RedX43
patreon
[Konoha] Chapter 90: A Little Shock, Aerial Assault!
🕑 Added 2024-09-03 09:30:02 +0000 UTCAfter capturing the enemy, Chihiro immediately used genjutsu in combination with Yamanaka Shinichi to interrogate the leader of the enemy squad and extract information.
Shūichi silently observed. Apart from himself, it was clear that this team had been working together for a long time, exhibiting a strong sense of camaraderie.
Even in the field, where Shinichi couldn't directly invade the enemy's mind to read their memories, the cooperation with a genjutsu expert allowed them to extract information swiftly.
"The number of enemies matches exactly what Flame sensed, and they are indeed remnants of the Sky Ninja."
"Besides this base, there are at least three other bases, but unfortunately, the leader doesn't know their exact locations," Shinichi reported after ending his technique.
Shinnosuke Sarutobi nodded, "It looks like we’ll have to capture the leader of this base."
He quickly outlined the plan: "Mind, you'll take control of this squad leader. I, Seeker, and Flame will use Shadow Clones transformed into the other three, pretending to be pursued by enemies…"
The strategy was simple, much like disguising themselves in enemy uniforms to deceive and infiltrate.
Everyone moved swiftly. Yamanaka Shinichi used his Mind Transfer Technique to control the enemy leader, while Shūichi and the other two created Shadow Clones and transformed into the other three enemies. As for the real enemies, they were put into an eternal sleep.
Akimichi Chōgan carried Shinichi on his back due to his large frame.
With the four in the front pretending to flee and the other five in pursuit, they approached the enemy’s rest point.
The patrol squad, who had just sat down to rest, were startled by the sudden cries of an enemy attack and rushed out of their wooden hut.
Seeing their comrades being closely chased by enemies, they were shocked.
"Shūichi, what’s going on?"
"Why didn’t you use the signal flare?" the squad leader shouted, pulling out a signal flare.
Before he could fire it, Shūichi threw a kunai with pinpoint accuracy, striking the squad leader’s wrist.
"Be careful, they’re impostors!" the squad leader yelled in pain.
Demonic Illusion: Tree Binding Death!
As soon as Shūichi threw the kunai, Chihiro had already begun weaving hand signs.
The genjutsu took effect, and in the enemy’s perception, they were bound by trees.
In the next instant, blood splattered, and the screams were abruptly cut short.
Shūichi and Shinnosuke’s Shadow Clones almost simultaneously slit the throats of two more enemies.
The battle was over. Shinichi released his Mind Transfer Technique, then quickly controlled a bird to fly towards the enemy base.
The enemy no longer had any defensive lines left.
Watching the bird fly away, Shūichi thought of his Transformation Master tag.
With that tag, he could transform into a bird and fly.
Unlike now, where even if he transformed into a bird, he couldn’t actually take flight.
Of course, with enough knowledge of biology and aerodynamics, it would theoretically be possible to fly.
It’s like how Naruto and Gamabunta cooperated to transform into the Nine-Tails, gaining claws capable of holding onto Shukaku.
However, the difficulty of using claws is vastly different from the challenge of using wings.
Even baby birds born with wings have to go through a period of trial and error before they can learn to fly!
Shūichi had never considered transforming into a bird before, but now he realized that if he used Shadow Clones to transform into birds and practiced flying in cliff areas, once he mastered it, he would quickly earn the Transformation Master tag.
At that point, he could transform into a tree and look like a tree, or into a stone and become a stone, or even into a fish and swim in the ocean… the possibilities would be endless.
Five minutes later, Yamanaka Shinichi released his Mind Transfer Technique and used a branch to sketch a rough map on the ground.
It was a map of the enemy's base.
"The remnants of the Sky Ninja are all residing in wooden houses at the mountaintop. This is where their leader is located."
"Additionally, there's a village at the base of the mountain where they've set up a guard post," Yamanaka Shinichi explained while pointing at the crude map.
Shinnosuke Sarutobi nodded, "It seems these people are very cautious."
Shūichi studied the map and asked, "Captain, we just need to capture the enemy leader, right?"
