Chapter 17 — Sexy Sun Bro
Three months passed in the blink of an eye. The year-end approached, and the winter chill deepened.
Over the past three months, Ryusuke's movements had basically revolved around a three-point line—training, training, and more training—so immersed he could hardly pull himself away.
In the courtyard training grounds, a figure moved with blinding speed.
Ryusuke gripped his archaic greatsword tightly. Its blade didn't just gleam like ordinary metal.
Instead, arcs of electricity crackled and flames swirled along its length.
Through his precise control, the two chakra natures—Lightning and Fire—were balanced perfectly.
The greatsword in his hands had truly become the "Thunderfire Sword."
He swung the blade at a wooden post. It cut through like a hot knife through butter, splitting the thick post in two with a sharp snap.
"Lightning Release: Thunder Fang!"
Ryusuke shouted again. This time, he didn't form hand seals but infused the blade directly with Lightning Release chakra.
With his swing, a fang-shaped shockwave of lightning shot from the blade tip, tearing through the air.
Several distant targets exploded into splinters, and the wooden posts behind them weren't spared—charred and smoking.
He exhaled a soft breath, bringing the blade to rest.
The notes on basic ninjutsu left by Senju Hashirama had benefited Ryusuke greatly.
He no longer relied on traditional hand seals, treating the greatsword as an extension of his body.
The form and nature of his chakra now focused entirely on the sword.
He could skillfully "enchant" the blade and switch its elemental attributes at will.
He had even truly achieved the state of "ninjutsu emanates from where the sword points."
In genjutsu, under the strict guidance of Senju Momoka, his skill had reached a new level—he had achieved Level Two, "Immersive Illusion."
Though he couldn't yet plant subtle suggestions to cast multiple illusions simultaneously, he could easily turn the tide of battle in an instant.
His training with the Flying Thunder God Technique had also made breakthrough progress.
Thanks to his deep understanding of space-time markers and extraordinary aptitude, he could now successfully teleport.
However, due to limitations in skill and practical combat experience, precise positioning and consecutive usage in high-speed combat still required refinement.
His ultimate trump card remained the Stage One: Cursed Demon Possession Chitin Armor Form.
With special medicine prepared by Tsunade, his body had undergone a radical transformation.
He now felt capable of enduring the Stage One load of Cursed Demon Possession without suffering the severe injuries it had previously caused.
The duration was still limited—roughly two and a half minutes.
Even without the armor, Ryusuke's combination of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu already rivaled elite Jonin-level strength.
A bit more polishing, and crossing into Shadow-class would be easy.
"Not bad at all."
A cold, clear voice sounded from the corridor.
"Your chakra control is decent, but the stability of the form transformation still needs work."
"The balance of Lightning and Fire may look flashy, but against a strong opponent, even a slight loss of control could be fatal."
Her gaze was sharp as she assessed Ryusuke's progress.
"Yes, Teacher," Ryusuke replied respectfully, bowing.
Momoka's standards were extremely high; in her eyes, his improvement was probably just barely passing.
"However, at your current level, further progress will be difficult. You'll need life-and-death combat to truly refine your skills."
Her tone shifted, and a glint of interest flashed in her eyes.
"Perhaps I can let the Root members serve as a testing ground," Momoka thought.
---
In the Hokage's office, smoke curled through the air.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind the large desk, brows furrowed.
He had just received urgent intelligence from the Anbu captain regarding the Land of Whirlpools.
Across from him, Shimura Danzo leaned on his cane, expressionless, his one eye half-closed as if resting.
The advisors Korone Koharu and Mito Monen sat on either side, their faces serious.
"Everyone, the Land of Whirlpools is Konoha's most important ally, and it is Mito-sama's maternal home. We must act immediately, both morally and strategically."
Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke, glancing around before fixing his gaze on Danzo.
Korone Koharu spoke first, with a tone of concern:
"Hiruzen, we understand your feelings, but Anbu intelligence also shows that the attacking forces are mixed—at least two or three great nations are involved."
"If we intervene recklessly, might we ignite a war directly at Konoha's doorstep?"
