RADG: Chapter 133/134

Chapter 133: It's Just Killing, No Need to Make Such a Fuss

"Bastard..."

The expression on Raiga Kurosuki, who stood atop the tree, suddenly darkened.

From Yami's tone, he could guess it referred to that humiliating event from years ago.

Back then.

They had received orders to infiltrate the Land of Fire and attack Konoha's rear supply base.

On the way, they encountered a Konoha squad and crushed them with ease.

However, just as they were about to finish them off, a Genin from Konoha jumped in shouting something about youth, passion, and bonds—then proceeded to kick four of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen to death on the spot.

The remaining three of them barely escaped with their lives, shattered and humiliated.

That battle was a major reason why both he and Biwa Jūzō eventually defected from Kirigakure.

Now, having that memory dragged back into the open, Raiga was horrified to realize his body was instinctively trembling.

While the banter continued, Yami briefly explained their identities to Hinata.

"The Demon, Momochi Zabuza, who graduated by slaughtering his entire class in the Blood Mist Village. And Raiga Kurosuki, the only survivor of the First Generation Seven Ninja Swordsmen."

"In terms of raw strength, they're average Jōnin. But with their swords, they're slightly weaker than Kakashi."

"Who said I'm weaker than that Copy Ninja!"

Zabuza growled. "If it's him, I'd cut him in half without hesitation!"

As expected from someone who dared challenge Ashura and trample Indra, his mouth was as arrogant as ever.

Zabuza leapt back and landed on the lake surface, activating the Hidden Mist Technique.

A thick mist infused with chakra spread across the entire field. Hinata's expression turned serious.

"Yami-kun, there's too much chakra in the fog… I can't locate him."

Hidden Mist Technique truly was a top-tier jutsu. It neutralized almost all visual perception. Even the Rinnegan couldn't clearly pierce through this level of mist.

Zabuza and Raiga's figures vanished completely. Only Zabuza's taunting voice echoed ominously.

"Eight points—throat, spine, lungs, liver, carotid artery, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Which do you want me to attack?"

At the same time, a wave of murderous aura, signature to the Demon and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, swept out like a rising tide.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata all felt like they were being hunted by a savage beast. Their bodies froze, muscles locked, breath halted, as if they'd plunged into an icy lake.

Sasuke trembled, wanting to lift his hand, but even the simple act of raising a kunai became impossible.

So this is what a real Jōnin feels like. No—he hasn't even attacked yet. Just the pressure alone was enough to crush him.

"Tch. It's just killing. What's with all the ceremony?"

Yami scoffed at Zabuza's dramatics.

"Just cut off their heads and burn the remains."

"If you're worried about secrets leaking, then kill the witnesses too."

"Why waste time with fancy execution styles? It only proves your cowardice and incompetence—trying to mask your weakness with flair."

"And this 'murderous aura'? Don't embarrass yourself in front of me."

As his words fell, an overwhelming bloodlust exploded from Yami, so dense it stirred a gust of wind.

From the moment he became a ninja, Yami had either been killing, or on the road to kill.

The two in hiding immediately broke into a cold sweat.

They hadn't expected someone barely an adult to radiate such killing intent. It stifled them completely.

Hinata and the others could barely stand.

Thankfully, Yami didn't maintain that pressure for long. He retracted it and turned the moment into a lesson.

"Naruto, see this? This is the result of your stubbornness. If I wasn't your squad leader, any other Jōnin would be in grave danger today."

Zabuza alone was enough to push Kakashi to the brink. And now they had Raiga too, not to mention Haku with the Ice Release still in hiding.

If someone like Asuma had taken this mission, all four of them would already be corpses.

"Yami-sensei, now's not the time to lecture me…"

Naruto was speechless. Even he couldn't deny it now.

"Then what should we do? With this much mist, we can't even find them!"

"This is the perfect live demo."

Yami smiled.

"There are tons of ways to fight this, but in the end, fog is still just fog. You blow it away with wind."

"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"

With a sword-hand seal, he fired two sharp wind gusts that blew the dense mist apart. At once, Hinata picked up Raiga's position in the thinning fog.

Raiga emerged slowly from the lake, hands forming seals rapidly.

Yami didn't move. Raiga's confidence soared again.

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Lightning Release: Thunder Strike!"

The water dragon surged from the lake, merging with the lightning bolt falling from the sky. Together, they formed a composite jutsu—Lightning Water Dragon Bullet.

"Lesson two—Ninjutsu power is determined by the user, not the jutsu's rank. Don't get obsessed with collecting techniques."

As he spoke, Yami completed the three seals of the Second Mizukage's Water Dragon Bullet.

The already agitated lake burst violently as a colossal water dragon rose—dozens of times larger than Zabuza's—and devoured the lightning dragon whole.

Naruto and Sasuke were dumbfounded.

How… how can his water dragon be so big?!

BOOM!

The impact hit Zabuza like a mountain. He spat blood, unable to resist the massive water pressure that bound him.

Raiga tried to leap away, but Yami was already charging with a lightning spear that extended dozens of meters, piercing Raiga through and paralyzing him.

Yami vanished.

In a blink, he reappeared in front of Raiga, Kusanagi sword in hand. The sword's light flashed even before it left the sheath.

Raiga's eyes widened in horror, unable to move as the paralysis took hold.

He looked into Yami's eyes as the light in his own began to fade.

A moment later, the blade's flash ended. Raiga collapsed. A fountain of blood sprayed from his body.

Zabuza, still trapped and helpless, saw this and stopped resisting altogether.

Dead… with one sword?!

Even as arrogant as he was, Zabuza acknowledged Raiga's strength. He was a founding member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. No one without power could have survived that generation.

But now, he was cut down like a weed.

Battered by the waves, Zabuza finally steadied himself on a rock, just in time to see Yami vanish and reappear in front of him.

At that moment.

Whoosh!

A flurry of senbon needles shot toward Hinata from the shadows.

Focused on Yami, she didn't notice until they were already too close.

"Eight Trigrams Palms: Revolving Heaven!"

Reacting just in time, Hinata spun rapidly, forming a chakra shield that deflected all the senbon.

From the bushes, a masked Mist shinobi dashed out, and ice mirrors began to rise all around her.

"Ice Release: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals!"

It was Yuki Haku, Zabuza's assistant.

Yami had far surpassed their expectations. The plan had failed. Haku was left with no choice—he attacked Hinata to bait Yami into pulling back.

Instead of targeting Tazuna, he chose Hinata. From observation, he judged that Yami valued Hinata more than the mission target.

But what he forgot, what even Zabuza may have forgotten—was how Yami earned his title as Konoha's Shinigami.

It wasn't just skill.

It was his Flying Thunder God.

Just as Haku leapt out of the mirror formation toward the recovering Hinata, a white hand grasped his wrist mid-air.

It was Yami.

"So you finally showed yourself."

He smiled faintly, but in Haku's eyes, it was terrifying.

Haku fired a senbon from his mouth.

Yami slightly tilted his head and dodged easily, disappointment flickering in his eyes.

Ever since he brought Karin home, he had his eye on talented shinobi from other villages.

He'd ordered Kabuto to scout and recruit them young.

But he was late. Kimimaro was already taken by Orochimaru. Haku had ended up with Zabuza.

So if they couldn't be allies, they had to be enemies.

With a regretful sigh, Yami drove the lightning spear through Haku's chest, shattering the mirror behind him.

Haku's mask fell, revealing a face more beautiful than most women.

Naruto and Sasuke were stunned.

"Please… protect… Zabuza-sama…"

Even though the heart could survive for a few moments after destruction, Yami's lightning chakra had annihilated Haku's internal organs.

His words faded, and his body followed.

The ice mirrors vanished instantly.

"Haku!!"

Zabuza howled in rage.

Yami tilted his head. "You didn't run. Do Mist shinobi have feelings now?"

Zabuza didn't answer. He roared and charged with his Executioner's Blade, screaming like a ghost from hell.

This, finally, was the ghostly demon of the Mist.

