Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

Chapter 153 The storm is coming
Leigushan Mountain, Mining Site No. 1.

Miners carrying yellow woven baskets straightened their safety helmets, while strong Cloud Ninjas shouldered cutting machines inlaid with thunderstones. They marched in a winding line into the deep mine, their shape resembling a giant python coiled on a hillside.

Wearing a mesh bodysuit and with her blond hair tied in a ponytail, Dako stood with her hands behind her back on a bare hillside, gazing up at the sky.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, thunder roared and crackled, and the pitch-black clouds completely shrouded the sky. It was just past noon, the time when the sun was at its strongest, yet not a single ray of light could be seen in the sky.

Thunderstorms occur at least twenty days a month on Leigu Mountain, but today the clouds are particularly dark and the air is slightly damp, making his previously broken arm itch slightly.

Whizzing!

A dark figure leaped from side to side across the cliff face below, and soon appeared in front of him.

"Lord Darkoy!"

The ninja, dressed in a tight-fitting combat suit and carrying a long blade on his back, said:
"As you instructed, most of the ninjas guarding Mine No. 1 have been dispatched to the other four mines. Now, only the ninjas responsible for mining and polishing the thunderstone remain here."

Dakoi, with his hands behind his back, nodded slightly:
"Has the news already spread?"

"Hmm! People have gone missing one after another at mines number two, three, four, and five, so the guards at mine number one have been transferred to other mines to protect everyone's safety."

After the news spread, the previously panicked mines became much calmer.

"but……"

The long-sword ninja hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"speak out."

"Isn't this a bit too risky?" The long-sword ninja's eyes revealed doubt: "Number One is the deepest and most complex mine in the main mining area, and all the personnel here have been sent out..."

The longsword ninja didn't finish his sentence, but Darkie could understand his concerns.

"I will go into the mine with everyone, so don't worry about going to Mine Area 3!"

"With Lord Darky protecting us, that would be the best."

Hearing Darkie's words, the longsword ninja nodded in relief, no longer having any doubts.

The other party is one of the two Jonin of Raigu Mountain, and also the right-hand man of the former ANBU captain Yotsuki Takeshi. He is extremely powerful. With him in the mine to protect us, there is no need to worry about the safety of Mine Area No. 1.

Whizzing!

The longsword-wielding ninja leaped away quickly, disappearing into the cliff in a few bounds.

Dako stood atop the mountain, looking down at the long line of miners below, his blue eyes scanning rapidly as if searching for something.

Soon they spotted a tall, muscular man wearing a helmet.

The man carried the cutting machine and mingled in the crowd, yet his imposing presence was still undeniable.

Seemingly noticing his attention, the man raised his head, his terrifying eyes gazing up at Dakyi on the mountaintop, and nodded slightly.

This person was none other than Ye Yueyi, disguised as an ordinary miner.

This was their plan.

The killer's methods were sophisticated, leaving no useful information at the scene. However, this also revealed that the perpetrator was definitely not a mindless, man-eating beast.

To fish, you must first put bait on the hook.

The two had a long talk last night, and while analyzing each other's motives, they discovered that the kidnapped people had almost no distinctive features and there was no connection between them.

This indicates that the perpetrator was neither seeking revenge nor had any particular modus operandi. The only clues are the need for a large population, a mine of thunderstone, and a recent high frequency of attacks.

Regarding these two points.

They dispatched all the personnel from Mine No. 1 to other mining areas, pretending to intimidate the murderer and prevent him from making any rash moves, but in reality, they were forcing him to choose Mine No. 1, which seemed relatively safe.

Then Dakoi and Yozuki Takeshi followed the miners into the cave.

Dakoi lured the enemy to attack the other side from the open, while Yozuki Takeshi hid in the crowd and launched a thunderous attack as soon as the enemy showed themselves.

Having confirmed that the plan was proceeding smoothly, the two exchanged a glance, one in the light and one in the shadows, and followed the miner into the cave.

at the same time.

On the unnoticed rock walls of the mine.

A tiny, blackish-brown insect with a hard shell on its back lay upside down on the rock, waiting for Ye Yueyi and Dakui to enter the cave. Then, the hard shell quickly opened and turned into two wings, and it flew outwards at high speed.

Buzz!

The wings flapped rapidly, leaving afterimages in the air.

The parasitic insect looked down at the long dragon coming and going below, then quickly circled around to the back of the mountain and flew towards a certain ravine.

Turning past the rough and steep stone wall.

In the shadows of the mountain valley.

Two figures, one tall and one short, with massive chakra sources surging from their hearts, stood there, their appearance both eerie and harmonious, both wearing hoods and masks.

The parasitic insect carefully avoided the abnormal purple chakra and returned to its master's fingertip. Pheromones created a unique communication channel between the two.

so troublesome.

Watching Ryoma Aburame and the parasitic insects communicate with extremely low efficiency through pheromones, Hairi activated the Byakugan's power to its strongest and quickly scanned the mountaintop.

