Calendar pages flipped faster and faster. Before anyone noticed, Konoha Year 34 had reached its end.
Over the last two months, Gojo Yoru hadn't just stayed in Konoha to train—he followed Orochimaru across nearly half the shinobi world.
They took all kinds of missions:
C-rank escorts for merchant caravans, B-rank escorts for nobles, and even an A-rank request from a small country to help wipe out an enemy-nin squad…
In just two months, Yoru's record went from one S-rank mission and a handful of D-ranks… to:
57 D-rank missions, 1 C-rank, 1 B-rank, 1 A-rank, and 1 S-rank.
That résumé was absolutely No. 1 among genin—even more dazzling than the canon Sand siblings' records.
And it had only been a little over half a year since Yoru graduated early.
The reason he could clear that many missions in such a short time was, of course, Flying Thunder God.
The missions that took the most time weren't the high-level "kill a ninja squad" assignments—it was the C- and B-rank escorts where he had to march alongside the client.
Without Flying Thunder God, just the round trip alone would take half a month.
But with Flying Thunder God, once they escorted the client to the destination, a few blinks later they were back in Konoha.
To make Flying Thunder God formulas "bloom everywhere" across the shinobi world, Orochimaru didn't give Yoru long vacations. He would rest only a day or two, then head out again.
Even training happened along the way.
…
"We won't make it to the next village or town at this point. Let's make do here for the night."
Another B-rank escort mission.
In the Land of Bears—wedged between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth—near a rocky mountain region close to the Land of Earth.
Orochimaru chose a good spot and told the client.
The client didn't object. Instead, he politely asked, "Then we'll have to trouble you ninja-sama with night watch."
"Don't worry. It's our duty," Orochimaru replied.
While the group set up tents, Yoru—like always—went off to find secluded, inconspicuous places to leave Flying Thunder God formulas.
He didn't know the maximum distance between the caster and the marks, so he left a formula every few miles—sometimes every ten-plus miles.
When he "felt" them, countless points of light instantly appeared in his mind—space–time anchors, each one a Flying Thunder God formula.
As long as he spent space–time chakra to connect to an anchor, Yoru could appear at any one of them instantly.
Slash—
As Yoru walked alone past a massive boulder, a streak of cold light suddenly shot out from inside the rock, slicing across his body.
"Got one."
A transparent figure gradually became solid.
The assassin smiled smugly, thinking the job was done.
But in the next second, his smile froze.
Plop. Yoru's body—bisected by the ninja sword—turned into a puddle of mud.
"An earth clone? No—an earth substitute! When did he form seals?!" the ninja blurted in disbelief.
Then he snapped awake and hurriedly started to form hand seals to escape.
At that moment, a hand landed on his shoulder.
"You've been tailing us for a while. Must've been hard work. Take a rest."
"Sealing Art: Four Limbs Weighting Seal."
Tadpole-like markings spread from the shoulder, instantly stealing control of the assassin's body.
Pew—!
Just as Yoru finished sealing him, another figure suddenly emerged from a boulder nearby, spitting out a pebble that screamed through the air toward Yoru.
"There's another one?"
Yoru was mildly surprised and blinked away, dodging the pebble.
The second ninja didn't try to fight. He burst out of the rock, grabbed his companion, and tried to flee.
Rip—
With the sound of cloth tearing, the ninja's vision caught a flash of golden light.
In the next instant, darkness devoured his awareness, and death took his life.
His head separated from his body. Even then, his eyes were filled with confusion—he had no idea where that golden light came from or why he suddenly died.
"Ryūta!!"
The sealed ninja's eyes went wide with rage, and he screamed until his voice tore.
"So loud. You're the attackers—why are you acting like victims?" Yoru said, picking at his ear that was buzzing from the noise.
He changed the "laser sword" Sword of the Thunder God back into its hilt form and put it away, then laid a hand on the ninja's head and used genjutsu to knock him unconscious.
On the ninja's shoulder, a Flying Thunder God formula still remained.
When Yoru sealed him, he'd left a mark out of habit—and that was exactly why the one named Ryūta died.
Yoru waited a little longer.
When no one else appeared, he pulled out a storage scroll, stored Ryūta's head, slung the unconscious ninja over his shoulder, and returned to the group.
"Ninja-sama… who is that?" the client asked, face turning pale as if he'd realized something, seeing Yoru come back carrying a person.
Yoru ignored him and instead reported to Orochimaru—who wore no jōnin vest and looked like a normal traveler.
"Orochimaru-sensei, the rats are out. Besides this guy, I killed another one. They used Earth Release: Hiding in Rock, Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation, and Earth Release: Rock Gun Technique. They should be Iwa-nin from the Land of Earth."
Before Orochimaru could even respond, the client's expression changed violently and he shouted to the group, "Stop setting up the tents! Pack up! We travel through the night!"
Orochimaru crouched and searched the captured ninja's body, then stood and sighed. "Even great-nation shinobi are sneaking into small countries and doing bandit work now. This world is getting messier by the day."
"Orochimaru-sensei, could there be reinforcements behind them? Should I scout?" Yoru asked.
"No need." Orochimaru's voice turned cold. "They don't even have forehead protectors. This isn't an impulsive job—these are trained raiders. They may not even have official ninja files."
"People who do this kind of dirty work have formulas planted in their brains. The people above don't let them know much. You won't get intelligence out of them. Kill him."
"Yes."
Yoru took out the Sword of the Thunder God and fed chakra into it.
A dazzling golden beam shot out from the center of the hilt, pierced straight through the nameless ninja's head, and sent him to the Pure Land to reunite with Ryūta.
Then, at the client's request, the group traveled through the night.
Scenes like this weren't happening only to Yoru and Orochimaru—across the shinobi world, they were everywhere.
Military conflicts driven by economic imbalance were escalating.
Right now, the great nations still had enough shame to hide their forehead protectors.
When the conflicts escalated further… they wouldn't even bother hiding anymore.
~~~
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