Thanks The_8th_king for the review, here are the 5 extra chapters!!!
IMPORTANT: For every 30 POWER STONES there will be an extra chapter!
Ōnoki withdrew his Dust Release and gazed at the empty spot where there was no trace of anything left. For a moment, his feelings were complicated. Had Konoha's Little White Fang really died? Just like that? It was so simple, so hard to believe.
"This is the fate of a ninja," he muttered softly to himself.
Though Ye Zi was still young, he had long been registered in the intelligence files of all the major ninja villages, listed as someone who must be eliminated upon encounter. He was a genius—no one could deny that. Today, Ōnoki had witnessed it firsthand and was even more convinced that Ye Zi's reputation was well-earned. However, even a genius, if not fully matured, could easily fall.
Every ninja village had its intelligence networks, and although the information might not be detailed, Ōnoki was well aware of Ye Zi's dual identity. He understood Ye Zi's role, akin to Konoha's White Fang—both were highly efficient task specialists, a type of ninja that every village desperately needed. A highly effective operative like Ye Zi could bring tremendous benefits to any village.
"Let's go back," Ōnoki said after staring at the spot where Ye Zi had stood for a long time. He glanced at Han, who looked frustrated.
Han cracked his neck but said nothing. He had chased Ye Zi for so long, only to have the old man disintegrate him with Dust Release, robbing him of the chance to pummel Ye Zi to vent his anger.
Because it was Dust Release and not some other technique, certain things were harder to discern—like a few simple tricks.
The Ye Zi that Ōnoki had disintegrated was merely a Shadow Clone whose chakra was nearly depleted. The real Ye Zi was already in the river.
When Ye Zi had summoned Shokui, he had begun setting up an illusion to deceive Ōnoki, using a few tricks.
Using Shoku to create a distraction, Ye Zi took the opportunity to split off a Shadow Clone, while the real Ye Zi transformed into a kunai. Shokui had acted as though he was failing to defend Ye Zi, even speaking to the Shadow Clone to fool Ōnoki. In truth, the real Ye Zi had transformed into the kunai that the Shadow Clone was holding. When Shokui disappeared and the Shadow Clone pretended to panic and flee, it threw the kunai as if to delay Ōnoki—when, in fact, the kunai was Ye Zi himself.
As Ōnoki dodged the kunai, it fell into the river.
While Ōnoki chased the Shadow Clone, Ye Zi lay low in the river. As Han passed overhead, Ye Zi consumed a military ration pill and allowed the current to carry him downstream.
Carried along by the river, Ye Zi slipped past many Iwa-nin. Since their focus was on following the Tsuchikage and the Jinchūriki, and with the main pursuit force heading in that direction, none of the elite Iwa-nin paid much attention to their surroundings. This allowed Ye Zi to be carried by the river undetected, all the way to a point not far from Iwagakure.
After regaining a bit of chakra, Ye Zi sensed that there were no Iwa-nin nearby. He crawled out of the river onto the bank.
The place where he exited the river was farther from Iwagakure, as the river flowed perpendicular to the village. In reality, though, the distance wasn't very far.
Standing on the bank, soaking wet, Ye Zi glanced down at his severed right arm, his expression dark and brooding. Losing an arm was a severe handicap. Even if Orochimaru could help him attach a new one, it wouldn't be fully compatible and would certainly feel awkward.
"For now, I need to focus on how to escape the Land of Earth. So many Iwa-nin were chasing in the other direction…" Ye Zi muttered to himself as he formulated his next steps. Suddenly, he realized that he had led the Tsuchikage and the Jinchūriki far away, and many Iwa-nin had followed in that direction. In other words, the number of Iwa-nin remaining in the village had been greatly reduced.
A crazy thought began to take root in his mind, rapidly growing and taking over.
"Going back to Iwagakure now… it might be possible."
Ye Zi's eyes flashed with a glint of madness. Shokui was completely spent and wouldn't be of much help. Ye Zi's own chakra reserves were limited. Even if he were to return to Iwagakure, he would need to find a few targets to absorb their chakra, and time was of the essence. With his Shadow Clone gone, the Tsuchikage and the Jinchūriki would soon be on their way back.
This decision was risky, but it was also feasible.
Ye Zi had never considered himself a forgiving person. On the contrary, he saw himself as someone who always sought revenge. Losing an arm was not something he could just let go. And this moment presented a golden opportunity. After all, Iwagakure was not always so easily infiltrated, and with the Tsuchikage, the Jinchūriki, and most of the elite forces out of the village, this chance was rare.
Most people, faced with such a situation, would prioritize escaping the Land of Earth. Even a cautious person like Ye Zi should have fled without hesitation. Yet, in the end, he had this wild idea, born from a lifetime of experiences that had shaped his vengeful nature.
An arm lost couldn't simply be forgotten. Even if the mission had failed, this was the perfect chance to wreak havoc on Iwagakure. At the very least, he could set the village ablaze.
Without wasting any more time, Ye Zi made his decision. He would return to Iwagakure!
Once resolved, he headed toward the village.
Before long, the silhouette of Iwagakure appeared before him. Ye Zi's eyes gleamed with madness.
Using the Transformation Jutsu, Ye Zi once again assumed the form of Ishigō. This time, instead of entering through the main gate, he approached the side of the wall. After confirming there were no barriers, he used Earth Release to sneak in and casually strolled through the village in his Ishigang disguise.
His chakra reserves were low, and he needed to find a target quickly...
Ye Zi was confident in his ability to remain undetected, but he avoided walking through the main roads, sticking instead to the alleyways between buildings.
Not being familiar with Iwagakure, Ye Zi, who had entered from the side wall, couldn't find his way home. He could only guess his direction based on the location of the Tsuchikage's office, wandering through the alleys.
Using his sensing abilities, he could tell that the village was still on high alert. In every area, there were several Iwa-nin standing guard. It seemed the departure of the Tsuchikage, the Jinchūriki, and a portion of the elite forces had left those remaining in the village highly vigilant.
However, none of the Iwa-nin could have guessed that the very target being pursued by the Tsuchikage and the Jinchūriki had already snuck back into the village, right under their noses.
No one would have expected it…
Not even Ōnoki and Han, who believed they had already dealt with Ye Zi.
At this moment, Iwagakure's defenses were significantly weakened. By the village's overall standards, its defenses were thin, although Ye Zi still couldn't cause serious damage. However, he could certainly stir up some trouble.
"The scroll wasn't in the office's secret room, but without more information, I can't be sure where to look. The Tsuchikage's residence, though, might be a good place to check. Even if I don't find the scroll, I can still exact revenge. You took my arm, after all, so I'll…" Ye Zi's eyes grew colder and colder as he plotted his next move.
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Currently on Chapter 196: The Closer You Get, The Further It Seems...