"Heh." Umino Yoru couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
What a ridiculous joke—calling him a Kage-level fighter when he wasn't even a full-fledged jōnin yet? Clearly, little Anma Karura had been misled by the giant lizard's intimidating appearance.
At first glance, this summon did seem terrifying. On a battlefield, it could unleash quasi-Kage-level destruction, with every strike equivalent to a mid-to-high-rank ninjutsu. Against low-level shinobi, its sheer size made it nearly unstoppable—almost like facing an actual Kage.
But in reality? Compared to Gamabunta of Mount Myōboku, this overgrown lizard was nowhere close. At best, it was just an elite jōnin-level summon—and one without much ninjutsu heritage, at that. Otherwise, it wouldn't have fallen prey to his "Money-Style Secret Technique" and Sticky Syrup Jutsu.
With his current strength (and his wallet-based ninjutsu), Yoru could be considered a high-tier Puppet Master Jōnin—specialized in countering giant summons.
Without his money tricks, though? His puppet skills would be half-useless, dropping him down to Tokubetsu Jōnin level at best.
That said, when he activated Wind Breathing, his combat power surged enough to trade blows with actual jōnin—as proven by his fight against Fūga, the Suna elite.
And with his current 0.4 Kage-level chakra reserves (boosted by Green Spinach Pills and Honey Energy Cubes), he could briefly rival a ninjutsu-specialized jōnin in short bursts.
Hell, most jōnin wouldn't even have his survivability.
Take this elite jōnin-tier lizard, for example—most jōnin wouldn't stand a chance. Future Ibiki would probably agree.
"Cough—!" Yoru suddenly winced as a wave of muscle fatigue hit him.
Damn Spinach Pills.
Not only had they drained his energy reserves, but they'd also leached nutrients straight from his muscles and fat. If not for his upgraded Gluttony Technique, he'd be flat on his back right now.
Typical Akimichi drugs—brutally effective.
"Senpai, are you okay?"
Karura, mistaking his pain for injury, looked worried.
"I'll be fine. Just need to eat more meat."
Suppressing the side effects with Gluttony Technique, Yoru continued butchering the lizard, expertly dismantling it before sealing most of the meat into scrolls—except for the tenderloin and two massive front legs.
The best ingredients require the simplest cooking.
After a quick spice rub, the meat went straight onto the grill.
Soon, the aroma of roasted summon beast filled the air.
"Mmm… smells amazing."
Karura's eyes sparkled as she inhaled deeply.
"Big Bro Boss, can we eat now?!"
Fūjin and Raijin were practically drooling, hands clasped in prayer—not for mercy this time, but for food.
Too scared of Yoru's wrath to act without permission, they could only whimper and wait.
Yoru didn't keep them hanging. He tossed them each a leg the size of their torsos, and the twins immediately sank their teeth in like rabid wolves.
"The tenderloin's softer. Here."
He handed Karura a skewer—so fragrant it made her mouth water instantly.
"So good!" she mumbled between bites.
"Huh?"
Yoru paused after his first bite.
This meat… had effects similar to Royal Jelly!
His eyes widened. The lizard's flesh actually enhanced Wind Breathing training, just like the rare honey supplement.
After devouring over ten pounds, the effect became undeniable.
Though the meat's natural chakra had dissipated, its cellular energy remained—amplifying his ability to absorb the "mystery factor" in Wind Breathing.
By the end of the meal, his Spinach Pill backlash had recovered by 60-70%.
"Senpai… you ate more than Fūjin and Raijin combined."
Karura stared in awe. The tenderloin alone weighed dozens of pounds—she'd barely finished half a pound, yet Yoru had polished off the rest.
"Eating well keeps the body strong." He smirked, eyeing her slender frame. "You're too skinny, Karura. Need more protein."
"Eep!"
Her face flushed—whether from embarrassment or the summon meat's heat-inducing properties, she couldn't tell.
"Alright, Yamigarasu's back. You three, head out."
His Subsonic Radar Technique detected the scout's return.
"Fūjin! Raijin! Get over here!"
The twins rolled over like obedient dogs (literally).
"..."
Yoru's eye twitched.
"From now on, when I'm not around, you obey Karura. Disobey, and… well."
A dark grin made his threat clear.
The twins shivered, swearing to treat Karura like Tsunade herself.
After final instructions, Yoru Body Flickered back to the frontlines.
—
Back at camp, he dispelled his shadow clone and absorbed its memories.
Everything was stable. His squad's training was progressing well:
Inuzuka Ryō had mastered Fang Over Fang, reaching chūnin-level combat power, and had started learning Three-Headed Wolf Transformation. Shō, surprisingly, had made the biggest leap—mastering multiple low-rank medical ninjutsu, especially Hemostasis. Her chakra control was now on par with elite medics. Shukudō, however, was still grinding Earth Style: Mud Wall. That B-rank defense jutsu would take him a while.
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