Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 109 The Cautious Three Generations

"Black Thunder!"

"Diamond Lockdown!"

"Water Release!"

"Wind Release!"

"Who is Li Yao really?"

Four thousand meters above the sea, Sarutobi Tenjuro and his wife stood on the ink-wash giant bird. His expression was more solemn than ever before, and his probing gaze was fixed on Li Yao, who was standing on the back of the black iron giant eagle, from a distance of seven kilometers.

Li Yao didn't notice the couple at all.

The couple and the three generations of Raikage worked together very well.

Li Yao divided his forces into two groups, and they always followed the group that the Third Raikage and his group hadn't followed.

This is why Li Yao couldn't shake off the Third Raikage and his group no matter what he tried.

With two groups of soldiers under surveillance, how could Li Yao possibly escape pursuit?

"Yes! Who exactly is he?" Sarutobi Ayase's beautiful eyes were filled with fear.

Along the way, Li Yao and the Third Raikage's several exchanges of moves not only revealed the true Vajra Sealing Technique unique to the Uzumaki clan, but also the Third Raikage's famous Lightning Release - Black Lightning.

Putting aside the Diamond Sealing Technique, since Li Yao possessed the Black Chakra Chain Sealing Technique, they had considered that Li Yao's predecessor might have been some unknown powerhouse from the Uzumaki clan, so the Diamond Sealing Technique made sense.

However, Lightning Release: Black Lightning is the Third Raikage's signature technique. Not only was it developed by the Third Raikage, but to this day, he is the only person in the entire Hidden Cloud Village who knows it.

How did Li Yao's predecessor learn Lightning Release: Black Lightning?

How did Li Yao's predecessor enter the Hidden Cloud Village?

Or perhaps Li Yao's predecessor was a member of Yunyin?

Too many questions!

So many questions!

Sarutobi Tenjuro racked his brains but still couldn't figure out how Li Yao's predecessor had managed to switch back and forth between the Hidden Cloud Village and the Uzumaki Clan, learning the signature techniques of both.

Until his wife, Sarutobi Ayase, subconsciously said something.

"Could it be that Li Yao has already possessed someone more than once?"

Upon hearing his wife's words, Sarutobi Tenjuro's eyes lit up.

"Yes, you're right."

Sarutobi Tenjuro confirmed, "Li Yao has definitely possessed more than once, which is why he knows the Uzumaki clan's Adamantine Sealing Technique, the Third Raikage's Black Lightning Technique, and even other ninjutsu."

Only in this way can we explain why Li Yao, who has always stayed in the laboratory, has so many ninjutsu techniques.

However... considering that Li Yao could possess other people's bodies multiple times, it meant that Li Yao could abandon Kimura Yao's body to possess others at crucial moments, which made Sarutobi Tenju feel helpless.

If that's the case, then Li Yao will be too difficult to kill, and it's uncertain whether his father's backup plan will play a crucial role.

……

Leaf.

When Li Yao was cornered by the Third Raikage.

Kato Dan, who had been studying the Reaper Death Seal Technique in the secret room for over a week, came to the Hokage's office with a dejected look on his face.

"I'm so sorry, Hokage-sama."

Kato Dan said with a face full of guilt, "I don't seem to have much talent in sealing techniques. After so many days, I still haven't mastered the Reaper Death Seal."

It's not as simple as not having learned it.

Even now, Kato Dan's understanding of the Reaper Death Seal is still completely blank.

The scroll containing the Reaper Death Seal technique includes detailed explanations of the sealing formula and development notes left by predecessors.

However, while he could understand the text, Kato Dan found the seal patterns to be like gibberish; he completely failed to grasp their function and couldn't draw them with chakra.

He was like a complete novice suddenly asked to forge a peerless sword, and could only learn by relying on his basic understanding of sealing techniques.

However, the Reaper Death Seal, an extremely powerful sealing technique, involves far too profound knowledge for Kato Dan to comprehend, let alone learn, given his limited knowledge of sealing techniques.

So, more than a week later, Kato Dan realized with frustration that even if he were given another year, he would still find it difficult to master the Reaper Death Seal.

"This...this is impossible!"

The Third Hokage put down the pipe he was smoking, stood up, and frowned in confusion. "Since you can learn the Spirit Transformation Technique, your soul perception must be very sharp. You should be able to easily learn a soul-sealing technique like the Reaper Death Seal. How could you not?"

Faced with the Third Hokage's confusion, Kato Dan felt ashamed and lowered his head, saying, "I...I'm sorry, I have let the Hokage down."