"In that case, let's launch an aerial assault!" he suggested.
Nara Satoshi chuckled, "Flame, Mind's Mind Transfer Technique can control birds, but it doesn't offer much combat power."
"I'll handle it!" Shūichi decided to give his teammates a small surprise. He leaped into the air, and as he began to fall, a lotus of fire appeared beneath his feet.
Unlike before, when his technique produced a powerful explosion, this time there was no blast, and Shūichi didn't ascend further. Instead, he stood steadily in mid-air.
The others had seen his Fiery Lotus Steps technique once before, but watching the fiery lotus bloom beneath his feet still left them in awe.
Through the air and light distorted by the intense heat, they could see layers of fire lotuses blooming from the inside out.
This was the perfect form of Fiery Lotus Steps!
"It's beautiful!" Chihiro exclaimed without thinking.
Yamanaka Shinichi praised, "The nature and shape transformation here are simply…"
Nara Satoshi muttered two words, "That's insane."
Shinnosuke Sarutobi, however, thought to himself, "Minato-senpai didn’t exaggerate at all. With such a transformation of Fire Release, there's truly no one in the entire shinobi world who can compare."
"Flame, I'm leaving the Sky Ninja leader to you!" Shinnosuke decided. "The rest of you, prepare for the assault!"
Shūichi nodded and began ascending higher into the sky.
From the ground, he was just a small dot, and with the heat-distorted air, he would be nearly impossible to spot.
On the ground, Shinnosuke and his team started their rapid advance, heading straight for the enemy’s base.
High above, Shūichi had already reached the area above the enemy stronghold and began descending slowly.
Moments later, Shinnosuke and his team entered the village at the base of the mountain and were quickly spotted.
A signal flare shot into the sky with a loud bang.
The enemies at the mountaintop immediately burst out of their rooms, including their leader, a bearded man in a gray robe.
From his aerial vantage point, Shūichi instantly locked onto the leader and began a rapid descent.
"It's Konoha ninja!"
"Damn it! How did they get here?"
"Retreat immediately!" the Sky Ninja leader shouted angrily, but then he sensed something and looked up. His pupils dilated in shock.
Shūichi Hoshita, now plummeting towards him, had already completed his jutsu.
Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!
This was the first genjutsu he had ever mastered.
The Sky Ninja leader’s vision was instantly plunged into darkness. He quickly began forming hand signs to dispel the genjutsu, but found that the usual methods were ineffective.
"Damn it!"
"Watch out for the enemy above us!" the Sky Ninja leader shouted, "Boda, get me out of here! My sight's been taken!"
No sooner had he spoken than he heard the piercing screams of his comrades. Then, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and his consciousness began to fade.
Shūichi swiftly eliminated three enemies, then grabbed the unconscious Sky Ninja leader and retreated down the mountain.
"Flame, great job!" Shinnosuke praised as he rushed past Shūichi, joining Chihiro and the others in their assault on the mountaintop, swiftly cutting down the remaining enemies.
One minute later, the battle was over.
Aside from the leader captured by Shūichi, all the other enemies were eliminated.
Shūichi and his team rested for about half an hour before they began their journey back to Konoha with the captive in tow.
Since Yamanaka Shinichi's technique couldn't delve deep enough to extract all the necessary information from the Sky Ninja leader’s mind, bringing him back alive for interrogation by Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Squad was the best course of action.
By the time they were done, the squad would be able to uncover everything, even down to when the leader last wet his pants at the age of three.
Around 7 PM, Shūichi and the others returned to Konoha to hand in their mission.
For an ordinary shinobi squad, completing such a mission in a single day would be impossible.
They had two days to rest after that.
But on the last day of rest, just as Shūichi was still in training, Chihiro suddenly appeared, urgently summoning him.
In the changing room, as they geared up, Shinnosuke briefed them on the new mission: "This time, our destination is Yugakure, the Village Hidden in Hot Water."
"The enemy is Kumo-nin, and there’s a chance we'll be facing the A-B Combo!"
(End of Chapter)
Next Time In Konoha's Tag-System Ninja - Shūichi VS Killer Bee!
