The boiling seawater gurgled and bubbled like a pot of soup.
A vast stretch of ocean had been thoroughly cooked, white steam mixed with the smell of charred flesh blanketing the entire bridge.
Wow, the fish are fully cooked now.
On the bridge, everyone stood like puppets with their souls sucked out, staring blankly at the apocalyptic scene before them.
Sora stood atop Gamabunta, looking down at his own "masterpiece" with an expressionless face.
Sage Mode slowly faded; the orange markings around his eyes disappeared, and that vast aura of oneness with nature receded.
In his mind, he silently graded the combo technique he'd just used.
[Sage Art: Toad Oil Flame Bullet]
Flashiness: ★★★★★ (Visual effects maxed out, BGM-worthy entrance)
Practicality: ★★★★☆ (God-tier crowd clearer, just a bit too flashy, high chakra cost, and it tends to burn the loot)
Tch, finally quiet.
Sora inwardly smirked.
Insisting on staging a tear-jerking tragic romance in my home turf, even trying to move me with bromance?
What a joke.
In Sora Akashi's script, villains should act like villains—die cleanly, die spectacularly.
Don't try to steal my spotlight with love and peace.
"Alright, job's done."
Sora patted Gamabunta's head, his tone as casual as if he'd just ordered takeout.
"Thanks for the assist, Boss Gamabunta. Sorry for making you come all this way."
"Hmph. These brats nowadays—one after another, bossing toads around."
Gamabunta grumbled discontentedly. His massive body went "poof" and vanished into white smoke.
Sora's figure drifted lightly back down to the bridge surface.
He turned around to find three stunned faces.
Naruto's mouth hung open, drool nearly dripping. He pointed at the still-bubbling sea, stammering: "Th-that... what just happened... was that a ninjutsu too?"
It was more exaggerated than anything he'd ever seen—far beyond the pure destruction of the Nine-Tails rampage, carrying a terror named "art."
Sasuke's body trembled slightly.
He clenched his fists tightly. The single-tomoe Sharingan he'd just awakened now seemed laughable and powerless after witnessing this godlike power.
He had always chased after his brother's back.
But now, he realized there was an insurmountable peak in front of him called "Sora Akashi"—a mountain of despair with no visible summit.
Karin clasped her hands tightly over her chest. Her red eyes shimmered with near-fanatical worship.
This was... Big Brother Sora's true power.
This was her god.
Sora ignored the three kids' reactions and turned toward Tazuna and the group of workers who had collapsed in terror.
"Ninja-sama!"
"Thank you, Ninja-sama, for saving our Land of Waves!"
Fervent shouts rose one after another.
"Alright, alright, get up."
Sora flashed his signature harmless, cheerful grin at the kneeling villagers.
"I'm no god—just a handsome passing Konoha ninja."
As he spoke, he walked to the edge of the bridge and picked up the Kubikiribōchō he'd stuck into the ground.
He slung the giant blade over his shoulder, then waved casually at the still-dazed Class 7.
"Let's go—job's done."
His tone was as relaxed as if they'd just finished a pleasant picnic.
"Heading back. I'm starving."
...
### Chapter 58: Burning Sea and Treasure (continued)
Back at Tazuna's house, the atmosphere was as lively as a festival.
Tsunami had prepared the most lavish banquet, villagers brought all kinds of local specialties, and even Inari—that little brat—finally stopped glaring at him with hostility, replacing it with a look of awe and admiration.
Sora enjoyed it all, eating and drinking heartily while graciously accepting everyone's praise.
Being a hero once in a while felt pretty good.
After stuffing himself full, he stretched lazily.
"I'm going out for a walk to digest."
He waved casually at the group without waiting for any response and sauntered out the door.
Karin instinctively started to follow, but a single glance from Sora stopped her in her tracks.
The night was pitch-black.
The moment Sora left everyone's line of sight, his figure turned into an afterimage and vanished.
Through his shadow clones, he'd already scouted Gatō's heavily guarded fortress inside and out.
Outside Gatō's fortress.
Sora's figure appeared in the shadows like a ghost, completely silent.
He didn't even bother with the main entrance.
Finding an unguarded blind spot, he formed a single-hand seal.
Using Earth Release to tunnel into the fortress.
The entire process made no sound at all.
He strolled through the interior, eliminating every guard before they could even see his face. Perfect infiltration.
Soon, he reached the top floor—Gatō's office.
He pushed the door open.
The short, fat shipping magnate with his greasy comb-over stared at him in terror, surrounded by a dozen trembling samurai.
"You—you?!"
Gatō shrieked, his voice shrill with false bravado.
"Me?"
Sora walked in step by step, the massive Kubikiribōchō slung over his shoulder, a friendly smile on his face.
Gatō had originally planned a second attack with these rogue samurai after Zabuza and Haku. But the sight of Sora's earlier ninjutsu display had scared him into fleeing.
"Attack! Kill him!"
Gatō screamed hysterically, retreating as he shouted.
The dozen samurai exchanged glances, summoned their courage, raised their swords, and charged.
Sora shook his head.
He didn't even bother with ninjutsu.
He simply swung the Kubikiribōchō casually forward.
A massive, visible white shockwave swept out in a fan shape.
Pfft—
Blood sprayed.
The dozen samurai—and the swords in their hands—were sliced cleanly in half at the waist.
Upper bodies still in mid-air, lower halves kneeling limply on the ground.
The office instantly filled with the thick stench of blood.
Gatō collapsed to the floor with a thud, a large wet stain rapidly spreading across his crotch.
Sora walked over, still carrying the bloodless great blade, crouched down, and maintained his sunny smile.
"Now, can we have a proper talk?"
He reached out and patted Gatō's face, twisted in extreme terror.
"Where's your vault?"
...
A few minutes later.
Sora stood before a thick steel door.
He looked at the complex mechanical combination lock and curled his lip.
What a hassle.
He extended his right hand. In his palm, a high-speed spinning blue chakra sphere appeared out of nowhere.
Rasengan.
"Rasen—gan."
He murmured softly, then gently pressed the sphere against the thick steel door.
Boom—!
The half-meter-thick steel door was bitten away like a huge chunk by an invisible beast, leaving an irregular massive hole.
Sora blew nonexistent dust off his palm and stepped inside.
The next second, the sight made him squint slightly.
Gold coins, banknotes, jewelry, antiques...
Mountains of wealth glittered in the dimly lit vault, dazzling the eyes.
"Tch."
Sora smacked his lips.
Jackpot.
He took out a large bundle of pre-prepared blank storage scrolls and began his joyful looting.
After stuffing the last scroll full of gold into his pack, he looked at the now-empty vault and nodded in satisfaction.
Perfect. The first startup capital for becoming Hokage was secured.
What? Hand it over to the village?
What a joke. The Third is almost in the grave—why should I give him money I earned through my own skill?
He turned and strolled leisurely out of the vault.
Behind him, Gatō had become a cold corpse.
"Being a hero is really expensive work."
Sora sighed.
His figure melted into the night.
Time to head back and continue playing the role of the beloved, reliable team leader.
Maintaining a perfect persona is exhausting.