Chapter 25 – Hoshigaki Kisame
"You guys should go," Yusuke said calmly.
"Hmph, brat… you won't be so lucky next time," Pakura muttered coldly.
As she turned to leave, a sliver of doubt crept into her mind. Was that really a Genjutsu? She could've sworn she saw Yusuke's arm—completely severed…
"We've got the scroll. Let's move. This place isn't safe anymore," Yusuke ordered, his tone serious.
He could feel a heavy pressure slowly thickening in the air. Even without using his full strength, the atmosphere was becoming suffocating. He was still too young, after all.
"Yusuke, there's a clash happening at the northern wall. Looks like it's between Kirigakure and Kumogakure," Hyūga Inaka reported calmly.
"Then let's join the party," Yusuke said with a faint smile.
He wasn't aiming to be a hero. His plan was simple—stay back and profit from the chaos. With that, he and his three teammates began sneaking closer to the battlefield.
"Someone's approaching," one of the sensory-nin from the Kirigakure-Kumogakure skirmish alerted.
Yusuke didn't even try to hide his presence anymore. He wasn't particularly good at stealth, and with high-level sensory types nearby, he'd be found out regardless. As the enemy came into view, he instantly recognized them.
Two of them were still-young elites—Ao and C. Ao hadn't obtained the Byakugan yet, but his sensory skills were already top-tier. As for C, he was one of Raikage's trusted men. That alone spoke volumes.
The rest weren't ordinary either.
Hoshigaki Kisame—the man who would one day be feared as the "Tailed Beast without a Tail."
Mei Terumi—the future Fifth Mizukage, already wielding two Kekkei Genkai.
Darui—the Raikage's personal guard, inheritor of the Third Raikage's Black Lightning, and future commander of the First Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Also a user of Storm Release.
And finally… a stunning blonde kunoichi with a striking figure—Samui.
No wonder the tension was so thick—it was a lineup that would rattle anyone.
"Nice to meet you all. Don't mind me. Just passing by," Yusuke said casually, leaping onto a tree branch and reclining as if he were just there to spectate.
Everyone instantly frowned. With him here, who would dare to keep fighting?
A three-way standoff began to form.
"Hey, handsome~ give me a hand, will you?" Mei Terumi called out with a playful wink.
"Sorry, I don't plan to get involved," Yusuke replied, shrugging.
"Brat, go to hell!" Kisame barked, his patience gone.
Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!
A massive shark made of water surged toward Yusuke.
How ridiculous… the amount of chakra he's pouring into a mere B-rank jutsu, Yusuke thought, activating his Kenbunshoku Haki.
He could feel Kisame's chakra—it was already at jōnin level. Though he hadn't yet become the "tailless beast," for his age, it was impressive.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
Yusuke formed seals and launched a massive ball of flame.
The others smirked. Fire against water? And just a C-rank jutsu?
But then, the fireball roared through the air, evaporating the shark in an instant.
"If you're attacking me, then I'll respond in kind," Yusuke muttered as he drew his blade and charged straight at Kisame.
Mei scowled, glaring at Kisame. Kisame didn't care—his eyes were lit with battle-lust.
Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique!
This time, the shark was faster and more vicious—Kisame wasn't holding back anymore.
I have to end this fast, Yusuke decided.
A sudden wave of Conqueror's Haki burst out.
Ao and C collapsed under the sheer weight of it. The others staggered, barely keeping their balance.
"What was that…? That wasn't ninjutsu," Samui whispered, stunned.
She hadn't seen a single hand sign—it defied her understanding of chakra manipulation.
"Darui, don't move yet," Samui warned.
"Understood, ma'am."
Eagle Wave!
With a single slash, Yusuke's blade unleashed a sharp wave that tore the watery beast apart.
Hatake Style: Asura!
He followed up with a relentless flurry of strikes.
Kisame didn't have time to weave hand signs. He drew his sword to block but was still knocked back by the raw force of Yusuke's blows.
Yusuke pressed forward without hesitation.
Despite Kisame's enormous chakra reserves, they weren't enough to support large-scale jutsu under the pressure of that Haki. He couldn't use powerful techniques, and the weaker ones were useless against Yusuke's speed and strength. His taijutsu was solid—but nowhere near Yusuke's level.
On top of that, he'd already used a good amount of chakra fighting Kumogakure's ninjas earlier. Now, he was running dry.
And the worst part? Yusuke wasn't even that fast… but still, every strike landed cleanly. He was just that precise.
I have to finish this… now!
One Sword Style: Lion's Song!
A single swift motion—Yusuke vanished and reappeared behind Kisame, sword already sheathed.
Kisame collapsed.
"You bastard…" Mei hissed, gritting her teeth as she glared at the ever-composed Yusuke.
"Hand over the scroll and I'll let him live. Otherwise, I can bury him now," Yusuke said as he approached Kisame's unconscious body.
He switched gears so fast? the others thought, both irritated and confused.
"Don't give me that look. He attacked first. Unless you're planning to interfere too? Don't forget… there's still Kumogakure's squad watching," Yusuke reminded them, glancing at Darui and Samui.
"…Take it," Mei growled and tossed the scroll.
Yusuke casually kicked Kisame's unconscious body back toward them—without the slightest care.
"Alright, Kumogakure. Your turn. Shouldn't you hand over your scroll too?" he asked.
"Don't get cocky, brat. You've got to be low on chakra by now," Darui said, cautious.
"Haha! I haven't even used much ninjutsu," Yusuke grinned.
"Then your stamina must be shot."
"Wanna find out?"
Lightning Release: Black Panther!
A black panther-shaped bolt of lightning roared toward Yusuke.
"This lightning… it won't be easy to cut through," Darui muttered.
"So this is the Third Raikage's Black Lightning? Not very impressive," Yusuke sneered.
"You little—"
Darui's words stopped short.
Yusuke caught the lightning… with one hand.
Then crushed it.
"No way…" Darui whispered.
In truth, the pain in Yusuke's arm was excruciating—even with Armament Haki reinforcing it. But he didn't show it. Thankfully, Darui hadn't meant to kill—just test him. Besides, Darui's chakra had also been drained in the earlier fight.
"So? Do you still want to fight?" Yusuke asked coolly.
"…We'll hand over the scroll," Samui replied, pulling it from her pouch.
She couldn't gauge Yusuke's full strength, but one thing was clear—picking a fight now would be suicide. And siding with Kirigakure was off the table.
"Good. That's the smart choice. Well then, I'll be on my way. See you in the finals," Yusuke said, pocketing the scroll and walking off.
"What an interesting kid…" Mei muttered, watching his figure disappear into the distance.
Samui was still staring blankly where he had stood. "That technique of his… on a real battlefield, it would be terrifying."
Yusuke, unaware of their thoughts, regrouped with Inoka, Kitagawa, and Kaori.
Along the way, they snagged a few more scrolls from weakened teams. It was about time to leave the area—not just because most teams were down, but because the accommodations and food here were absolutely terrible.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
📚 Want to read more chapters or get early access?
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ Enjoy 25 chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ Get 1-2 new chapters every day exclusively on Patreon
📚 Want to read more chapters or get early access?
Join my Ko-Fi here:
🔗 ko-fi.com/faaanzkun
✅ Enjoy 25 chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ Get 1-2 new chapters every day exclusively on Ko-fi
Join now and dive deeper into the story—weeks ahead of public release!
Thank you for your amazing support 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —