RedX43
patreon
[Konoha2] Chapter 35: Go Big or Go Home!
🕑 Added 2025-05-12 03:26:15 +0000 UTCIf the Sky Ninja Village had a sensory barrier system like Konoha, they wouldn’t be so passive.
Unfortunately, they didn’t.
With the search yielding no results, the Sky Ninja leader, Fukū, was left with only one crude method:
Have sensory ninja perform large-scale, routine chakra scans throughout the village.
This method was time-consuming, exhausting, and not necessarily effective.
After all, assassination didn’t always require the use of chakra.
And the sensory methods employed by the Sky Ninja were limited to chakra-based detection—no dōjutsu, no physical-type sensory techniques.
But chakra-based sensing only worked if the enemy used chakra.
Who said a ninja had to use chakra to kill?
On the way to breakfast with Nonō Yakushi, Hajime Hoshita noticed a Sky Ninja standing atop a roof, conducting chakra scans, and quietly smiled.
Aside from the first target, the subsequent assassinations weren’t particularly selective.
Chūnin or genin—it didn’t matter.
The goal was simple: create a climate of fear, destabilize the village from within, and slow their responses to external threats.
Moreover, the more chaotic things became, the more it worked in Hajime’s favor—making information gathering much easier.
Targeting the Sky Ninja was a long-term operation, and Hajime had plenty of patience.
***
Late night, October 10th, Year 36 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar.
Nonō Yakushi, exhausted and asleep, was suddenly jolted awake.
Opening her eyes, she found her captain right in front of her. Instinctively, she whispered, “Onii-chan?”
Hajime Hoshita’s face remained expressionless, but there was an unmistakable excitement in his eyes. “Nonō, tomorrow I’m planning to assassinate the Sky Ninja leader.”
“What?!”
Still foggy from sleep, Nonō snapped to full alert. “Captain, didn’t you say this was going to be a long-term infiltration mission?”
“That’s for you,” Hajime replied.
“From tomorrow, you’ll be on your own—gathering intel by yourself.”
Something felt off.
This wasn’t the usual Onii-chan.
Nonō, sharp and perceptive, immediately sensed that something about her captain was… off again.
But not knowing what to do, she forced herself to stay calm and asked, “Onii-chan, how? The leader’s incredibly strong, and he has guards. Whether you succeed or not, you’ll be hunted by a swarm of Sky Ninja.”
Hajime reached out and gently patted her head. “It won’t be me.”
“Tomorrow, I’ll fake my death.”
He didn’t reveal the full plan—for safety reasons.
Nonō’s heart was filled with reluctance, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak against it. In the end, she simply showed a gentle, understanding smile and rubbed her head against his palm. “Onii-chan, I’ll carry out the mission well.”
Hajime nodded, then left the bedroom.
***
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, as soon as Hajime opened his eyes, he instinctively pressed a hand to his forehead.
Mental instability really was unpredictable.
Last night, in a moment of madness, he’d actually decided to assassinate the Sky Ninja leader.
But…
After thinking it through carefully, he realized that the plan his unstable self had come up with wasn’t entirely unworkable.
Its success, however, hinged on the strength of the Sky Ninja leader, Fukū.
To become the leader of a Hidden Village—especially one that was on the rise and full of ambition—Fukū had to at least be on the level of an elite jōnin.
Although Hajime had previously soloed a Sky Ninja jōnin, he understood full well that the gap between one jōnin and another could be greater than the gap between a jōnin and a chūnin.
Even before becoming Hokage, Minato Namikaze was still just an elite jōnin—yet he could wipe out dozens of Iwa-nin in a flash.
Ninja ranks correlated to power, but didn’t define it absolutely.
While washing up and getting dressed, Hajime carefully refined the plan his “crazy self” had devised the night before.
There was no such thing as a perfect plan.
But Hajime was going to make it as successful as humanly possible.
After breakfast, he escorted Nonō Yakushi to the hospital to begin another busy day.
Midday, taking advantage of a brief lapse in the Sky Ninja’s sensory scans, Hajime Hoshita created four Wood Clones in the restroom.
Due to the unique nature of Wood Clones, when fused with wooden structures, even sensory-type shinobi couldn’t detect them.
One clone remained hidden within the hospital. The other three scattered in different directions across the Sky Ninja Village.
***
2 PM.
The Wood Clone hiding in the hospital suddenly erupted into action, instantly killing three medical ninja and several injured Sky Ninja.
Chaos exploded throughout the hospital.
Hajime Hoshita immediately shielded Nonō Yakushi.
Sky Ninja swarmed the attacker, only to be effortlessly cut down by the clone wielding a blade.
How could ordinary Sky Ninja possibly defend against the expert-level kenjutsu of a jōnin?
Screams rang out, afterimages flashed—every time the Wood Clone moved, someone fell, blood spraying through the air.
Finally, the Wood Clone reached Hajime.
He drew his blade and engaged the clone using only pure taijutsu and kenjutsu.
At first, they fought on equal footing. Soon, Hajime began to falter.
By the time reinforcements arrived, he had been stabbed through the heart.
Just as the Wood Clone was about to finish off Nonō Yakushi, Kogetsu Daisei appeared in a flash and blocked the fatal blow.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel clashed as Kogetsu and the clone engaged in fierce combat.
Nonō clutched Hajime’s body, hands pressing against the wound in his chest, but the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
His heart had truly been pierced.
This wasn’t a clone.
At that moment, Nonō panicked. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably as she cried out, “Onii-chan!” over and over.
There was no acting—only raw, genuine emotion.
When Kogetsu Daisei returned, Hajime Hoshita was lying lifeless on a hospital bed.
Seeing Nonō Yakushi sobbing uncontrollably as she held Hajime’s corpse, Kogetsu opened his mouth but could only sigh in the end.
He had fought the Wood Clone, but in the end, it vanished—leaving behind only a block of wood.
This enemy was cunning—and frighteningly powerful.
Kogetsu’s face darkened with unease.
Today was anything but normal.
Until now, the enemy had favored stealth and silent assassination. But today’s sudden, brazen assault was deeply unsettling.
Kogetsu had a terrible feeling that something major was about to happen.
Just as the thought crossed his mind—the ground trembled, and a thunderous explosion rang out in his ears.
His face changed drastically. In an instant, he vanished from his spot and appeared on a rooftop, eyes widening as he looked toward the distance.
A blazing white sphere of light was expanding rapidly.
He watched as an entire building was swallowed by the orb and disintegrated in seconds.
Then, the growing light sphere suddenly contracted—followed by a violent shockwave that tore through the area, kicking up dust and debris.
“What kind of jutsu is this?!”
Kogetsu shielded his face with both hands, utterly stunned.
As the storm passed, he immediately launched himself toward the blast zone.
But before he could arrive, another deafening explosion erupted behind him. Turning around, he saw another sphere of light expanding upward.
***
Meanwhile, inside the hospital room, Hajime Hoshita’s wound closed.
He left a Wood Clone disguised as himself behind, while the real body transformed into a Sky Ninja and slipped away in the chaos.
With two suicide attacks—both imperfect Wind Release: Rasenshuriken—his clones had thrown the entire Sky Ninja Village into utter pandemonium.
Ninjas from all directions swarmed toward the impact sites.
At the village’s core, Sky Ninja leader Fukū stood atop a rooftop, face grim as he watched the shrinking orb of light.
Only three bodyguards remained at his side.
“Konoha…”
Fukū growled through clenched teeth.
Just then, a Sky Ninja soared onto the rooftop—Kogetsu Daisei had arrived.
(End of Chapter)