Yami's Kusanagi blade gleamed with lightning. With one clean swing, it sliced the Executioner's Blade in half and drove straight through Zabuza's chest.

"See? Killing really is simple."

Zabuza couldn't even reply. His eyes just stared at Haku.

"...Is he… dead?"

After a while, Naruto finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, afraid to disturb the corpse.

Yami looked at him. "You're scared of a corpse. What kind of ninja are you?"

"What?! I just wanted to make sure, Yami-nii! Don't slander me!"

Thud!

Tazuna collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

"Phew… W-We won..."

Even though the battle was short, the constant twists left him drained. Now that it was over, his legs gave out.

Hinata ran to Yami, checking for wounds with concern.

Only Sasuke frowned.

"We should've been the ones to fight that guy."

He meant Haku. He had just gotten ready, only for Yami to end it in one blow. The burning blood in his chest had already cooled.

"I'll admit, he was a worthy opponent. But Tazuna was trapped in the ice mirrors. Even if you won, he'd have died. Who'd pay me to build a bridge then?"

Blunt as ever.

Tazuna wisely said nothing.

"Naruto, dig a grave for the two of them. Sasuke, go retrieve Raiga's sword."

Yami directed them calmly.

Soon, a small mound marked the grave of Zabuza and Haku. As for the weapon, Yami wasn't like Kakashi. He sealed the blade into a scroll.

He handed the Thunder Sword: Kiba to Sasuke to help him train his lightning chakra control.

After one last glance at the grave, Yami led the team onward.

Tazuna's steps were lighter. He now believed they had a real chance at defeating Gato.

Naruto and Sasuke were both deep in thought, reflecting on the reality of what they had just witnessed.

People died. And others had to move on.

This was a real battle. Not like the spars back in the village.

Even though they hadn't helped, witnessing three deaths before their eyes had left a mark.

"Hinata, you were careless."

Yami said softly. "You must always remember, you're a ninja."

"I'm sorry, Yami-kun. I let you down."

"It's not about disappointment. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"Mm. I'll be more careful."

Hinata felt ashamed, yet also warm. Being protected felt good but she didn't want to be a burden.

She didn't have grand ambitions, but she also didn't want to be the weakest.

And so, they arrived at Tazuna's home village.

Tazuna might be a shameless old man, but his daughter-in-law was kind. She cooked a generous meal to welcome the team.

After dinner, Naruto and Sasuke came over, full of questions. But Yami waved them off.

"Ask tomorrow. I've got something to do right now."

He leapt out the window and vanished into the night.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 134: The Affairs of the Land of Waves Are Over

The Land of Waves.

The night sea breeze stirred gently as the island nation fell into silence. The soft moonlight draped the earth in a veil of silver, urging people to sleep.

But Gato had no intention of resting.

He paced back and forth in his lavish villa, brows furrowed so tightly that a fly might suffocate between them. Anxiety weighed on him like a stone.

To speak of Gato, his rise could be considered a legend in the shinobi world.

In just over ten years, he had gone from a street thug extorting protection fees to a maritime tycoon. But few knew he had simply been fortunate—chosen by fate.

In any world, rising to the top takes more than luck. One either needs noble birth and a solid foundation or the foresight to seize an opportunity and earn the favor of the powerful.

Without status, connections, or backing, even someone who manages to climb briefly to the top will soon be devoured by the hungry wolves waiting below—cleared out for the next pawn.

Gato was the latter.

Back when he was still a small-time gangster, a mysterious shinobi found him. That man provided capital and helped him take down his competitors, skyrocketing him to success.

The price? Eighty percent of his profits.

Eighty percent! At the start, his income was low, so he didn't care. Besides, he was still weak and easily controlled.

But as the business expanded and he gathered hundreds of thugs and wandering ninjas under his command, Gato's ambition swelled.

Ten percent of his revenue now meant hundreds of millions. And yet, year after year, most of it was taken by those shadowy people who had only appeared once in the beginning.

Naturally, Gato grew unwilling.

He began manipulating the books, ensuring his reported profits stayed low.

Over the next few years, his company's assets ballooned. He used the surplus to hire stronger bodyguards and eventually killed those who had once backed him, aiming to keep all the profits for himself.

