S-Rank Mission
Chi Yu eyed the Sage Mode technique in the exchange store.
However, he hesitated to spend 20,000 Witness Points to obtain it immediately.
After all, he already had a summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave, meaning he could travel there directly to learn Sage Mode from the White Snake Sage. If everything went smoothly, he could save a significant amount of points.
Witness Points were not easy to earn—conserving them wherever possible was wise. Accumulating more would allow him to trade for even rarer and more powerful abilities that could truly elevate his strength.
But now was definitely not the right time to travel to Ryūchi Cave for Sage Mode training. The process was long, dangerous, and required complete stillness—conditions incompatible with the current wartime chaos.
Besides, with his Mangekyō Sharingan, Chi Yu didn't feel an urgent need to strengthen himself any further—at least not yet.
So, he decided to wait. Perhaps until the war ended. Then, and only then, would he seek out the true power of natural energy.
After recovering his strength, Chi Yu resumed his mission—continuing to hunt down Kumogakure shinobi within the Land of Hot Water.
Days passed.
In this contested territory, the name Minato Namikaze had begun to spread like wildfire. With the precision of the Flying Thunder God Technique, he struck down enemy ninja faster than they could even perceive danger.
Minato was quickly earning the infamous title: "The Yellow Flash of Konoha."
And to the Cloud shinobi, it was becoming unbearable.
First came Chi Yu. Now came Minato Namikaze.
Both excelled in speed. But their styles couldn't be more different.
Chi Yu was direct, head-on, and ruthless.
Minato was elusive—like a phantom—appearing out of nowhere, striking with surgical precision, and vanishing before anyone could retaliate.
But they shared one crucial trait: Cloud shinobi couldn't stop either of them.
---
Several Days Later
Chi Yu received urgent orders from Orochimaru to return to base immediately.
Upon arriving, he noted that Kakashi Hatake wasn't present—likely out on a mission.
Chi Yu reported directly to Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I've returned."
Orochimaru folded his hands, a rare smile playing across his face. "Your mission has been a success."
Chi Yu returned the smile. "Almost. Now, I just need the right opportunity to take the next step."
"There will be one," Orochimaru said, his expression darkening. "The war's balance has shifted."
Chi Yu raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"
Orochimaru's voice grew more serious. "You've been preoccupied in the Land of Hot Water, so you've missed some critical developments. There's unrest in Sunagakure and Kirigakure."
"The Third Kazekage has disappeared—presumed dead. Without a leader, Suna has diverted all its forces to the search, withdrawing from the frontlines. Meanwhile, Kirigakure is embroiled in civil conflict. Their external deployments are weak and scattered. This presents a window."
Chi Yu's eyes narrowed.
So Sasori has already assassinated the Third Kazekage...
That meant full-scale war was inevitable.
Even if the Stone and Cloud didn't escalate, Konoha would have no choice but to seize this opportunity.
Orochimaru continued, "We've confirmed that Killer B, the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki, has returned to Kumogakure. You, Chi Yu, possess the Mangekyō Sharingan. I'm assigning you an S-rank mission."
"Your task: infiltrate Kumogakure, bypass its defenses, and locate Killer B. Remove the Iron Armor Seal suppressing the Eight-Tails and unleash it within the village. Cause as much destruction as possible."
Orochimaru held out a small vial. "This is a Genjutsu paralysis pill. It induces full-body immobility while keeping the target conscious. Can you perform Five Elements Unsealing?"
Chi Yu nodded. "Kushina Uzumaki taught me the fundamentals of sealing before she returned to the front lines."
"Good," Orochimaru said with satisfaction. "Here's how it will work: once you immobilize Killer B, remove the Iron Seal and use your Mangekyō Sharingan to take control of Gyūki—the Eight-Tails. Direct it to attack Kumogakure from within."
"This mission is dangerous. It is S-rank. Do you accept it?"
Chi Yu's lips curled into a confident grin. "A mission of such magnitude? Of course."
He knew Orochimaru had originally planned to execute this mission himself. Now, the baton had been passed.
Orochimaru tossed him the sealed scroll. "Then I leave it to you."
Chi Yu caught it smoothly. "Understood, Orochimaru-sensei. I'm departing now."
---
Kumogakure
Several nights later.
In a quiet room, Killer B stood at his window, staring at the full moon.
From behind him, a long octopus tentacle gently swayed—a portion of Gyūki's chakra tail slipping free.
Suddenly, he turned at the sound of footsteps.
"Yo... it's you, A."
Killer B quickly retracted the tentacle.
The Fourth Raikage, A, stepped forward, face stern.
"Can't sleep?" he asked.
B looked back at the moon. "On full moons, I feel the hole in my chest the most."
A's brow furrowed. "Still haven't found anything to fill it?"
B's voice was hollow. "Maybe I never will. My body's here, but my heart... it's already gone. I feel like I'm walking alone in a desert. As long as I'm locked up here, I'll never find anything."
A's tone softened. "Is there anything I can do?"
B let out a heavy sigh. "My heart's beyond saving. If something happens… I leave the rest to you."
A stared at his brother for a long moment.
When they were children, B had stood out for his strength, heart, and talent. That's why Gyūki was sealed into him.
He had trained relentlessly, mastering his bond with the Eight-Tails. Both A and Gyūki had placed immense hope in him.
But B had learned the hard way what it meant to be a Jinchūriki.
The villagers' gazes changed. The whispers grew louder. Isolation settled in.
B grew tired—haunted by dreams of death.
And even now, in the safety of his own room, the cracks in his heart were growing deeper.
The Eight-Tails would seize any weakness. One slip—and it would go berserk.
But despite everything, Killer B had never found anything to fill that empty place inside.
A said nothing more. He turned and walked away.
---
Outside, in the shadows of another house, a man wearing a Kumogakure forehead protector silently observed.
It was Chi Yu—disguised with a Transformation Technique and concealed further by a chakra-suppressing mask.
Even the sensory units wouldn't detect him.
He shifted locations and entered Kumogakure's medical facility under cover of darkness.
Inside the infirmary, a lone medic was reviewing a chart when a small, pale white snake slithered silently across the floor.
The snake reared up behind the medic—and transformed into Chi Yu.
Without hesitation, Chi Yu drew his blade and slit the medic's throat in one clean motion.
After wiping the blood clean, he burned the corpse with a sealing tag and took the man's place, donning his uniform.
Chi Yu sat down calmly in the medical ninja's chair—eyes half-lidded, heart steady—waiting in silence for the real mission to begin.
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