I, who just wanted to be lazy, was forced to become the Hokage.

Chapter 554 Kage-level Ye Cang!

Kikyo City, small villas.

Nara Rinka and Yotsugu stood on opposite sides of the training ground, a heavy atmosphere filling the air.

Suddenly, Yekura's figure moved.

[Swift Release] Chakra flowed through Pakura's body, making her already swift speed even faster, and she seemed to be a phantom as she moved through the air at lightning speed.

Even if any ordinary Jonin were standing here, it would be difficult to track Pakura's movements.

Nara Rinka, standing opposite, showed no change or fluctuation in expression, as if he had truly not noticed Yokura's actions.

In the blink of an eye.

Yekura's figure flashed behind Nara Rinka.

She raised her right leg high, her toes imbued with explosive power, and kicked fiercely toward Nara Ranka's temple.

The kick was so powerful that it tore through the surrounding air, and a piercing whistling sound rang out in mid-air.

The strong wind ruffled Nara Rinka's hair, but his expression remained unchanged.

Snapped!

Yekura's kick, filled with resentment, struck Nara Rankei squarely in the head, like kicking a water balloon filled with water, which then burst open.

The jet-black water droplets shot out and spread in all directions with a splash, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers.

Yekura stared at the headless figure of Nara Rinka so close to him, his pupils contracting instantly, his heart filled with utter shock.

"What kind of weird ninjutsu is this? Did this guy just develop something new?"

Having lost its crucial "head," Nara Rinka's standing figure collapsed like a pile of flowing water, scattering on the ground and turning into a pool of dark shadows.

Ye Cang subconsciously took a step back, raised his hands, and quickly formed hand seals.

A moment later, a huge orange fireball shot out from Yekura's small mouth and slammed straight into the indescribable black shadow on the ground.

[Scorching Escape - Over-Steam Kill]!

boom!

A blazing fireball struck the earth, unleashing a deafening roar, and billowing shockwaves rippled outwards.

Even the earth was blasted by this exploding fireball, causing the soil to churn and dust to fly everywhere.

But the dark shadow that seemed to be slowly flowing was not affected by it at all.

Yekura pursed her lips tightly.

She trained diligently day and night in Kikyo Castle, and occasionally had to work as a servant for Nara Rinka.

I thought I had made enough progress over this period of time.

Compared to her past self, who attacked Kikyo Castle with the puppet army but was easily captured by Nara Rangsuke, Yekura believed that her personal strength had improved by leaps and bounds.

The result was completely unexpected...

It's alright that the newly mastered [Swift Escape] didn't achieve its full potential.

The [Burning Release] technique, which is Nara's signature move, did not seem to cause him any harm whatsoever.

What on earth is this dark ninjutsu?

Since ninjutsu isn't working, let's use taijutsu!

Yekura quickly changed her mind, her right hand flashing across her ninja tool pouch like a phantom—with the aid of [Swift Release] chakra, her overall agility attribute had been greatly enhanced.

In an instant, Yekura grasped a kunai that radiated a chilling light.

If anyone were present at that moment, they might have seen the four large characters "Shadow Blade" branded on the kunai's wrapping.

Just as Yekura was holding the kunai, intending to take a step forward.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the pool of shadows flowing on the ground.

The gurgling shadows transformed into Nara Rinka's form, from her legs to her torso and then to her neck...

Even the head that Yekura had just kicked and blown apart was "repaired" back to its original form at this moment.

Yekura didn't care and continued forward, holding the kunai, and stabbed Nara Ranka hard in the stomach.

This thrust seemed to have been mentally rehearsed a thousand times—or rather, Ye Cang had imagined this scene a thousand times in his mind.

Yekura stabbed out a kunai.

She thought Nara Rinka would dodge away.

But to everyone's surprise, the Shadow Blade pierced straight through Nara Rinka's abdomen!

"what!"

Instead of being pleased with the successful attack, Yekura, the instigator, was flustered and didn't look around.

Because her right hand, which was holding the kunai, also pierced through Nara Rinka's stomach!

From Yekura's perspective, her entire right forearm had "pierced" into Nara Rinka's stomach, a scene that looked quite terrifying.

That's good enough.

Nara rested her chin on Yokura's shoulder and then blew a breath into her ear.

"Trying to use the weapons I gave you against me? That's quite something!"

Hearing Nara Rinka's powerful voice, Yekura immediately realized that her attack had not truly harmed Nara Rinka. The inexplicable worry and surprise that had just welled up in her heart vanished without a trace.

Instead, there was a strong sense of resentment!

Yekura gripped the Shadow Blade tightly, slicing it around inside Nara Ranka's stomach as if she wanted to completely shred the latter.

Nara Rinka's lips twitched a few times as he casually activated [Shadow Strangle].

His position and Yekura's position were already overlapping, and their shadows were intertwined.

This situation is most conducive to activating the [Shadow Technique]!

Ye Cang, who had been playfully stabbing people just moments before, immediately realized that her body was now firmly bound.

Then, those shadowy hands, seemingly tangible, "lifted" Yekura's body and brought her out in front of Nara Rinka.

The Shadow Blade was naturally taken along with it.

Nara Ranka touched her undamaged belly and looked at Yekura with some confusion.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

"I'm trying to crack your new ninjutsu."

Ye Cang's entire body was covered in black arms, but he replied with a serious expression.

"Unfortunately, it failed."

"...Just take that as a fact."

Nara Rinka curled her lip and immediately dispelled the [Shadow Hanging Technique].

"Shall we continue?"

"I'm no match for you! I surrender!"

Yekura surrendered with practiced ease.

Over such a long period of time, she had lost count of how many times she had been defeated by Nara Rinka.

Having suffered defeats in every sense of the word, Yekura had long since become indifferent to the situation.

Anyway, having a lot of lice isn't a problem.

At least this time, they forced Nara Ranka to reveal a new ninjutsu! A new trump card!

Ye Cang comforted himself in this way while asking curiously.

"How did the test go? Did I pass?"

"You passed the test."

Nara Rinka ignored the A-rank [Ninja Scroll] that had just appeared on the panel.

"Your current strength is more than enough to be the Kazekage!"

Only A-rank ninjas can provide A-rank combat missions.

With her mastery of [Scorch Release] and [Boil Release], Pakura's current strength is beyond doubt.

Movie-level!

Two updates today.

First update.

(End of this chapter)