A small figure walked along the streets of Konohagakure.
Well… if you ignored what he was carrying, he could be considered small.
On Yoru's back—was meat.
In both hands—more meat.
Even hanging from his neck and shoulders—bags filled with meat.
The villagers stared at the bizarre sight, dumbfounded. Some even stopped to watch for a while.
Is he from the Akimichi clan? many thought in disbelief.
That was way too much food!
And all meat?!
Balanced nutrition?
Yoru would say—don't overthink it.
With his rapid absorption ability, he only needed massive amounts of meat to replenish his body.
Besides, meat in this anime world was a bit different—
As long as you could eat it, it could provide all the nutrients you needed.
Have you ever seen top-tier fighters in the One Piece world eating vegetables?
"The villagers are pretty kind…"
Yoru recalled his earlier trip to buy meat.
Some shop owners recognized him as an orphan and gave him small discounts. One old woman even stuffed extra meat into his hands for free.
"My son also died for Konoha," she had said. "Seeing you… it's like seeing the grandson he left behind."
…
…
Hoshino Clan.
Hoshino Ichiro sat in a dimly lit room, his expression dark.
Below him, a young shinobi knelt on the ground.
"It's just a brat! And he dares defy me!" Ichiro suddenly roared.
"Yes, Clan Head!" The young man lowered his head even further.
"Hoshino Kurato became a Special Jonin because he completed a mission of great importance to the village. As a reward, the village granted him a C-rank ninjutsu."
Ichiro's expression shifted.
"And Kurato specialized in Fire Release."
"You understand how important a C-rank Fire Release ninjutsu is to a small clan like ours… don't you, Hoshino Shōhei?"
"Yes, Clan Head!"
Ninjutsu were generally divided into five ranks: D, C, B, A, and S.
(Super techniques from later periods aside.)
S-rank ninjutsu were extremely rare—even among Kage-level leaders. Each one was a devastating forbidden technique. Some smaller villages didn't possess even a single S-rank ninjutsu.
A-rank ninjutsu were rarely used even in Kage-level battles due to their immense Chakra consumption. Some were also classified as forbidden techniques.
Only a handful of elite shinobi had the chance to learn one or two A-rank techniques.
Mastering A-rank ninjutsu meant becoming the elite among Jonin—the very best of the best.
B-rank ninjutsu were the most commonly used in high-level battles between Kage.
They were powerful—
But still manageable.
Even then, among non-clan shinobi, only Jonin who had made significant contributions could obtain a few.
As for C-rank ninjutsu—
Even in later battles, they remained widely used.
Never underestimate a C-rank Fire Release technique.
The Uchiha clan's signature technique—
The Great Fireball Jutsu—
Was only C-rank!
The true strength of Fire Release didn't depend on its rank—
But on the user.
In the hands of a powerful shinobi, even a C-rank technique could unleash terrifying force!
One of the reasons Konoha became the strongest ninja village—
Aside from its abundant resources—
Was that most advanced Fire Release techniques were concentrated within it.
Ninjutsu—
Was the most valuable resource in this world.
Why did clan-born shinobi shine in war, while civilian shinobi were often cannon fodder?
Because clans possessed advanced ninjutsu—
Something civilians lacked.
A single powerful technique could elevate an entire clan!
"We must obtain that ninjutsu!"
Ichiro's expression hardened, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes.
"Shōhei—I want you to retrieve it."
"Clan Head…!" Shōhei suddenly raised his head.
He understood exactly what that meant.
Retrieve it?
That meant taking it by force—from Hoshino Yoru.
And to ensure the matter remained hidden—
Silencing him permanently would be necessary.
"I believe a newly promoted Chunin like you can handle this cleanly… right?"
Ichiro's voice turned cold.
"I will ensure your parents and younger brother receive better treatment."
Cold sweat broke out across Shōhei's face.
This was a threat—
Using his family's lives to force him into compliance.
"…Yes, Clan Head."
In the end, Shōhei yielded.
"Afterward, you will turn yourself in. Say that you acted out of anger, unable to tolerate Yoru's disrespect toward me."
There was no such thing as a perfect secret.
Especially not when it involved an orphan whose parents had just died.
Sooner or later, it would be discovered.
It was a poor excuse—
But the world worked that way.
All you needed was a thin veil to cover the truth—
Even if it was full of holes.
With a scapegoat—
And a clan-trained shinobi at that—
It would be enough to deal with the village.
As for Shōhei—
Though somewhat talented, he was nothing compared to the value of a C-rank Fire Release ninjutsu.
"Understood."
For the sake of his parents and younger brother, Shōhei steadied himself and walked out.
In the dim room, shadows flickered across Ichiro's face, making him appear even more sinister.
C-rank Fire Release ninjutsu…
It will be mine, Hoshino Ichiro's!