Kazuyama slumped against a mountain of gold, his body aching but his spirit oddly content. The wealth around him was the only balm for his battered state.
"What's this?" he muttered, his eyebrows twitching as he processed the system notifications.
[Ding! Sensing that the host used One Thousand Years of Death on Rasa, causing him to suffer greatly while hating you, you are rewarded with +3 Genjutsu.]
[Ding! Sensing that the host brutally beat Rasa and then left, causing his anger to reach its peak and him to pass out, you are rewarded with +2 Genjutsu.]
His expression soured as he pieced together the absurdity of the rewards.
"Wait... What? Rasa passed out? From anger? And why the hell am I getting Genjutsu bonuses for that? He's a Magnet Release ninja, not a damn illusionist!" Kazuyama groaned, dragging his hand down his face. "System, are you sure you're not handing out rewards at random?"
His body ached, and he let out a hiss as he shifted positions. "Hah... Whatever. I just need rest. Not even sure if those two idiots are back yet... No strength left in me."
He grimaced at his injuries, silently cursing the aftereffects of opening the Eight Inner Gates. His torn muscles screamed for relief. "Note to self—never use the Eight Gates unless I have a damn good reason. My body can't handle it... Ugh, lucky I only hit him with my right hand the whole time."
In desperation, he called out to his partner. "Hey, Chōmei! Can you use your chakra to heal me?"
The voice of Chōmei, the Seven-Tails, resonated in his mind, laced with teasing amusement.
"Do you think I'm a stinking fox? That's Kurama's shtick. My chakra doesn't heal people, but I can paralyze you a little to numb the pain if you want."
Kazuyama sighed, too exhausted to argue. "Yeah, yeah, just do it. I'm hurting too much to care at this point."
Chōmei chuckled. "Alright, but don't expect miracles. You're on your own for recovery."
Kazuyama grumbled under his breath but changed the topic quickly. "Fine, lend me some chakra, at least. Let's take the Gold Dust and get out of here before anyone shows up. This haul is mine, and I'm not letting anyone take it."
Meanwhile, in the forest of the Land of Rivers, the Sunagakure Jōnin squad cautiously approached the aftermath of the battle. The silence was eerie, and their hearts sank when they found Rasa unconscious in the center of the battlefield.
One of the Jōnin muttered in disbelief, "Lord Rasa... has fainted? From anger?"
Another teammate surveyed the area, frustration building. "Damn it! Where's the enemy? Were they taken out?"
Umahara, their leader, scanned the surroundings, his expression darkening. "Forget the enemy. Get Lord Rasa out of here—he needs medical attention immediately!"
As they moved to lift Rasa, Umahara's gaze fell on something unusual. A crude line of text had been scrawled on Rasa's clothes. Squinting, he read it aloud.
"'Your father is here?'"
The words hit like a slap, and his face turned black with embarrassment.
"What the hell... Your father is here?!" Umahara's grip tightened as he fought the urge to curse aloud. Gritting his teeth, he ordered the team to retreat with their unconscious leader.
What none of them noticed, however, was the faint shimmer of a Flying Thunder God seal fading away on Rasa's clothes—its presence slowly vanishing into nothingness.
…
Supported by Chōmei's chakra, Kazuyama endured the excruciating pain as he transported a massive haul of Gold Dust back to the Land of Fire. He couldn't risk anyone discovering his treasure, so he located a secluded cave to temporarily store it. The rest would have to wait until he could return to the village, retrieve some storage scrolls, and safely transport the Gold Dust home.
Walking along the main road in the Land of Fire, Kazuyama winced as the sunlight began to brighten the horizon. Every step was agony, and his slow, deliberate pace reflected the toll on his body. After some time, his movements caught the attention of others.
"Haru! Look, isn't that Rokudenashi?"
"It really is! He escaped?"
"Hurry! Go help him!"
A group of ANBU swiftly altered their course, heading straight for Kazuyama. Despite his injuries, Kazuyama's senses were sharp. He felt their approach immediately and ducked into the shadows, bracing against the pain as he concealed himself. But in his overly cautious state, he overlooked one key detail—he was in the Land of Fire. There was no reason for enemies to be after him here.
"Rokudenashi, don't hide—it's us!"
Haru's familiar voice called out, cutting through the quiet. Hearing it, Kazuyama exhaled in relief, berating himself for being so paranoid.
"Hurry up and help me… I'm going to die," he groaned weakly, his exhaustion evident.