After resting overnight, they headed straight for Thunder Drum Mountain from the primeval forest on the southwestern border of the Land of Thunder this morning without stopping, arriving at the foot of the mountain at ten o'clock in the morning.

As planned, Lan, Die, and the others rested in a secluded spot at the foot of the mountain, waiting for Aburame Ryoma and Hairi to investigate before making any further plans.

The two walked from the foot of the mountain to the summit. With the combined perception abilities of the parasitic insect and the white eye, they successfully explored all the mines except for Mine Area No. 1 without any unexpected incidents.

In mines 2 through 4, there are about two hundred ninjas working on mining and guarding, including one Jonin, a dozen or so Special Jonin, and the rest are ordinary Chunin and Genin. Although there are many of them, their combat power is negligible.

If the enemy still hasn't deployed high-end combat forces in Mining Area 1, they are prepared to launch a direct assault and sweep through the area.

The white pupils of the eyes enveloped the mountain peak.

In the blink of an eye, they had a clear view of the No. 1 mining area on the mountaintop.

Not only that, she could see right through the mountain's surface, revealing the narrow mine shafts and the miners inside in perfect detail. In her field of vision, groups of people carrying thunderstones moved back and forth in the tunnels, like a tireless swarm of ants constantly transporting food.

"confirmed."

After exchanging information with the parasitic insect for a long time, Ryoma Aburame finally finished verifying the information.

"Including the interior of the mine, there are a total of sixty ninjas with chakra reactions in Mine No. 1."

Fifty-two non-combat ninjas were responsible for mining and polishing the ore. Six ninjas with Chunin-level chakra served as guards, and one Jonin entered the mine with the elite Jonin from the group.

The No. 1 mining area has a smaller population, but it possesses two highly skilled combatants.

"Yes, the data I'm sensing is about the same as yours."

Through the ground, Hui Li glanced down at the elite Jonin inside the mine.

I wonder who that guy with the particularly dazzling chakra was hiding in the crowd and trying to ambush. Is there some other force in Raigu Mountain?

Or has Root's mission to attack this place been exposed?

It shouldn’t be!

The Root's Tongue Calamity Seal is no joke. Unless someone else infiltrates the Root using shadow clones like her, and the shadow clones can operate for a long time without breaking apart, it's impossible to succeed.

The reason she was able to deceive Root was because of the unique ability of the Nine-Tails' chakra to be transferred between each other, something that ordinary people simply couldn't do.

Most importantly, if even their mission has been exposed, the enemy should also know the lineup they have sent out, and there shouldn't be only this level of defense at the crucial No. 1 mine.

Hui Li glanced at the calm-faced Aburame Ryoma to the side:

“Their strongest member disguised himself as a miner and entered the mine. They probably don't know we're here. There's likely a third-party force here as well.” “Ignore it.”

Aburame Ryoma's cold voice remained emotionless, but Hairi sensed a hidden meaning in it. He knew about the third-party force here, or rather, that they had come specifically for this reason.

"Can I know what the real mission is?"

"Destroying the mines is the real mission."

“I want to know the other part.” Hui Li stared intently at the other person; this mission was indeed shady.

As if sensing the burning gaze of Gray Glass, Aburame Ryoma said vaguely, "The rest of the task is my business, it has nothing to do with you."

I really want to punch this guy who's spouting riddles!
Hui Li clenched her fists. If this weren't enemy territory, she would have loved to give this guy a good beating.

Insects have very keen senses, and Aburame Ryoma immediately sensed the danger, pointing to Mine Number One above his head:
"The enemy's defensive strength has been ascertained. Only Mine No. 1 is in danger. Go down the mountain, gather manpower, and prepare for a strong attack."

"Go ahead!"

Aburame Ryoma squinted at Hairi:
"What do you mean?"

Hui Li watched as the miners emerged from the mine, carrying baskets of thunderstones that they polished, charged, and then transported to the huge warehouse in the center of the camp.

Through the warehouse door, the power of the pupils revealed a small mountain of lightning-infused stones that shimmered with lightning.

After exploring Leigu Mountain for half a day, she had already learned the function of this special mineral.

The training includes inlaying mechanical components and—supporting the Lightning Release Armor!

As is well known, training in Lightning Release Chakra Mode involves using Lightning Release Chakra to destroy one's own cells, selecting cells with lightning resistance, and then infusing them with chakra to allow them to grow and evolve.

Ultimately, they created the Lightning Armor, which combines offense and defense.

The entire training process is extremely chakra-intensive. Even with the regenerative abilities she inherited from Kurama and the control over her Byakugan, she can only train for about four hours at a time before her chakra is completely depleted.

For the average person, they might only exercise for one or two hours a day.

However, the first half of this training process can actually be replaced by lightning; it is only when absorbing chakra that one must use their own power.

She witnessed firsthand that the Cloud Village Jonin in the No. 2 mining area was using the electric current inside the Thunder Stone to filter cells. His own chakra was only responsible for providing nutrients to the cells, which was very energy-efficient.

The main body has to give a large amount of chakra to the clone every day, and it also has to supply the Shikotsumyaku (Corpse Bone Pulse), so it's already not enough. How could she easily let go of such a good thing?

