and Yang Release were separate entities, while Yin-Yang Release was a complete term that could create things invisibly and give them life and souls.
Because he couldn't achieve the level of creation of all things with Yin-Yang Release, Shiraishi used some tricks to make up for the lack.
He used natural energy as the source of life, with fragments of his own soul serving as the souls of the clones.
The work of Yin Release and Yang Release mainly relied on shaping materials to form containers that could hold natural energy and fragments of his soul.
However, Shiraishi had never heard of anyone in the current ninja world using Yin-Yang Release, so it was likely that it had long been lost.
He had only seen bits and pieces of this secret art in the Uchiha clan's records.
Not worrying about Yin-Yang Release for now, Shiraishi came to the two cultivation devices and looked through the glass at the created clones inside.
His shadow began to rise into a physical form, as if sensing something terrifying was about to emerge from the shell.
As she was about to form a physical entity with the shadow blades, Shiraishi said to the Shadow Dancer inside the shadow, "Don't worry, these are your little sister and brother."
Upon hearing his words, Shadow Dancer stopped its aggressive stance and withdrew its shadow blades, returning to a state of calm.
Shiraishi breathed a sigh of relief, then turned his gaze back to the cultivation chambers. Inside, the two clones had already opened their eyes.
One of the clones gave the impression of being a cold and mechanical entity, running according to a predetermined program.
Invisible ripples expanded from its inorganic eyes, causing a slight breeze in the laboratory, rustling the pages of books on the nearby workbench.
Boom!
Both glass devices shattered simultaneously.
The solution filled with natural energy splashed everywhere, leaving the ground damp.
The moment the glass devices shattered, Shiraishi had already stepped back a few steps to avoid being splashed by the solution.
He watched as two figures emerged from the shattered cultivation chambers. One of them, a girl, stood upright in the wet solution. Upon closer inspection, it was evident that she wasn't touching the ground; there was a gap between her feet and the liquid, and she seemed to be floating.
Her jet-black hair cascaded down gracefully, her silky tresses framing her face. She had a slender, perfectly proportioned body, adorned in a traditional outfit with a white top and red bottom. Her hands, revealed from the white cuffs, appeared as white as jade, hanging naturally at her sides.
Her face was like a finely crafted work of art, seemingly around sixteen years old, older than the shadow dancer. Her eyes, however, contained concentric circles spreading outward—an outer layer of blue-green and an inner layer of dark purple, seemingly capable of capturing one's very soul.
Strangely, while she appeared to be breathing, her overall demeanor was reminiscent of a lifeless, cold corpse or an emotionless machine.
Perched quietly on her slender shoulder, atop her white clothing, was a four-legged creature resembling a cat yet not quite a cat, perhaps more akin to a mystical beast. It was entirely black with a single spiral horn on its head, its blue eyes gazing out. Blue lightning crackled across its dark hide, emphasizing its presence.
This four-legged creature rested calmly on the girl's shoulder, forming a symbio
tic connection with her.
Shiraishi first glanced at the creature on the girl's shoulder and then directed his gaze to the girl herself, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.
"Welcome to life, Raimei Maru, and... Ameyu. I'm sorry to say this to both of you, but I have a mission for you. Any objections?"
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