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Chapter 287: Lacking the Harsh Lessons of Reality
🕑 Added 2025-01-23 13:32:24 +0000 UTCChapter 287: Lacking the Harsh Lessons of Reality
Out at sea, Bayakushi effortlessly dealt with the giant summoning beasts charging toward him, his cold gaze fixed on Hyuga Fuji and Yagura, who stood at the bow of the ship. Despite the chaos of the surrounding battle, the two remained calm and composed, as though entirely unaffected. Bayakushi frowned.
“Still so composed, I see.”
The last time was one thing—there were many strong members of the Akatsuki, and he had been outnumbered. But this time, it was only Hyuga Fuji. If he couldn’t handle this on his own, it would only prove his incompetence to Lord Isshiki.
With that thought, Bayakushi activated a divine technique. A strange ripple appeared in the air, creating a massive zipper-like tear, as though the fabric of space itself had been ripped open. Bayakushi reached his hand into the opening.
...
In this death-shrouded stretch of ocean, the scent of blood stirred some summoning beasts into a frenzy. Overcome by their predatory instincts, their eyes gleamed with bloodlust, focused solely on their desire for fresh prey.
Several massive summoning beasts suddenly leaped from the water, their enormous and grotesque forms lunging toward fallen ninja in the sea, indiscriminately attacking friend and foe alike.
Yagura lifted his weapon and struck down a massive summoning beast charging at him. He turned to his subordinates and ordered, “Retrieve the out-of-control summoning beasts.”
“Yes!”
After giving the command, Yagura walked to the bow of the ship, joining Hyuga Fuji. He glanced at the thick mist obscuring the battlefield and raised an eyebrow. “Has the person you’re waiting for arrived yet?”
“They’re already here,” Hyuga Fuji replied casually, before suddenly extending his hand toward Yagura.
In that instant, Yagura felt as if time itself had frozen. He could only watch helplessly as Hyuga Fuji’s hand moved closer to his eyes.
Simultaneously, a zipper-like crack appeared in the air in front of Yagura, and a hand emerged from the tear as though it had been placed there deliberately. Without hesitation, Hyuga Fuji grabbed it.
“What the—”
“Too slow.”
A startled cry overlapped with Hyuga Fuji’s indifferent tone. Before Bayakushi could react, Hyuga Fuji exerted immense force, yanking him out of the spatial tear. With his other hand, Hyuga Fuji delivered a swift, deliberate strike to Bayakushi’s chest.
Pain coursed through Bayakushi’s body as his consciousness momentarily flickered. His vision blurred, and he was sent flying backward, ears ringing with the sound of wind and crashing waves.
Bayakushi’s body arced through the air before slamming into the deck of another warship with a thunderous crash.
Boom!
The impact created a deep crater in the deck, scattering splinters of wood in every direction.
“Ugh...”
A muffled groan escaped Bayakushi’s lips as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, staining his clothing. But he seemed oblivious to his injuries, his expression instead filled with disbelief as he stared at Hyuga Fuji.
How could he be so fast?
Standing at the bow of the ship, Hyuga Fuji gazed coldly in Bayakushi’s direction. He made no move to pursue, simply saying, “I’ll leave him to you.”
With that, he turned and disappeared from the warship.
It was only then that Bayakushi realized he had landed on the warship occupied by Konoha’s forces.
His eyes flickered with unease as several figures closed in, surrounding him.
“This guy’s technique is bizarre—it’s similar to the Flying Raijin. Hokage, did you invent another jutsu?”
“No, his technique isn’t a space-time jutsu. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Heh, I thought every strange jutsu in the ninja world could be traced back to you.”
“Stop chattering and attack. I’m curious about his abilities.”
Tobirama Senju snorted in annoyance, his gaze fixed on Bayakushi with intense interest.
Bayakushi’s technique bore a resemblance to the Flying Raijin, allowing movement to pre-marked locations. However, as a master of space-time jutsu, Tobirama could tell it wasn’t true space-time ninjutsu. This sparked his curiosity and made him eager to study the ability.
After all, intelligence indicated Bayakushi was a clone. Such an innate power seemed even more valuable for research than ordinary kekkei genkai.
Kaguya Yuhiko clicked his tongue, refraining from teasing Tobirama further about his obsession with “intellectual property.” Instead, his eyes gleamed with bloodlust as he stared at Bayakushi.
As a reanimated body, he couldn’t truly enjoy the thrill of battle. Now that he was fully alive again, he was determined to relish every moment of combat.
“Dance of the Seedling Fern!” Kaguya Yuhiko unleashed his full chakra, the air instantly turning icy cold. His eyes widened, and the ground beneath his feet shattered as countless sharp bone spikes erupted, slicing through the air with piercing howls, striking indiscriminately at all directions.
The accompanying ninja quickly dodged, frowning slightly at Yuhiko’s apparent attempt to hog the fight for himself. However, they held back their complaints.
Kaguya clan members were notorious battle maniacs; denying them their initial thrill of combat might lead to trouble.
Bayakushi’s expression turned cold as the bone spikes closed in. Shadows beneath his feet transformed into spears, intercepting the bone spikes mid-air.
The clash of shadow spears and bone spikes echoed with metallic screeches. The shadow spears’ sheer force shattered the bone spikes one by one.
Yuhiko’s eyes flashed with surprise, quickly replaced by excitement.
“Interesting! You can block my bone spikes? But this is just the beginning!” Yuhiko laughed wildly as he formed new hand seals. Strange patterns spread from his chest to his face, unleashing an even more intense aura.
The bone spikes around him grew denser, sharper, and more flexible, curling around Bayakushi’s shadow spears in an attempt to bind them.
Feeling the immense pressure on his shadow spears, Bayakushi’s expression shifted slightly. “This isn’t ordinary chakra... Could it be... Sage Mode?”
But so what if it was Sage Mode?
He might not be able to defeat Hyuga Fuji, but these reanimated corpses had no right to challenge him.
Though unwilling to admit it, his brief exchange with Hyuga Fuji had made one thing clear—there was a gap in their power.
Still, that didn’t mean just anyone could stand against him!
“Shadow Needle Barrage!”
Raising his hand, Shiroshiki sent countless fine shadow needles shooting toward Yuhiko, forcing him to form a protective bone shell around himself.
Seizing the opportunity, Bayakushi closed in and landed a powerful punch, sending Yuhiko stumbling backward.
...
As the two clashed, the spectators couldn’t help but be shocked by Bayakushi’s extraordinary speed and strength. Yuhiko was only managing to hold his ground thanks to his superior combat experience.
“Enhanced speed, strength, and superior shadow manipulation far more threatening than the Nara clan’s... But he’s inexperienced,” Tobirama observed, exchanging glances with the others.
Inexperience.
It was almost laughable to describe a formidable ninja as “inexperienced.”
After all, no shinobi became powerful without countless battles—missions, the harshness of the ninja world, and the crucible of war made them seasoned warriors. Most had endured countless life-and-death struggles.
But Bayakushi’s circumstances were unique.
As a clone born with immense power, few could match him in strength. How could he have gained meaningful combat experience when no opponent had ever pushed him to his limits?
Fighting weaker foes wouldn’t help him improve... But being pushed to his limit would.
In other words, this clone had yet to suffer the harsh lessons of reality!
(Chapter End)