Momochi Zabuza and Raiga Kurosuki were the strongest shinobi under his command.

He had sent them, along with the Demon Brothers, to assassinate the bridge builder, Tazuna. But word came that both Zabuza and Raiga had vanished, while Tazuna had returned safely.

A sense of dread gnawed at him.

Even with dozens of bodyguards patrolling outside, Gato felt no sense of safety.

He looked up at the moon, sighing with bitterness.

"I've lived cautiously my whole life. Will I ever make it to the other side?"

"Unlikely."

A faint voice sounded behind him.

Startled, Gato turned around and saw a handsome boy sitting on his favorite sofa.

"Guards! Where are the guards?! Why is someone inside?!"

He shouted in panic, but was answered only by distant screams and the sound of blood splattering.

Moments later, three masked shinobi entered with bloodied hands and stood silently behind the boy. Their crimson Sharingan glowed ominously in the darkness.

Gato's pupils contracted violently.

That mask… It's them!

"So, you recognize us now?"

Yami crossed his legs, a playful smirk on his face as he looked at the trembling tycoon.

"But just to let you die in peace, I'll still introduce myself."

"The one who helped you rise from a thug to a shipping magnate—was Root, of Konoha."

"As for what Root is, it doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand even if I explained."

"My name is Shimura Yami. Momochi Zabuza and Raiga Kurosuki were killed by me."

"So, Gato, got anything else to say?"

Thud!

Gato dropped to his knees without hesitation.

"Sir, I didn't know you were involved! Those two were nothing to me. But if Tazuna finishes that bridge, our business here will collapse!"

"That's fine."

Yami's smile remained gentle, but his words sent chills down Gato's spine.

"After all, you've paid less than half of what you owe. I've decided to change the model, sustainable exploitation. I'll collect tolls now. What do you think?"

"I can explain!"

Gato swallowed hard, scrambling for an excuse.

The silence outside told him all he needed to know. His bodyguards had been eliminated by the three masked men. Escape was impossible.

"I don't need excuses."

Yami's tone was calm.

"Do you know why I never came after you all these years?"

"Because pigs should be fattened before they're slaughtered."

"When you thought the shipping business was your own empire, you gave it everything you had. But now, the pig is fat enough."

"No matter how much you squeal, the result is already decided."

"My money's in the bank!" Gato blurted out. "Even if you kill me, you won't get it! I'll give you half—no, I swear the future shares will be accurate! Let's keep working together!"

"Tch. 'Working together.'"

Yami chuckled and shook his head.

"You've always been at the bottom of the table. Now you want to sit at the table and negotiate?

"Yui, he's yours."

At his command, one of the masked shinobi stepped forward, grabbed Gato by the neck, and cast an illusion.

Half an hour later, every piece of information about Gato's assets and hidden funds was laid bare. Combined with the company's liquid capital, Yami would gain approximately 5 billion.

It was more than enough to ease his financial strain and refill his treasury.

The only downside was that Gato couldn't die yet—otherwise, the money couldn't be withdrawn.

Yami immediately collected 80 million in cash from the villa. He then left Gato in Yui's hands, to be kept alive until he was fully squeezed dry.

The night passed in silence.

Team 7's mission wasn't just to repel assassins, but to ensure the Wave Bridge was completed. So they had to stay for a while longer.

Aside from Zabuza and Raiga, Gato had hired other wandering shinobi. These were now perfect training targets for Hinata and the others.

The next morning, Naruto and Sasuke came to find Yami.

After watching the battle the other day, they were both eager to learn new jutsu.

"Yami-nii! I want to learn that lightning move!"

Surprisingly, it was Naruto who said it first.

Yami took out two chakra paper slips and let Naruto test his affinity. After confirming Naruto lacked the lightning element, the boy gave up with a groan.

Seeing he had both lightning and fire affinities, Sasuke smirked.

Two beats one. The advantage is mine.

Wind beats lightning, sure—but fire beats wind. Clearly, I'm fated to surpass Naruto.

