Chapter 96: The Operation
"Boss."
The middle-aged man opened his eyes, looked at the Third Raikage, and smiled. He nodded and said, "We've located the brat."
"Where?" the Third Raikage asked with a grin.
The man dumped the bucket of small fish into the sea, and the circling seagulls immediately swooped down to feast.
"In the center of the Sea of Storms, there's an island," the man said.
"There's an island in the Sea of Storms?"
The Third Raikage was a bit surprised. The Sea of Storms was a vast, violent ocean where storms frequently broke out. He had never heard of an island in it—only of people who entered and never returned, forever lost. That's why it was also known as the Sea of the Lost.
Who would have thought there was an island hidden within?
That brat had indeed found a great hiding spot.
Unfortunately for him, he encountered the Dharma family, who could communicate with and command birds.
The Third Raikage smiled inwardly and asked, "How long will it take us to get there?"
"By boat? One month."
"On Peda…" The man furrowed his brow, thinking. "Three days at most."
"Good," said the Third Raikage. "Then we'll capture him in three days."
"Understood, Boss," the man replied, his eyes suddenly rolling back as if linking with something.
SCREEEE!
A sharp eagle cry echoed as a massive shadow fell over the steamship. The birds pecking at the fish fled in panic.
WHUMP WHUMP!
The sound of giant wings flapping stirred powerful gusts of wind.
The Third Raikage looked up. In front of the ship hovered a gigantic gray-brown eagle—larger than the vessel itself.
"So this is Peda—the eagle the Dharma family raised over generations using secret chakra supplements. Huge!"
The Raikage couldn't help but marvel, then smirked. Now he no longer feared the brat's flight jutsu.
"Please, Boss," the middle-aged man gestured, pride unhidden in his voice and expression.
In a world where flight jutsu was rare, the Dharma family had carved out special status in Kumogakure by raising giant eagles for aerial reconnaissance.
Whoosh whoosh… Five people leapt onto Peda's back.
Along with the Raikage and the Dharma handler, three other elite guards joined—his personal squad, known for their strength and coordination.
The five rode atop the eagle, about the size of a mid-size aircraft, flying straight toward what Li Yao had named Snake Island.
…
Sea of War, near the Land of Earth.
At 1,000 meters in the sky, a white bird with black markings glided gracefully.
On its back, Sarutobi Tenchū and Ayase studied a large map detailing the islands of the Sea of War and surrounding danger zones.
"We've searched nearly all the islands on this side. Beyond here, the temperature drops below freezing—Li Yao likely wouldn't head that way," Ayase said, pointing at the northern sea on the map.
Over the past few days, they had combed through every habitable island without finding any trace of Li Yao.
Going further north would mean frigid temperatures—unlikely that Li Yao would head there, and if he did, he wouldn't stay long.
"Then that just leaves here."
Tenchū pointed to the large blank area in the center of the map. According to fishermen, this central region was called the Sea of Storms—known for its constant violent weather and for being completely devoid of islands. Anyone who got lost there was as good as dead.
During previous wars between the Lands of Earth and Lightning, ships deliberately avoided that region.
If Li Yao wasn't in the northern waters, then Kumogakure—having more intel—would likely have begun their search. If even they hadn't found him…
Then Li Yao's hiding place had to be within the Sea of Storms.
Either that, or he had snuck back to one of the small nations on the southern shores.
Regardless, they had to investigate the Sea of Storms.
"Shall we go?" Ayase hesitated, looking at the enormous area marked on the map—it was larger than half of Konoha.
Unlike land, the sea offered no rest. Getting lost in there would be dangerous.
"We won't go deep. We'll fly high, just to check the situation."
Tenchū patted her hand. "Li Yao will run out of soldier pills eventually. He'll show himself again. We just need to narrow down his location."
With Li Yao's intel now circulating, the Land of Lightning would definitely bite. Even if the other villages didn't believe it at first, once they saw Kumogakure act, they'd likely send teams too.
As long as they sent people looking, the Third Hokage's plan would succeed.
Tenchū and Ayase's mission wasn't urgent—they just had to do their best.
They immediately turned their Ink Bird and flew toward the Sea of Storms.
…
Three days later – Eastern Border of the Land of Earth
Hovering over a small city, Li Yao stood atop the Black Iron Giant Eagle, gazing down under the blazing sun. His chakra sense detected six signatures below.
Four of them—one adult and three youths—were likely rookies from Iwagakure on a D-rank mission. No threat.
The other two were inside a luxurious tower.
Due to the windy climate, the Land of Earth favored round building designs.
And unlike Fire Country's noble villas, their elites preferred tall, modern buildings—the taller the structure, the greater the status.
Clearly, Li Yao's target was the tallest tower in town.
The two chakra signatures inside were likely bodyguards—possibly from Iwagakure, or maybe rogue ninja. Judging by their strength, they were average chūnin at best. Li Yao could handle them easily.
Still, he waited until nightfall to descend from the eagle, connected to it by a Black Iron Chain to ensure escape if needed.
Tap. He landed lightly on a spire-shaped rooftop.
Focusing chakra in his soles, he walked down the curved roof until he reached the top-floor window.
Two ninja guarded the door outside, standing to the left and right of a fat man inside the room.
Li Yao released a wave of illusionary genjutsu chakra, seeping it through the window.
Then, extending a fine Black Iron Chain through the window's gap, he unlocked it.
Creak… The sound was loud.
But the man and woman inside—already under genjutsu—remained motionless. Li Yao even stood beside them for a moment, watching. No reaction.
"Not bad."
He smirked. The genjutsu was working well.
"Next up… the guards."
Two Black Iron Chains phased through the wall and entered the guards' bodies.
Instantly, their chakra was sealed. The chains wrapped around them, immobilizing them on the spot.
Li Yao retracted the chains. But the bindings didn't vanish—their fusion with his consciousness allowed them to remain active, even detached.
He then controlled everyone in the building with genjutsu chakra. He even had the chef prepare food for him before returning to the top floor.
Inside, the fat man looked at his two captured rogue ninja—yet didn't react at all.
From his perspective, Li Yao didn't even exist.
That's how thorough Li Yao's genjutsu was—it erased his presence from every non-shinobi in the building.
Against regular people, ninja were truly overwhelming.
Even simple illusionary chakra could trap them in false realities without them ever noticing.
How did the daimyō rule from on high if they were this vulnerable?
Li Yao briefly wondered, then shrugged. As long as they didn't provoke him, it didn't matter.
Now… it was time to test the mysteries of genjutsu chakra.
"Mmph… mmph…"
The two rogue ninja, wide-eyed with terror, stared pleadingly at Li Yao.
They had never imagined meeting such a terrifying shinobi in a remote city.
Though they were wanderers, they still recognized the legendary Adamantine Sealing Chains of the Uzumaki.
Which made them fully aware of how dangerous Li Yao was.
Even if he looked like a twelve-year-old.
They only hoped he wouldn't kill them.
But Li Yao gave them no chance to speak. He retracted the Black Iron Chains and immediately injected Dark Path illusionary chakra into their bodies.
Their vision went black. Convinced they were about to die, they thrashed in panic.
Li Yao calmly observed the chakra's effect as it merged into their internal networks.
(END CHAPTER)
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