"Lightning Style: Lightning Spear!"
Shouichi, the captain, was surrounded by crackling arcs of lightning.
He used Lightning Style chakra to stimulate his body, dramatically boosting the speed of his Body Flicker Technique.
In an instant, he appeared behind Kushina.
Watching from a distance, Simu raised an eyebrow slightly.
This guardian ninja named Shouichi was quite strong.
Even in today's Konoha, brimming with talent, he was more than qualified for the position of Jōnin.
If this were the old Kushina, dealing with a Jōnin—along with four Chūnin-level subordinates—would still require a great deal of effort.
But now, Kushina had mastered part of the Nine Tails' power.
Let alone a mere Jōnin—
Even several more wouldn't be enough to threaten her.
The spear charged with thunder fell like a bolt of lightning.
Though Kushina didn't have time to turn around, the Nine Tails chakra cloaking her body reacted on its own.
A massive, dark red tail swept out behind her—
Clashing mid-air with the spear infused with thunder.
Shouichi's expression turned grim.
The dark red chakra radiated a wild, violent aura that made him instinctively fearful.
Even the movements of his hands began to falter.
The terrifying power behind the Thunder Spear was directly repelled.
He plunged the spear into the ground to stabilize himself, leaving a deep gash in the earth.
Meanwhile, the fat ninja quickly formed hand seals.
Two enormous rocks erupted from the ground on either side of Kushina—
Closing in like a giant stone hand.
They were ready to crush her!
"Earth Style: Mountain Crusher Technique!"
This B-rank Earth Style jutsu was incredibly powerful.
Even a Jōnin caught off guard would be crushed into pulp.
Unfortunately for them, Kushina's current strength was no less than that of a pure taijutsu specialist.
The violent chakra surged in her hands, transforming into overwhelming physical strength.
This technique, inherited from Tsunade, became even more terrifying under the Nine Tails' enhancement.
The two giant rocks were caught firmly by Kushina—unable to move even an inch!
"Now's our chance!"
A tall, skinny ninja hidden among the group took aim and opened his mouth.
"Wind Style: Wind Scythe Technique!"
A turbulent gust shot from his mouth, forming sharp wind blades ready to cut anything in their path.
But even with the Wind Scythe rushing at her—
Kushina's expression didn't change.
Behind her, two massive chakra claws materialized—
They braced against the rocks like limbs and launched her into the air.
The Wind Scythe missed its target and instead carved deep notches into the stone.
Kushina soared high above.
The two chakra claws came together—
Like a warhammer falling from the sky.
"Dodge!"
Shouichi instantly activated his Lightning Style chakra and evaded to the side.
The tall, skinny ninja and another nearby ninja followed suit.
But the burly Earth Style user wasn't so lucky.
His bulky frame made him slow.
Faced with the sudden aerial assault, he had no choice but to brace himself.
Still, he didn't give up.
He rapidly formed seals.
"Earth Style: Rock Armor!"
Stones from the ground quickly climbed up his body, forming thick layers—
Encasing him like a fortress.
But Kushina now had the power to shatter steel with a single punch.
A simple Earth Style defense was nothing.
Her fist smashed through the stone armor like it was paper.
Sunlight pierced through the broken debris—
Revealing the terrified eyes of the burly ninja within.
Kushina landed directly in front of him.
Then—she punched him in the face.
One punch. Knocked out cold.
"This... this isn't an opponent we can handle," the tall, skinny ninja said, trembling.
The arrogance they'd had when facing Konoha Shinobi was now completely gone.
Only now did they understand how far they were from being real ninjas.
Even Shouichi looked grim.
After all, their team had lost two members in just two minutes…
"Shut up," the thin man who hadn't made a move yet said coldly.
"To complete the daimyo's mission, even if we die—there's no turning back!"
Then, he unleashed a violent stream of water from his mouth.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
A furious torrent of water surged upward, forming a ferocious dragon.
Its eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
With a deafening roar, the dragon lunged at Kushina.
But she didn't dodge.
Instead, she charged straight toward the water dragon.
"This girl...!" Shouichi's expression twisted.
Facing such a powerful jutsu—and she was going to attack it head-on?
The two tails behind Kushina transformed into massive chakra claws.
With perfect timing, she struck—
Grabbing the dragon's head mid-attack.
Kushina stomped her foot on the ground.
A shockwave of air burst out from beneath her.
She charged toward the water dragon and struck it with all her might.
The tremendous force shattered the water dragon into countless droplets in an instant.
Kushina's crimson figure leapt through the falling curtain of water.
Shouichi stared at the cascading water in the sky, hastily preparing to unleash a Lightning Style jutsu.
In this environment, his Lightning Style would be at its most powerful.
But to his surprise, Kushina had already anticipated it.
Before he could finish forming hand seals, two golden chains shot out.
They slithered like serpents from her dark red chakra and wrapped tightly around him under the cover of the water curtain.