Since chakra nature transformation wasn't suitable for Naruto's limited attention span, Yami taught him the Shimura clan's signature Wind Release: Vacuum Wave.

Mastering the jutsu first and then improving it through repetition was more fitting for Naruto's Ashura Sage Body, which naturally enhanced techniques through sheer practice.

Naruto was a genius in a strange way. He didn't need to understand the mechanics. Just repetition made him stronger.

Sasuke, though sharp, followed the path of traditional shinobi. He relied on training and logical growth. Sharingan and Rinnegan only raised his ceiling.

Yami was the same. While the system gave him immense chakra and talents, he still had to work and comprehend to transform them into true strength.

With Naruto's Shadow Clones occupying the nearby area, Yami took Sasuke to train farther away.

First, he had Sasuke refine chakra through dual blades, enhancing his lightning transformation.

After he got used to it, Yami demonstrated the base jutsu.

"This is Kakashi's signature technique—Chidori. I exchanged it for Flying Thunder God, an S-rank technique. It also has several variations."

Yami demonstrated the Chidori Blade, Chidori Sharp Spear, and Chidori Senbon. Sasuke's eyes lit up.

"But to learn this, you must master Ultimate Nature Transformation. It also places heavy demands on the body."

"So first, use lightning chakra to activate your cells. Increase speed and penetration."

With that, Sasuke began channeling lightning into his body.

Groans of pain followed.

Why is Chidori considered a Forbidden Technique?

Because improper use damages the user. If the intensity isn't right, activation becomes incineration.

But Sasuke valued power over everything. If he was willing to go to Orochimaru to kill Itachi, a little risk here was nothing.

He nearly killed himself a few times, but Yami kept a Shadow Clone with medical ninjutsu on standby, comparable to Tsunade's level.

The results spoke for themselves. While he hadn't learned Chidori yet, Sasuke's speed and strength improved significantly from constant lightning stimulation.

Meanwhile, Yami released some of the remaining rogue shinobi to give Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata practical combat experience.

They could already take on over a dozen Genin with taijutsu alone. But when a strong Chūnin appeared, they still struggled.

Sasuke used Sharingan and his speed to seize an opening and drive a kunai through the enemy's heart.

Naruto didn't have his technique, but he had a monstrous health bar. He exhausted the opponent's stamina with Shadow Clones before overwhelming him.

Hinata had it easiest. Without knowledge of acupuncture points, a single Eight Trigrams Palm strike to the meridians rendered enemies helpless.

"Yami-sensei! I beat a Chūnin! Can I be promoted now?!"

Naruto was glowing with pride, already picturing bragging to the others back in the village.

Yami shut him down immediately.

"Rogue Chūnin are the weakest kind. No jutsu, no real taijutsu. What's there to be proud of?"

"Right now, you're about on par with Iruka. Don't laugh. If you hadn't shown off so much, that fight would've ended much faster."

Even Sasuke, riding high, deflated a bit.

"So... I can beat Iruka now?" Naruto's focus was always a bit off.

Yami chuckled.

"Try him when we get back. We'll see."

"When do we go back?"

"Yesterday, Tazuna said the bridge would be done in a few days. Soon."

A few days later, the bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the mainland was complete.

Tears of joy flowed from the workers. There were no overly dramatic speeches, so the bridge wasn't named "Naruto Bridge," but simply.

Hope Bridge.

Yami didn't get everything he wanted. Only one toll booth was placed. Non-residents paid 500 per crossing, caravans paid more.

Still, annual income would be impressive. And when the tourism industry grew, it would only rise.

Sun, beach, and bikinis—how could it not be profitable?

On the last day before leaving, Yami called over Yui, who had handled Gato.

Yui glared at Sasuke.

Sasuke, sensing intense killing intent, looked back in confusion.

Yami introduced them.

"This is my subordinate, Yui. Last time, you froze under Zabuza's killing intent. I asked him to help you adjust."

"Yui, be gentle."

"Yes, Yami-sama."

As Yami walked off, Yui cracked a sinister smile under his mask.

Uchiha Sasuke, you've finally fallen into my hands.

(To be continued.)