[Ding! Detected that the host had forced his disciple, Kakashi, to destroy the corpses with Fire Release—an unscrupulous move that left Kakashi with a thrilling experience. As a special reward, the host has been granted the Fire Release ninjutsu: Great Fire Annihilation!]
Nani?
Kazuyama, who had been casually watching the scene unfold, was stunned. He had only intended to squeeze some attribute points out of Kakashi, but he never expected this Fire Release technique to be such a major reward!
Great Fire Annihilation!
This was Lord Madara's signature Fire Release! The sheer scale of its destruction was immense—how much fire could be expelled in a single breath? This was the ultimate Fire Release technique, perfect for incinerating anything in its path. More than that, it was a statement—a display of overwhelming power.
His eyes flickered with satisfaction as he glanced at Kakashi. Without hesitation, he quickly stepped forward, interrupting the jutsu before it could be fully unleashed.
Kakashi, confused by the sudden interference, turned to him, only to hear Kazuyama's voice.
"It's fine, I just wanted you to get a feel for it—there's no need to go all out."
"In the future, when you're on missions, especially covert ones, if you encounter enemies or any unstable factors, the best thing to do is erase all traces. Sometimes, destroying evidence is a necessary step to ensure your own survival."
"That's enough for now. As for the rest…"
Kazuyama eyed the smoldering crater left behind by Kakashi's jutsu. Without hesitation, he formed hand seals and spewed out a mouthful of thick, centuries-old mud.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall."
A massive earthen wall rose up, and in the next instant, Kazuyama pushed against it with force.
Boom!
The rubble collapsed, filling the crater completely and burying all traces of their battle.
Satisfied with his work, he dusted off his hands.
"That's it, mission complete. Time to head back."
With a flicker, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, instantly teleporting both himself and Kakashi back to the castle.
Once they arrived, he dismissed Kakashi to rest, while he himself walked out of the residence, making his way toward the hot spring at the Daimyō's manor.
Halfway there, a thought struck him—what exactly had the Third Hokage meant when he instructed him to come here?
Creating trouble at the Daimyō's manor...
It wasn't a difficult task, but it all depended on how he handled it.
Unconcerned, Kazuyama continued on his way, looking forward to a relaxing soak.
What he didn't know was that news of his arrival had already reached the Daimyō's ears.
At that moment, the Daimyō and his minister, Yanagimura, were deep in conversation about the night's events. Upon hearing the attendant's report, both men laughed.
"Yanagimura, my information was correct, wasn't it? This guy really is a greedy, lecherous man."
"In that case, perhaps we can use this to our advantage—turn him during his mission and make him part of our ninja forces. He could be a valuable spy within Konohagakure."
The Daimyō grinned. A shinobi as strong as Kazuyama, yet seemingly easy to manipulate, was a rare find.
"That's true. The escort just said that he and his subordinates went out on patrol, and after they returned, they went straight to the bathhouse."
"Heh heh heh, if it was just for a bath, he could have done it at the residence we arranged for them."
"There's definitely something else on his mind if he's going to the bathhouse at this time."
The Daimyō and Yanagimura exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.
As for Kazuyama, just as they suspected, he was at the bathhouse, seemingly admiring the view—but that was only on the surface.
The figure in the hot spring was merely a clone. His real body had long since positioned itself outside the Daimyō's manor, using the Transparent Escape Technique to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Heck, so they really do plan to establish the Twelve Guardian Ninja.
Old Man Third told me to stir up trouble, and here's my chance.
It's so satisfying to rip people off.
Kazuyama had no intention of becoming a subordinate of the Daimyō's manor. It wasn't that he had a strong sense of loyalty to the village—he was just lazy. If not for Hayate, he might have left long ago.
Now, with Orochimaru as his sensei, his attachment to the village had weakened even further. Who knew when Orochimaru would defect? When that time came, things could get messy for him too. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too bad—otherwise, he'd have to flee as well.
With that in mind, he had already started preparing for the future. Yugito was one part of the plan, and he had mapped out multiple escape routes.
As for joining the Daimyō's ranks? Ridiculous. In a real war, what power did a Daimyō have? Everything still depended on the strength of the shinobi villages. Kazuyama had no interest in serving under him.
But money? That was a different story. If the Daimyō was willing to hand over funds, why not take them?
The next day, Kazuyama was the last one to wake up. He couldn't be blamed—after listening in on the Daimyō's conversation, he had returned to the hot spring, soaking for half the night. By the time he got back, he was so exhausted he passed out immediately.
"Kazuyama-sensei, did you really fight the Kirigakure ninja yesterday?"
"Hmmm..."
"Aaaaaah! I wanted to fight too! Kazuyama-sensei, why didn't you take me with you?"
"Hmmm?"
Kazuyama shot a glance at Obito, and the boy immediately went silent. The threatening look, coupled with the already-formed tiger seal, was too intimidating.
"Don't worry, that was just a small force from Kirigakure. From what they said, quite a few Kiri ninja have infiltrated the Land of Fire this time."
"We'll need to stay cautious in the coming days."
"Where are Kakashi and Rin?"
Kazuyama scanned the area, noticing their absence.
"Kakashi took Rin out on patrol."
"I wanted to go too, but you kept sleeping, hey hey..."
Obito sighed dramatically, while Kazuyama remained unimpressed. He had just slept a little longer—why was this kid holding such a grudge?
"Alright, we'll head out too, but we'll just stroll around the city."
"Obito, do you want to experience something real men do?"
Kazuyama suddenly flashed a wicked smile, his gaze turning toward Obito.
"Something real men do? What is it?"
"A fight?"
At the mention of a fight, Obito's eyes immediately lit up, brimming with youthful enthusiasm.
The result? A swift and painful flick to his forehead.
Dong!
Obito clutched his head, wincing.
"Hmph, you're still a kid. Come on, I'll show you what it really means to be a man."
Without giving him a choice, Kazuyama grabbed Obito by the arm and dragged him out the door.
Soon, they arrived at a place that made Obito's jaw drop.
"Kazuyama-sensei, are you serious?!"
"Isn't this a gambling den?!"
Yes, Kazuyama had taken Obito straight to a casino.
At the same time, news of their arrival reached the Daimyō.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake