Chapter 212: Big Brother Li Isn't That Kind of Person
High in the sky.
Li Yao lay on the back of the clay bird, his raised right hand flickering with strands of white lightning, carefully sensing its properties.
"I didn't expect that chakra of a single nature could be developed in such different directions."
The White Lightning developed by Sakumo Hatake and the Black Lightning developed by the Third Raikage were fundamentally different in nature.
Black Lightning focused on amplifying three main properties of lightning: pain, paralysis, and conduction.
Its attacks inflicted pain a hundred times more intense than normal electrocution and left opponents completely paralyzed.
Back when the Third Raikage was chasing Li Yao across the ocean, Li Yao had tried to lure him away using Gray Earth as bait, riding a Black Iron Shark.
But the Third Raikage used the enhanced conductivity of Black Lightning to spread a lightning field across a two-kilometer radius of ocean, completely foiling the plan.
This demonstrated just how powerful Black Lightning's conductivity was.
White Lightning, on the other hand, abandoned conductivity and paralysis entirely, focusing solely on penetration.
Sakumo's White Lightning had astonishing piercing power. When controlled precisely and channeled onto his short blade, it gained immense cutting ability.
Even Kazekaze's Wind Armor couldn't withstand it.
"White Lightning and Black Lightning…"
"I wonder if fusing the two would result in an even more powerful Lightning Release chakra."
Li Yao made a decision—his Lightning Clone's future development would focus on merging White and Black Lightning.
The Wind Clone would continue down the path of thinner, sharper slashes.
The Earth Clone would keep enhancing the mass—or rather, the density—of the Ultra-Weighted Boulder chakra.
With Wind, Lightning, and Earth Clones done…
The Fire Clone was reserved for someone from the Uchiha clan. Only the Water Clone remained.
"Looks like I'll need to find an excuse to make a trip to Kirigakure."
"What excuse should I use?" Li Yao pondered.
Back at the Wind Country border, Li Yao and Koyuki waited several days before returning to Drizzle City.
Yahiko and his group had also returned from the Fire Country border.
On the road, the three were cheerful, but tinged with a hint of melancholy.
"Sigh…"
"Jiraiya-sensei has a new student now," Yahiko said, sighing.
They had gone to the Fire Country border hoping to explain the situation to Konoha ninja after failing to find the attackers of Akatsuki.
But the moment they were spotted, the Konoha shinobi mistook them for invaders and attacked.
Luckily, they ran into Jiraiya and his new apprentice, Minato Namikaze, who were traveling and training nearby.
In the end, they told Jiraiya about how Akatsuki had been attacked by shinobi from Konoha and the other Great Nations, and why.
Jiraiya immediately understood—it sounded exactly like something the Three Great Villages would do.
He apologized sincerely and promised to return to Konoha to speak directly to his teacher, the Third Hokage, and put an end to the hostility toward Akatsuki.
When border guards heard that the leader of Akatsuki was Jiraiya's student, their hostility dropped significantly.
After all, as a student of the Third Hokage and one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya partially represented the Hokage's will.
With Jiraiya's personal promise, Yahiko and the others were truly happy. Their teacher really was different from the rest—a powerful ninja capable of true understanding.
In short, seeing Jiraiya again had lifted their spirits.
Though, seeing Minato, who was their age and already by Jiraiya's side, stirred a little jealousy—it felt like their teacher's affection had been taken.
Still, overall, meeting Jiraiya again brought them genuine joy. Especially when he listened to their current goals and smiled with such pride—it felt as refreshing and satisfying as drinking ice water in the heat of summer.
Their mood had stayed cheerful the entire way back.
"Who's there?"
Nagato suddenly called out. Yahiko and Konan immediately stopped, gathering chakra and readying for battle.
"You… you're Yahiko, the leader of Akatsuki?"
A boy emerged from behind a large brown boulder up ahead. He was about twelve years old, wearing a standard ninja flak jacket and carrying two short swords on his back. His legs trembled, and his eyes were filled with fear as he stared at the trio—especially Yahiko. Mustering his courage, he asked.
"I'm Yahiko. What's your name? Don't be afraid—we won't hurt you."
Seeing that it was just a child, Yahiko's voice softened considerably.
This boy reminded him of how the three of them once stood before Jiraiya, fearful but brave.
"Is it true your Akatsuki doesn't kill people?" the boy asked nervously, refusing to give his name.
"We don't." Yahiko answered firmly and without hesitation.
"Thank goodness." The boy's eyes lit up with hope. "Then please let my big brother go!"
"..."
The three were stunned. Yahiko asked curiously, "Who's your brother?"
"Yayoi Darō. My brother's name is Yayoi Darō."
Yahiko searched his memory. No such name existed in Akatsuki. He looked at Nagato and Konan, who both shook their heads—they didn't recognize the name either.
"I think you've got the wrong people. We haven't captured your brother," Yahiko said.
Then he realized how that sounded and quickly added, "Our Akatsuki has never captured anyone."
"That's impossible!" the boy's eyes reddened and he shouted. "I asked the people in Kifuku Village. They said they hired Akatsuki! My brother…"
The boy faltered. He knew why his brother had gone there. But to save him, he had no choice but to speak.
"My brother disappeared after he went to that village. So did seven or eight others with him. I also heard that dozens of rogue ninja went missing around that area."
"I looked into it. During that time, only Akatsuki was operating near Kifuku Village. If my brother and the others weren't killed by Akatsuki, then who else could've taken them?"
Ever since confirming his brother was missing, the boy had been investigating. He was certain—only Akatsuki had the power and opportunity.
That's why he'd followed their trail—and luckily, found Yahiko.
"Kifuku Village?"
Nagato and Konan exchanged confused looks. They turned to Yahiko. "Did anyone from Akatsuki take a mission there?"
Yahiko's heart sank. His face turned grim. "Big Brother Li."
He had personally gone with Li Yao to accept that mission, so he remembered it clearly. The moment the boy mentioned it, he knew.
"Brother Li?" Nagato frowned. "But when he came back, he didn't bring anyone…"
Then he thought of something—his face changed instantly. So did Konan's.
"No. No way. Big Brother Li isn't that kind of person!"
Nagato and Konan immediately denied it, their voices full of emotion.
In their eyes, Big Brother Li was a kind and powerful elder figure. In the two years they'd worked together, he had never failed a mission—and never killed anyone.
He couldn't have killed that boy's brother.
He wouldn't have taken anyone.
Big Brother Li wasn't that kind of person.
(END CHAPTER)
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