Kusanagi-maru

Chapter update is here.

Find a quiet spot, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🌙

✦

Shisui did not think much of it. Right away, he explained and demonstrated for Naoki the hand seal sequence for the Shadow Clone Technique, as well as the method for circulating chakra inside the body.

After only a brief attempt, Naoki roughly mastered the Shadow Clone Technique.

With his current chakra volume, mastering a B-rank ninjutsu was not difficult at all. More importantly, because he possessed the Tenseigan, he could clearly observe the path of Shisui's chakra when Shisui demonstrated the technique. Even someone clumsy could copy the pattern and learn the Shadow Clone Technique with ease.

That was the convenience dojutsu kekkei genkai shinobi enjoyed when learning ninjutsu.

Kakashi's future titles, Konoha's number one technician and the Copy Ninja, were also largely thanks to the Sharingan Obito had given him.

The Third Hokage had given Team Eleven only three hours to prepare. So after mastering the Shadow Clone Technique, Naoki and Shisui each returned home to prepare for the secret mission.

Considering that this conflict was nearly a state of war, and that the enemy was Kumogakure, whose strength was already no weaker than Konoha's, Naoki did not dare be careless.

Shuriken, kunai, and senbon - he brought two sets of every throwing weapon. Anything he could not fit on his person was sealed inside storage scrolls.

He prepared a full five hundred explosive tags, all the stock he had saved since being promoted to special jonin.

One bottle of paralytic toxin, two bottles of antidote, three rolls of medical bandages, and one bottle of military ration pills.

By the time Naoki was ready to leave, the several ninja-tool pouches at his waist were stuffed full.

At the door, he ran into Suzu, who had hurried over.

Naoki smiled gently. "Why are you in such a rush?"

Looking at Naoki dressed as if he were about to head for the battlefield, Suzu bit her lip. "You... you have to be careful."

There were a thousand things Suzu wanted to say, but once the words reached her mouth, only that one sentence remained.

Naoki reached out and rubbed Suzu's head. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "I am a jonin now. I am not the one who needs to be careful. Those Kumogakure shinobi are."

Feeling Naoki's confidence, Suzu relaxed slightly. Then she took out a beautiful short sword and handed it to him. "Lord Clan Head asked me to give this to you."

Clang.

Naoki drew the short sword from its sheath, and the blade immediately rang with a clear metallic note.

Even the warm sunlight could not dispel the cold aura coiling around the dagger. With only a glance, its sharpness made a chill crawl up the spine.

Naoki blurted out, "Good sword."

Suzu continued, "The clan head said this short sword is called Kusanagi-maru. It is a chakra sword. After injuring an enemy, it has a special ability that prevents the wound from healing."

"Kusanagi-maru?"

Naoki froze slightly and thought, 'Could this also be one of the many Kusanagi swords?'

Naoki was only somewhat surprised by Hiashi Hyuga suddenly gifting him a treasured sword. He was not shocked.

His status was no longer what it had once been.

As an ANBU directly under the Hokage, he could meet the Hokage whenever necessary and had gained the ability to participate in and influence certain village affairs. Recently, he had also defeated the challenges of Shinichi Uchiha and Hiiragi Uchiha one after another, causing his reputation to rise sharply. Among the Hyuga Clan's younger generation, he was already an unquestionable leader.

If Hiashi, as clan head, still did not try to draw him in, then Hiashi would be unfit for the position.

In truth, the Hyuga Clan's decline was already very obvious. Although the clan had quite a few jonin, elite jonin could be counted on one hand. Among the younger generation, aside from Naoki's sudden rise, there was no one else who looked truly presentable.

So the Hyuga Clan's low profile was not only a matter of temperament. It was also connected to the clan's overall strength having fallen severely.

Naoki was surprised only that the clan head would give him such a valuable treasure. He could not help sighing inwardly. A great shinobi clan with a thousand years of inheritance still had some foundation after all.

After saying farewell to Suzu, Naoki hurried to Team Eleven's gathering point.

Shisui and Guy had already arrived. Only Kakashi was nowhere to be seen.

After they waited for quite a while, Kakashi finally arrived late.

Guy asked curiously, "What took you so long?"

Kakashi said apologetically, "I went to the Memorial Stone just now. Sorry for making everyone wait."

Hearing that, Naoki's brow tightened.

Kakashi had actually gone to the Memorial Stone before carrying out a secret mission. That gave Naoki a bad feeling. It seemed the secret mission the Third had assigned this time was far from ordinary.

The departure time had nearly arrived, so the group did not chat any longer and immediately set out.

On the road, Naoki tested the waters. "What is Team Eleven's mission?"

Hearing that, Shisui and Guy also looked toward Kakashi, who was leading the way.

The mission scroll issued by the Third was kept by the captain. At present, only Kakashi, as team captain, knew the specific information about Team Eleven's secret mission.

Kakashi shook his head. "I cannot say yet."

To prevent intelligence leaks, the team captain often did not disclose detailed mission information to the team members until they were close to the mission location.

And the more that was the case, the more Naoki felt that this mission was probably far more complicated than it appeared. It might have nothing to do with intercepting the invading Kumogakure forces, because if they were merely intercepting enemy troops, there would be no need for such secrecy.

Over the following week, Team Eleven took a circuitous route, avoiding the Kumogakure forces invading the Land of Fire and approaching the border of the Land of Hot Water.

By then, everyone in Team Eleven had guessed that this secret mission would likely be carried out in enemy territory.

Captain Kakashi no longer hid it. He spread a map on the ground, pointed at a red mark, and said, "Here. This is our mission target."

The red mark on the map was located near the border between the Land of Lightning and the Land of the Moon. Judging from the terrain, it seemed to be inside a valley, surrounded by highly complicated terrain.

Kakashi continued, "This is a secret Kumogakure warehouse. It stores a large amount of ninja tools and food. Once we destroy it, Kumogakure's offensive inside the Land of Fire will be forced to slow down."

Shisui immediately asked, "What about the enemy guards?"

Kakashi silently shook his head. Only after a while did he answer, "The Intelligence Division only found the location. They did not learn the guard situation, so we must prepare for the worst."

For an important warehouse, it would not be strange if Kumogakure stationed a hundred shinobi there.

Team Eleven, meanwhile, had only four members. Although none of them were weak, they were deep in enemy territory and would have to fight outnumbered. No matter how one looked at it, this secret mission's chances of success were not high.

Naoki could not help silently grumbling, 'No wonder the Third suddenly got so generous.'

✦
✦
✦

Ready for more?

The next chapters are already waiting on my Patreon, along with early access, previews, and extra story updates 🗝️

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheBacklotFanfiction