"Hmph! Konoha's trash just keeps coming, one after another. Fine, I'll send you all to the afterlife together!"
"Hijutsu: Kumo Senkyū!"
"Shūkyoku Dai Kyū Shō: Makyō no Ran!"
"Kisei Kikai no Jutsu!"
"Doton: Doryō Dango!"
The Sound Four—Kidōmaru, Tayuya, Sakon and Ukon, and Jirōbō—unleashed their ultimate techniques on Kazama all at once.
Ding! Successfully absorbed four ninjutsu in a row. Congratulations, host, for obtaining Kyūryū Raigōka! When used, this flame transforms into nine thunder-fire dragons that circle the host's body. It attacks like a razor-sharp blade and defends like an unyielding rock, perfectly blending offense and defense to the extreme!
Just when Kidōmaru and the others were certain Kazama was done for, they saw him standing there, completely unscathed, as their attacks dissipated. Not a single scratch marred his body. He even flashed them a cold smirk.
To the Sound Four, that smirk felt like a death sentence.
"You… you monster!"
The four were utterly freaked out.
"Kyūryū Raigōka!"
With a single thought, Kazama summoned nine thunder-fire dragons that instantly coiled around him.
"What kind of freak are you?!"
Without another word, Kidōmaru and the others turned and bolted. But the moment they laid eyes on Kyūryū Raigōka, their fates were sealed.
With a deafening roar, the nine thunder-fire dragons swept through. In an instant, the Sound Four were obliterated, not even leaving corpses behind.
At that moment, Neji and the others, gravely injured, had long since passed out. Kazama quickly used his Yōka power to heal their wounds and carried them back to Konoha.
When Hokage Tsunade saw that Kazama had not only completed the mission by rescuing Naruto but also brought back Neji and the others safely—without a single scratch on them—she was struck by how far Kazama's strength and medical skills surpassed her own.
What impressed Tsunade even more was Kazama's unwavering loyalty to his comrades, never abandoning them no matter the situation. It was something even she couldn't always manage, given how death constantly loomed on the battlefield.
But Kazama was different. As long as he was around, his comrades would never die.
Tsunade immediately wanted to make an exception and promote Kazama to jōnin, but to her surprise, he politely declined.
This left Tsunade baffled.
"Kazama, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Konoha has never promoted a genin directly to jōnin—you'd be the first. Why turn it down?"
"If I became a jōnin, my missions would get heavier, which wouldn't help my plans to absorb the tailed beasts. Plus, how am I supposed to keep playing the pig to eat the tiger if I'm a jōnin?"
With that thought, Kazama put on a humble act and said to Tsunade and Shizune, "Thank you, Hokage-sama, and Shizune, but I'd like to stay in Team 7 and work my way up to jōnin with Naruto and the others."
"Alright, if that's your choice, I won't push you," Tsunade relented.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama!"
As Kazama left, Tsunade broke into a smile.
"Tsunade-sama, why doesn't Kazama want to be a jōnin?" Shizune asked.
"Hmph, that kid's sly as a fox. He knows if he becomes a jōnin, I'll pile more missions on him, and he won't have time to slack off."
"That makes sense. He's only thirteen, after all—still at an age where he wants to have fun."
"But with Kazama's current abilities, keeping him on genin missions is a waste of talent. The daimyō of Hi no Kuni just sent word asking for a ninja to protect the princess. I think Kazama's perfect for the job. Let him rest tonight, and tomorrow, Shizune, you'll notify him to come see me."
Meanwhile, Kazama had already arrived at the Uchiha clan's compound.
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