Before coming, he had the foresight to take a few extra sealing scrolls and embezzle some thunderstones from them to give to his main body as a souvenir.

"Leave this to me. You just take Panxiong and the others and take care of the rest of the mining area."

"Although there are few people in Mine Area No. 1, there is an elite Jonin-level expert. Can you handle it on your own?"

"enough."

Hui Li said confidently.

Byakugan's extraordinary insight allowed her to see through the person in the mine. He was a typical ninja of the same type as Yotsuki Yu, but her strength was now vastly different from before.

After absorbing the Nine-Tails' chakra and receiving guidance from Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo, the power of her Wind Release techniques increased significantly.

The Lightning Release Chakra Mode compensates for her lack of agility, and with her mastery of the One-Shot Sky Split, which she can even use to grill meat, she is now best suited to fight ninjas who have trained in Lightning Release Armor.

"Attack simultaneously in half an hour. Be careful, don't die."

After finishing his sentence, Aburame Ryoma turned and left.

He was quite confident in Hui Li's strength. In terms of direct confrontation, she was already the strongest fighter in the Root team. The enemy's elite Jonin would eventually have to be dealt with by her; it was just a matter of time.

The only difference now is that there's one more Jonin; it shouldn't have much of an impact.

As for those ordinary ninjas, neither he nor Hui Li took them seriously.

The hierarchy among ninjas isn't particularly strict; there isn't a significant difference between Jonin and Special Jonin, or between Special Jonin and Chunin. However, the difference between Jonin and Chunin is enormous, especially considering that these two are among the best Jonin; they could easily kill any Chunin.

If Hui Li can hold off the two people on the mountain, he can go and deal with the only Jonin down the mountain. The combat power of the three Jonin, Lan, Die, and Pan Xiong, is enough to crush the ninjas in the other mines.

When reinforcements arrive, forming a numbers advantage, the situation will be much easier.

Tick ​​tock!

As the figure of Ryoma Aburame quickly disappeared, damp spots suddenly appeared on the yellowish-brown ground.

A cool, damp breeze brushed against her cheeks, her silver hair fluttered, and Hui Li gazed up at the sky.

Click!

Amidst the thunderous roar, a silver dragon danced across the sky, while the pitch-black clouds churned, seemingly transforming the sky into a vast ocean.

Tick ​​tock!Tick ​​tock!
The dark clouds seemed unable to hold back the heavy raindrops any longer. A few large raindrops fell, then the rain fell sparsely and fell silent again. She could feel the suffocating feeling in the air that had nowhere to go.

not the right time yet.

Suppressing her somewhat excited chakra, Hui Li stared at a tent in the camp with the character 'Lightning' written on it, peering through the clock hanging beside the bed.

Inside the dial, the second hand clicked and spun.

……

Outside Leigu Mountain.

In the huge, yellow-green ravine, the vegetation is particularly lush due to the water accumulation in the terrain. The yellow-green vegetation covers the ground in a thick layer, like a layer of lichen.

"What a beautiful day! Isn't it, Samehada!"

"Woo!"

The bandaged greatsword Samehada twisted excitedly on his back. Kisame Hoshigaki gently patted the greatsword on his back, his golden eyes gazing up at the sky.

The shark gills on both sides of its cheeks trembled as it sensed the moisture in the air.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and lightning flashed and thunder roared, striking the towering Leigu Mountain in the distance. Even from a distance, he could feel the dampness and the rumble.

When the rain pours down, this place will become his home ground.

"It seems I have no choice but to leave it to you."

Uchiha Itachi raised his hand, also sensing the wind direction and moisture.

Before engaging in combat, it is essential to observe the weather and terrain and formulate a battle plan. This is a mandatory course for all Konoha ninjas. As an outstanding graduate of the Ninja Academy, he has made it a habit and deeply ingrained it in his bones.

Kisame Hoshigaki was taken aback, only then realizing that his new partner was a pure fire-style ninja who hated rainy days the most.

"Don't worry! I can handle it all by myself."

Kisame Hoshigaki patted his chest nonchalantly, but suddenly noticed that Itachi's eyes, which were gazing up at the mountain peak, were now bloodshot.

He looked up as if he had sensed something.

I don’t know when.

Thick fog began to spread across the mountain peaks.

The mountaintop, which had been thundering and flashing, was now almost invisible. Beneath the dark clouds, a hazy white mist, like a sea of ​​clouds, completely enveloped the top of Leigu Mountain.

"Itachi, something seems wrong."

The familiar fog awakened Kisame Hoshigaki's memories; fighting in the fog is a required course for every Hidden Mist ninja.

"I saw it."

The three tomoe swirled around his pupil, transforming into a unique shuriken. Uchiha Itachi stared intently at the thick fog within the mountain peak.

Thick, ethereal fog swirled among the mountain peaks, meeting the dark clouds in the sky. A mysterious, swirling purple chakra lurked within the mist, rising and dancing like a raging dragon poised to devour its prey.

(End of this chapter)