Mito Monen adjusted his glasses, agreeing:
"Koharu is right. Shouldn't we first determine exactly which forces are acting and assess the risks before deciding?"
Hiruzen's face darkened. He knocked on the desk:
"Determine? By the time we determine, the Land of Whirlpools might no longer exist!"
"Moreover, if the Uzumaki clan is wiped out and their sealing techniques fall into enemy hands, it would pose a much greater threat to Konoha."
Danzo, who had remained silent, slowly lifted his head, his eye glinting sharply.
"Hiruzen, your thinking is too naive," he said, hoarse and icy.
Hiruzen's gaze sharpened. "Danzo, what do you mean?"
Danzo replied calmly:
"The sealing techniques of the Land of Whirlpools are coveted—it was only a matter of time.
"And remember this—the Nine-Tails is still inside Mito-sama.
"The Nine-Tails must belong to Konoha, not the Land of Whirlpools.
"Just because the Uzumaki are Mito-sama's maternal clan doesn't mean the Land of Whirlpools must survive."
Leaning slightly forward, Danzo exuded complete confidence in his plan:
"If we don't deploy troops, we cannot answer to Mito-sama.
"If we send them immediately, we'll face the full strength of several nations and suffer heavy losses.
"But what if we wait a few days?"
Korone Koharu and Mito Monen exchanged a glance, seeming to understand Danzo's strategy.
Danzo continued:
"Let the Land of Whirlpools fight the greedy hyenas for a few days.
"The Uzumaki clan has a profound foundation—they will make the invading enemies pay dearly.
"When both sides are exhausted, Konoha's elite forces can intervene with overwhelming power.
"This not only 'rescues' our ally at minimal cost, but also greatly weakens the other villages' forces.
"The surviving Uzumaki will inevitably rely more on Konoha.
"And we can also use this opportunity to 'secure' the dangerous sealing techniques."
He emphasized "rescue" and "secure," leaving no doubt about his deeper intentions.
This was no mere rescue—it was letting the enemies weaken each other, then swooping in to reap the benefits, possibly even claiming the Land of Whirlpools' legacy.
"Absurd!" Hiruzen slammed the desk, sending ash flying.
Danzo remained unmoved, coldly smiling:
"Hiruzen, you are too emotional. As Hokage, your first concern must be the village's absolute interests. Dragging the village into an unpredictable war is the true irresponsibility!"
"You! With your indecisive nature, how can you lead Konoha to strength?"
Hiruzen's face turned blue with anger.
Korone Koharu quickly interjected to smooth things over:
"Hiruzen, though Danzo speaks bluntly, he is not entirely wrong.
"For the stability of the village, caution is necessary."
Mito Monen nodded:
"Yes, Hiruzen, Danzo's plan may not be glorious, but in terms of results, it maximizes Konoha's benefits and eliminates future risks.
"I believe it should be adopted."
The vote was three to one.
Hiruzen looked at the two advisors, then at the cold, impassive Danzo, a sense of defeat rising in his chest.
After a long silence, he slumped back in his chair and hoarsely said:
"Fine. We'll do it Danzo's way—delay… three days before deployment."
A gleam of triumph flashed in Danzo's eye, and he immediately pressed the advantage:
"Since that is the case, I will take full command of this rescue operation.
"I will prepare an elite roster to ensure we achieve the strategic goal at minimal cost."
Hiruzen, exhausted, waved his hand in acquiescence.
Danzo bowed slightly, a barely perceptible icy curve on his lips.
Even as the meeting ended, he had planned everything.
The roster included not only his cultivated "loyal members" from Root but also key hidden Senju operatives.
Of course, the traitor that must be eliminated—Ryusuke—was clearly on the list.
Use the chaos to kill two birds with one stone: remove dissenters and consolidate control over the Nine-Tails.
All of this would unfold on the chaotic battlefield of the Land of Whirlpools.
"Hiruzen, you really aren't fit to be Hokage. Tobirama-sensei was wrong," Danzo thought, quietly smiling as he left.
The tone for this conspiracy-based "rescue" operation had been set.