The chains bound Shouichi and slammed their ends deep into the ground.
His chakra, mid-formation, came to a sudden halt.
A tremendous force pulled him down via the golden chains.
"Damn it!" he cursed, realizing things were going south. He hurriedly warned his comrade beside him.
"Be careful!"
But his warning came too late.
With the help of the adamantine chains, Kushina appeared before them in a flash.
Her dark red claws blotted out the sky and smashed both of them into the ground.
Kushina retracted the Nine Tails' chakra and stared coldly at the two Jōnin, now tightly sealed by the chains.
The chakra flow within them was completely locked down—they couldn't use even a sliver of it.
Shouichi looked up with a grim expression and asked bitterly:
"Konoha orchestrated this riot against the nobles of the Land of Fire… Is this your way of tearing up the 'One Country, One Village' system that the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, himself established?!"
Before Kushina could respond, Simu flashed onto the scene, appearing directly in front of Shouichi.
"If that's how you want to put it, then the creation of a new ninja army in the daimyo's territory is what truly tore up that system."
He walked up to Shouichi and stared him down coldly—the ninja who wore the symbol of the Land of Fire on his forehead.
"If the daimyo no longer supports Konoha's development, then there's no need for that system to exist anymore."
"Times will always change."
Shouichi's face turned pale.
He wasn't surprised that Simu had gotten involved.
This golden flash had always been known as a hawk in Konoha.
But unlike Danzo…
Danzo was focused on foreign threats—he advocated pre-emptive strikes and the elimination of dangers beyond Konoha's borders.
He rarely interfered with the internal politics of the Fire Nation's nobles.
But Simu was different.
This guy opposed the nobles themselves.
He ignored the aristocracy entirely.
He didn't even show respect for the daimyo…
And now, he was openly declaring that times would change.
Who knew what he might do next?
"Alright. Time for a nap."
Simu wrapped his fist in Armament Haki and chopped Shouichi on the neck.
Shouichi collapsed, unconscious and powerless to resist.
Simu turned to look at the crowds charging toward the daimyo's mansion.
His eyes swept over the flustered, pig-like lord—like a fat animal waiting to be slaughtered.
Simu smiled faintly.
"The rest… is for them to decide."
"Hmph. I really wanted to kill that guy myself," Kushina said with disdain in her eyes as she glared at the fat lord.
She knew full well the atrocities he'd committed over the years.
Calling them heaven-defying would be no exaggeration.
Simu took Kushina's hand and disappeared, along with the five Guardian Ninjas.
Under the leadership of a mysterious figure, they broke through the defenses of Lord Wu's troops—
And stormed straight into the daimyo's mansion.
With overwhelming force, they crushed the remaining soldiers and captured the fat pig of a lord hiding in the basement.
There, they also discovered dozens of girls he had imprisoned.
And in the mansion's well—dozens of corpses.
Just as the furious citizens prepared to execute him on the spot—
A voice rang out.
"Everyone, I know you're all angry. But to ensure fairness and justice, I believe we should hold a trial."
As Simu's voice echoed, the chaotic scene instantly fell silent.
"A trial?"
"That's right. Let the world hear the crimes Sen Doshi committed over the years. Then you will decide his punishment."
The trial was vital.
It was the only thing separating them from being called a mob.
A sentence delivered after trial would be righteous.
Without it, it would only be vengeance.
Simu's suggestion quickly gained the crowd's support.
"Trial! Trial! Trial!"
Before long, the former lord, Sen Doshi, was gagged and tied to a massive cross.
At his feet lay a mountain of dry brush and firewood collected by the villagers.
Because Shikaku Nara's team had already left, the responsibility of conducting the trial fell on a boy.
It was only now that Simu learned his name—
Yuanichi Doshirō.
He stood atop the highest tower in the daimyo's mansion and began reading the charges with a clear, loud voice.
"Forcibly seizing women…"
"Confiscating the people's medicine…"
"Grabbing land by force…"
"Letting his subordinates run wild in Suimi City, beating civilians…"
With each crime listed, the people's rage surged further.
No proof was necessary.
The thousands living in Suimi City were living witnesses.
It took Doshirō two full hours to list every one of the man's sins.
"For all the evil deeds committed by the former lord Sen Doshi, I declare—
He shall be burned at the stake!"
"Light it!"
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
Thousands of torches were raised.
The firewood under the cross ignited instantly, casting a blazing light against the dim sky.
Sen Doshi's screams grew quieter and quieter in the sea of flames—
Until they were no more.
Thousands of eyes reflected the fire.
What burned that day was not just a corrupt noble—
But the flame of revolution ignited in their hearts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to [adam greenfield] for joining my Patreon page!🎉Your support means the world to me. 🙏
You can visit my Patreon page:
Patreon.com/PhoeniXcel
There are 90+ advanced chapters available for you to read.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Check out my new Marvel fanfic!
[Marvel: Starting as a Time Criminal, Stealing Powers]