"Samehada – Chakra Devour!"
In a sudden burst of movement, Umino Yoru closed the distance, his Samehada expanding violently to drain the last remnants of Pakura's chakra.
Exhausted from rescuing her captured comrades, Pakura had little left to resist. The moment Samehada siphoned her energy, her legs gave out.
Yoru swiftly caught her by the waist before she could collapse.
**"Pakura, let me explain—no, wait, let me justify—ugh, no, I mean—"**
"I don't believe a damn word you say!"
Pakura's glare was venomous, her eyes screaming "You absolute pervert!"
Then she felt it—the warmth of his hand against her bare back, skin pressed against skin. Her face burned with humiliation.
"Let go of me, you lecher!"
She twisted in his grip, but between the battle fatigue and Samehada's drain, she couldn't even stand. Her struggles only made her squirm more, her waist arching subtly—like some kind of seductive tactic.
"Careful—!"
The moment Yoru released her, she nearly face-planted. He caught her again, pulling her back against him.
"Pakura, it's not what you think! Don't go spreading nonsense, or my reputation's ruined!"
"Seeing is believing. What's there to explain?"
"Come on, even if I were that desperate, I wouldn't pull something like this mid-battle!"
"With a beauty like her around, who knows what impulses took over?"
Pakura's gaze flicked to the woman beside them—Yuki no Yuki, whose snow-pale skin and curves made even Pakura feel a twinge of envy.
"Sister, you've misunderstood."
Yuki, assuming the two were lovers, spoke up nervously. The last thing she wanted was a Scorch Style fireball turning her into a dried-up husk.
"Who's your sister? You might not even be older than me!" Pakura scoffed, eyeing Yuki's generous assets with thinly veiled irritation. **"Oh wow, you're bigger—how impressive. Hmph!"**
Just then, Akimaru Lightstep finally caught up, panting.
"Brother Yoru… is that you?"
Her eyes landed on Yoru, arms wrapped around two women. A flicker of disappointment crossed her face—but no surprise.
"I'm doomed."
Yoru felt the world crumbling. No chance to silence witnesses now.
He quickly set both women down, helping Yuki straighten her clothes. The more he explained, the worse it'd sound. Better to let Konoha's interrogators handle this—they'd prove his innocence.
"Lightstep, this is Yuki no Yuki, a captured Mist jonin. I need you to debrief her—thoroughly. Especially about how I captured her. Document everything."
"Understood, Brother Yoru. Leave it to me."
Lightstep's voice was calm, her demeanor graceful. No shock, no accusations—just quiet efficiency.
"Thanks. I'll leave this to you."
Mistaking her composure for trust, Yoru sealed both women's chakra and mounted White Fang, racing off to hunt the remaining Mist forces.
The moment he was gone, Pakura smirked.
"Akimaru Lightstep, your beloved is quite the playboy. Doesn't it sting, knowing you've set your heart on the wrong man?"
Women understand women.
Unlike the oblivious Yoru—who only had eyes for training and the Hundred-Man Unit—Pakura had long noticed Lightstep's hidden feelings.
"What's the issue? Noblemen take multiple wives all the time."
Lightstep's smile was serene, her tone regal.
"Besides, Brother Yoru is extraordinary. It's only natural he'd attract women."
A dismissive wave.
"And you two? Just passing travelers from foreign villages. Not even qualified to be his concubines. Why would I worry?"
"Hah! Who'd want to marry him?!"
Pakura's nose scrunched, but her mind betrayed her—flooded with images of warm hands and firm grips. Her cheeks burned.
Lightstep's eyes narrowed. So it's like that, huh?
This woman was dangerous. She'd have to keep a close watch—no way would she let some seductress ensnare Brother Yoru.
"Um, miss… I think there's a misunderstanding?"
Yuki, sensing the tension, tried to defuse things. Survival first.
"Who are you calling miss?!"
Lightstep's gentle facade cracked for a split second—a sharp edge in her voice.
"Brother Yoru ordered a full interrogation. Do you want the Torture and Interrogation Squad involved?"
A pause. Then, sweetly:
"Now. Think carefully before you answer my questions."
"Y-Yes… Big Sister."
Yuki was no fool. The Kiri-Konoha conflict wasn't official. As the Yuki clan's heir, she just needed to stay alive long enough for a political exchange. No need to die over trivial drama.
"Good girl."
Lightstep preened at the title.
"Don't worry. Since Brother Yoru has taken an interest in you, I'll make sure the interrogators go easy."
For now.
Yuki exhaled in relief. Alive. For now.
That Yoru didn't seem like a pervert. Once she cleared up the misunderstanding, she just had to wait for her clan to bail her out.
"Guard them closely."
Lightstep assigned a team of genin to separate the prisoners, then left to tend to the wounded.
Meanwhile, Yoru soared toward the southern coastal fortress on White Fang—only to grimace at its defenses. Too sturdy.
But on his return flight, he spotted a group of Mist shinobi—survivors who'd escaped the poison maze.
"Perfect."
A plan sparked in his mind.
Instead of killing them, he unleashed a swarm of shadow clones—each transforming into Mist-nin, including one disguised as Hyūga Hyakusen.
Then, he handed a storage scroll—packed with sawdust-steel powder—to the "Hyakusen" clone.
"Move out."
The fake Hyakusen rallied the "retreating" Mist forces (mostly clones) and led them straight toward the fortress—
A Trojan horse in motion.
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