Is this kid afraid of dying...? A thought suddenly flashed through the Third Hokage's mind, but then, looking at Kato Dan's ashamed expression, he shook his head inwardly.

No, this child's will to fire is very strong, and he wouldn't deliberately fail to learn the Reaper Death Seal out of fear of death.

So... it really is as he said.

This child may really have very poor talent in sealing techniques.

However... even if Kato Dan is terrible, he still has to learn the Reaper Death Seal.

Because only he, with his soul perception, could sense Li Yao's soul and ensure that Li Yao would be completely sealed by the Corpse Demon.

Others, including him.

Even if they mastered the Reaper Death Seal, if Li Yao abandoned Kimura Yao's body in a critical moment, and they couldn't sense Li Yao's soul, then even if they used the Reaper Death Seal, they wouldn't be able to find Li Yao's soul seal. They would only be helpless against a soulless body and would have to sacrifice their own lives for it.

Once the Reaper Death Seal is fully activated and the phantom of the Grim Reaper is summoned, it means that one's soul is now in the hands of the Grim Reaper.

Regardless of whether they can seal Li Yao, their souls will be taken away and sealed by the phantom of the Grim Reaper.

This is a sealing technique that means "either we perish together or I die".

While possessing immense power, the cost was also unprecedentedly high.

To ensure that Li Yao can be sealed, Kato Dan must learn the Reaper Death Seal.

"Next, I will personally guide you."

The Third Hokage decided to personally teach Kato the Reaper Death Seal.

Ironically, the Third Hokage, who couldn't learn the art of spirit transformation, should theoretically be unable to learn or have a very difficult time learning the Reaper Death Seal, which involves the soul.

However, in reality, he learned the complex and powerful sealing technique of the Corpse Demon Seal in just half a day.

To be honest, the title of "Professor of Ninjutsu" is well-deserved. The Third Hokage's talent in learning ninjutsu, including sealing techniques, was truly exceptional.

Unfortunately, the current Third Hokage lacks the resolve to sacrifice himself for Konoha, or perhaps he feels the time is not yet right.

After all, the Sarutobi clan had not yet risen to prominence.

Madara's prophecy of the Uchiha clan's destruction has not yet come true.

How could the Third Hokage, who inherited the will of the Second Hokage, bear to die?

Otherwise, while Li Yao was reluctant to give up Kimura Yao's body, which possessed the talent of Wood Release, the Third Hokage would have had a great chance to catch Li Yao off guard and take him away with the Reaper Death Seal.

Unfortunately, he ultimately chose the safest and most secure method.

Trust the young people!

I believe that the young people who have inherited the Will of Fire will surpass the previous generation and become the pillars of Konoha.

And so, Kato Dan began to receive personal instruction from the Third Hokage, learning the Reaper Death Seal.

Li Yao, who had no knowledge of spirit transformation techniques or the ability to possess bodies, was now truly in dire straits.

It's possible that the third generation won't need to intervene.

soon.

Two days later.

It is located in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides within the border of the Land of Earth.

Exhausted, Li Yao landed from the sky, stepping onto the hard, reddish-brown rocky ground, and looked around.

It was all rocks, without a single weed.

The borders of the Land of Earth are all like this, with no green plants, mostly just rocky mountains.

It's no wonder that the ninja village of the Land of Earth is named Iwagakure (Iwagakure) instead of Tsuchigakure (Earth Village), as the country is indeed mostly composed of rocks.

"I wonder if these rocks will prevent the use of Wood Release?"

With a thought, Li Yao immediately released his Wood Release chakra to test it, and a small sapling immediately broke through the hard rock.

"It's alright, it won't affect anything." Li Yao smiled, relieved.

He then waited quietly in place, concentrating on adjusting his chakra, preparing for the desperate battle to come.

After escaping from the sea to land, Li Yao thought he could use Earth Release chakra to hide underground and escape the pursuit of the Third Raikage and his group.

As it turned out, the Third Raikage and his group were indeed well-prepared.

In addition to high-altitude flight and beyond-visual-range perception, as well as water-based ultra-long-distance perception, there are even those who are proficient in earth-based perception.

Even Li Yao's attempt to sneak underground was useless; he was still found.

Having fled all the way to this point, Li Yao realized that there was no point in running any further. Only by fighting to the death and at least killing Yun Yin, who controlled the giant eagle summoning beast, could he possibly escape this desperate pursuit.

For this reason, Li Yao specifically chose this small valley as the battleground, because it would increase the chances of killing Yun Yin, who controlled the summoned beast, the giant eagle.

(End of this chapter)