Haru and Rinkaku immediately rushed to his side.
"How did you escape? Where are the Sunagakure shinobi?"
Kazuyama waved off the question with a curt, "Don't ask. If you're asking, it means they've retreated."
Retreated? Haru raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. It seemed unlikely, but the sight of Kazuyama's battered condition under the moonlight silenced further questions. Haru exchanged a glance with the ANBU squad behind him, nodding for them to proceed.
"Rinkaku, take him back to the village. I'll lead a team to investigate."
Rinkaku gave a short nod, hoisting Kazuyama onto his back and heading towards the village. Meanwhile, Haru led the rest of the ANBU deeper into the Land of Rivers.
When they reached the battlefield, the scene left them stunned.
The destruction was staggering—countless trees lay shattered, their trunks pierced clean through, and even large stones had been reduced to powder.
"Such powerful destructive power…"
"And traces of Gold Dust…"
"Caused by Rasa?"
"Huh? Bloodstains?"
Haru crouched and examined the bloodstains on the ground, his face contemplative. When he had first seen Kazuyama, there hadn't been any wounds on him. Obviously, these bloodstains weren't his.
That left only one possibility: the blood belonged to Rasa or his men.
Did this guy actually beat Rasa and the others into retreating?
"Haru, over here."
One of the ANBU called out, having made a new discovery. The group gathered to find a Sunagakure Jōnin lying lifeless, his chest pierced through.
"A penetrating injury—his heart's been completely shattered," Haru observed with a nod.
"This was Rokudenashi's doing. I saw it happen," another ANBU member remarked.
"It seems Rokudenashi was right—the enemy has retreated."
"Let's go. Take the body and report back."
Meanwhile, with Rinkaku's help, Kazuyama stumbled back to the village. But as soon as they reached the gates, Kazuyama collapsed. The pain in his body had been unbearable, and he had pushed himself relentlessly until he felt the safety of the village walls.
"Rokudenashi?"
"Shit. Are you some kind of hibernating bear? Can't you collapse somewhere convenient?"
"Forget it. Let's get you to the hospital first."
Rinkaku muttered irritably, though hearing Kazuyama's steady breathing made him feel slightly better. Despite his grumbling, he was grateful—Rokudenashi had saved their lives, after all. He carefully carried Kazuyama to the ANBU's special infirmary and ensured he was treated.
Once Kazuyama was stabilized, the two of them waited until Haru and the others returned. Together, they headed to the Hokage building to report.
"Lord Hokage, the enemy this time was Rasa, an elite Jōnin from the Suna. He is a Magnet Release user and is believed to be a direct descendant of the Third Kazekage," Haru reported.
"We encountered him, and Rokudenashi managed to kill one of his men. The enemy has since retreated, but Rokudenashi is now resting in the ANBU infirmary due to severe exhaustion."
As Haru and Rinkaku finished their account, Hiruzen's expression turned thoughtful.
"Magnet Release? What exactly does he control?"
"Gold. Gold Dust," Haru clarified.
Hiruzen's face shifted subtly at the mention of gold.
"No wonder Sunagakure has been so active lately. It seems they've been preparing for this Magnet Release ninja. With gold at their disposal, they could achieve much—not just in battle, but for their village's economy and infrastructure."
Clearly, the Third Hokage recognized Rasa's value. Gold Dust wasn't just a weapon; it was a resource of tremendous strategic importance.
"Haru, if you were up against a ninja like that, how would you escape?" Hiruzen asked. "And how did ANBU Rokudenashi manage to kill one of them?"
Hiruzen knew the strength of Haru and Rinkaku—both were elite ninjas, but against a Magnet Release Jōnin, they wouldn't stand much of a chance. And Rokudenashi? He wasn't exactly known for his combat prowess.
Haru chuckled lightly at Hiruzen's skepticism.
"Lord Hokage, I don't believe the rumors about Rokudenashi's incompetence are true. He was crucial to our escape and the mission's success."
"We were at a disadvantage, but Rokudenashi's skills allowed us to retreat safely. He held off the Sunagakure forces, including Rasa, to give us time to return to the village for reinforcements. By the time we came back, Rasa and the others had already retreated, and Rokudenashi was completely exhausted."
Haru's concise explanation sent shockwaves through Hiruzen's mind.
Kazuyama, that brat… took the initiative? Fought against Rasa? And he even defeated him?
Is this for real? Why don't I believe it?
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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