The scene around him shifted—
Yoru opened his eyes and found himself several days in the past.
He was back in the moment just before departing the village with Danzo, on their mission to the Land of Rain to negotiate with Hanzo of the Salamander.
[Arc of the Full Moon Activated]
The host may revive once per month, returning to life under the previous full moon.
Reward: one ability draw.
1. Sword Art – Chain Scythe Double Strike
2. Poison Spray
3. A-rank Water Release: Water Body Flicker (Beginner)*
The first option was Hanzo's own scythe technique—deadly and unpredictable, using a chained blade that attacked from unexpected angles.
But Yoru had no use for it. He didn't want to fight while dragging a chain and scythe everywhere.
The second option, Poison Spray, didn't suit his chakra nature or fighting style either.
But the third—Water Release: Water Body Flicker Technique—made his eyes light up.
That was Hanzo's signature ability.
Body Flicker Techniques were rare in the shinobi world.
As the saying went: "Among all ninjutsu, speed is unbeatable."
Move half a step faster than the enemy, and you win every clash.
Even the most powerful jutsu is worthless if you can't finish a single hand seal before a kunai pierces your throat.
The essence of a ninja battle lies in delivering a blade to the enemy's heart in the briefest instant possible.
Without hesitation, Yoru chose the third option.
At once, he understood how the Water Body Flicker worked.
The technique required an environment covered with water—rain, puddles, or a flooded field.
By spreading chakra into nearby water, the user could dissolve into liquid and instantly re-form elsewhere through connected water.
Unlike the standard Body Flicker, which propels the body forward with physical acceleration, the Water version forces the body to liquefy downward into the ground water and reappear elsewhere—like melting and reforming.
It wasn't only an evasive move but also a powerful escape technique.
That explained how Hanzo had avoided their attacks before—using Water Body Flicker to dodge the flames and free his salamander from Yoru's earth spears at the same time.
The real challenge of the jutsu was in the instant of liquefaction—transforming the body into water in less than a blink.
It reminded Yoru of the Hozuki Clan's secret Hydrification Technique from the Hidden Mist.
Their jutsu could maintain a liquid state for extended periods, but Water Body Flicker only lasted a fraction of a second.
Still, Hanzo's mastery over Water Release was exceptional—and now, that talent belonged to Yoru.
He smiled faintly. Another forbidden technique, one he couldn't let others see.
Even Hanzo's personal disciples didn't know this move; only a blood heir might.
He wondered, half jokingly, if Hanzo had ever left behind some "undisclosed descendants."
No shinobi would ever hand over their ultimate technique lightly.
It was a shame, though. The Water Body Flicker was powerful but too unique to use openly—it could only serve as a secret trump card.
A few days later, Fox Squad received reinforcements—new members like White Ram joined their ranks.
Then Danzo led Yellow Dog's division across the border into the Land of Rain.
The ground was slick with puddles and flowing water.
Yoru tried channeling chakra through the wet earth beneath his feet.
If someone attacked him now, he could form a single hand seal and instantly reappear behind them—or anywhere else nearby.
In a terrain like this, it was practically a budget version of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
At the capital outskirts, Danzo finally located Hanzo and opened negotiations.
But, just like before, Hanzo refused to admit that Onoki of the Stone had tricked him.
The conversation fell apart—and the battle began exactly as it had in the last timeline.
Yoru's Earth Spear pinned down the salamander, and Hanzo used Water Body Flicker to evade the attacks.
This time, however, Yoru was ready. Before Yellow Dog even launched his Fire Release, Yoru had already prepared an Earth Substitution Jutsu.
Hanzo and the salamander appeared behind him—the scythe's chain whipping forward toward his neck.
But the blade only struck a splash of mud.
Yoru had swapped himself with the soil beneath the ground and used the Earth Evasion Technique to dive deep into the terrain.
"Hm?"
Hanzo's low growl carried surprise.
Even the salamander lifted its head, confused by the missing target.
Above ground, Yellow Dog's fireball slammed into empty water. He turned—and saw Fox crawling out from the mud, unharmed.
"Nice work, Fox!"
Hanzo's failed strike gave the squad a brief surge of morale.
Yellow Dog wasted no time, launching another Fire Dragon Flame Bullet toward Hanzo and the massive salamander.
But before it hit, the salamander exhaled a thick cloud of purple poison—instantly killing an entire Anbu squad.
Yoru glanced over and sighed in relief—it wasn't his team, but Hippo Squad that had been wiped out.
He rose from the mud, formed new seals, and unleashed another Earth Spear Barrage.
But Hanzo's Water Body Flicker activated repeatedly—vanishing and reappearing faster than any of them could follow.
Even Yellow Dog's strongest fire techniques couldn't track him.
Within seconds, three Anbu squads were gone.
That was the power of the so-called Demi-God of the Shinobi World—his combination of water flicker and poison was overwhelming.
Danzo, standing calmly at the rear, finally spoke:
"Use Lightning Release."
Three Anbu stepped forward instantly.
Their hands glowed blue as they struck the ground.
"Lightning Release: Ground Current!"
Electric arcs spread like a web through the water, zapping across the battlefield and paralyzing everything underfoot.
Yoru felt the static tingle through his boots—and relaxed slightly.
Hanzo and the salamander reappeared far outside the lightning's range, avoiding the field entirely.
Both sides paused, a brief moment of distance and breath.
Then—Danzo suddenly leapt backward.
No one understood why until they saw it: dozens of explosive tags floating in the puddles beneath them.
"Explosion Formation!"
A chain of detonations ripped through the rain. The lightning-nin who had cast the jutsu were instantly caught and blown apart.
Hanzo's skill with traps was just as deadly as his poisons and water techniques.
Danzo dodged backward, landing on a tree trunk. From there, he called out through the storm:
"Hanzo, neither of us can defeat the other. Don't think that just because you're strong, you can act without restraint.
Onoki sees you as nothing more than a tool—a blunt weapon to use and discard.
Cease hostilities. Don't interfere with Konoha's campaign against the Hidden Stone.
If you come to your senses, send word—I'll be waiting."
With that, Danzo dropped from the branch and began to withdraw.
"Wait!"
Hanzo's voice stopped him.
Everyone turned to the Rain Village leader, unsure of what he planned next.
Hanzo looked at the bodies of his fallen subordinates.
He feared no man in the Leaf—but the truth was clear: Rain's shinobi were far weaker than Konoha's.
He spoke in a low, hard tone:
"Konoha can lose a dozen Anbu and replace them within days.
But my Rain Village… we don't have that kind of strength. Every one of these men was chosen personally by me—and now they're all dead by your hands.
Danzo… their deaths will not be in vain."
He pulled a scroll from his cloak and tossed it toward Danzo.
"Here are my terms."
Yellow Dog intercepted it midair—no one trusted Hanzo enough to let it reach Danzo directly.
He checked for traps, then passed it safely to his commander.
Inside the scroll, Hanzo explained: since Rain declared war on Konoha, he had discovered Sand Village shinobi sneaking around near the Jisui River in southern Rain Country.
His proposal was simple—if Konoha helped eliminate the Sand infiltrators, Rain would withdraw from the war and stop interfering with Konoha's assault on the Hidden Stone.
Danzo studied the message for a long moment, then handed it to Yellow Dog.
"Handle it," he said.
The storm continued to fall, washing away the blood but not the tension.
The war in the Rain Country had just become even more complicated.