Chapter 27: Face the Wind
Naruto didn't rush straight into the Governor of Omi's mansion for an assassination.
Besides, this couldn't even be called an assassination; it could only be called going "Musou."
He wasn't King Hassan; killing everyone to achieve perfect stealth.
Adopting a cautious attitude, Naruto planned to track Oda Nobuaki for a few days to figure out his routine.
Night.
The gates of the brightly lit Governor of Omi's mansion opened.
A line of people filed out.
Naruto, hiding in the distance, saw this and recalled the portrait he bought on the black market; the young man getting into the carriage was indeed the Governor of Omi, Oda Nobuaki.
What was he doing out so late instead of sleeping?
He was slightly puzzled.
The nightlife in the Land of Fire naturally couldn't compare to modern times.
There weren't many forms of entertainment.
At most, two people would study human anatomy under the covers.
Naruto followed him all the way to a bustling large estate.
A Water Tea House.
Good grief.
He scanned the crowd of beautiful women in kimonos, his eyes filled with appreciation.
Appreciating beauty is a human instinct.
Though a wallet can control most instincts.
Naruto watched as Oda Nobuaki booked the entire Water Tea House.
He couldn't help but curse at the corrupt aristocratic feudal class.
Dammit!
It seemed there was no need to wait today.
He turned and returned to the Inn he had rented.
Naruto recorded Oda Nobuaki's path for the first day.
Three words: visiting the brothel.
Besides that, there was a guard force of nearly a hundred people, or rather, a private army.
Their equipment was more luxurious than he had imagined.
But it was hard to say if any experts were hidden among them.
Or perhaps, whether there were Jonin protecting him from the shadows.
As a Shadow Clone, he was far more fragile than the original; he would vanish if he took too much damage.
So he needed to be prudent.
On the second day, Naruto continued his tracking and recorded Oda Nobuaki's activities: visiting the brothel.
The third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day, and seventh day.
Naruto stared at the record of seven consecutive brothel visits and fell into deep thought.
Damn it! Why?!
You're the dignified Governor of Omi; don't you find this kind of life boring?
Visiting brothels every single day—where are your life goals?
He couldn't watch any longer and decided to save these girls from their misery.
That night.
Naruto quietly infiltrated the Governor of Omi's mansion.
According to Oda Nobuaki's routine, he would set off for the Water Tea House in an hour to torment his "little brother" until it foamed at the mouth.
But as soon as he arrived, he felt something was off.
Quiet.
Incredibly quiet.
The streets were clearly brightly lit, but the noise seemed isolated from the mansion.
This was an anomaly that could only be sensed once one's strength reached a certain level.
Naruto wasn't startled; instead, he was pleased.
He was eager for something to happen.
The more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it would be for him.
He made his way to Oda Nobuaki's room.
Over the past few days, he had become intimately familiar with the entire mansion.
Naruto waited for over ten minutes.
Just as he thought nothing was going to happen, the room door opened.
"My Lord, the carriage is ready. We can depart at any time."
"Do those commoners not dare to come?"
Oda Nobuaki, with a frivolous gait, asked dissatisfiedly.
The girls at the Water Tea House must be waiting for him in loneliness right now.
A young man in armor said unhurriedly, "They purchased weapons from Konoha and secretly hired many guards through a chamber of commerce. According to our mole, they will strike tonight."
Naruto, hiding in the shadows, was momentarily stunned.
Judging by the history he had studied in his past life, it was likely that Oda Nobuaki's incompetent rule had caused discontent, and a group of people with ideals similar to his own were planning to take this guy out.
He calculated his plan.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Regardless of whether it matched his guess, he could use this opportunity.
While the guards were distracted by the chaos, he would quietly approach Oda Nobuaki and give him a kidney strike.
A moment later.
Flames erupted everywhere.
Naruto looked up to see the night sky glowing red.
Nearly a third of the massive mansion was engulfed in flames.
It was Fire Release Ninjutsu.
This thought flashed through Naruto's mind as he moved as light as a swallow to the back of the room.
Three guards came into view.
He gripped his sword hilt and vanished; sword light flashed, and the scent of blood filled the air.
Naruto reached out to catch the falling guards, ensuring they didn't make a single sound.
The whole process took less than a second.
He sensed Oda Nobuaki inside the room.
The Chakra in his body became active as his hands formed seals.
In an instant, it transformed into heavy wind blades that sliced through the wall in front of him.
Amidst the flying dust, the fury of the surrounding guards could be heard.
Naruto raised his right arm.
The swirling wind effortlessly cut through the hazy dust and smoke, pointing directly at Oda Nobuaki.
The sudden attack made the young man in the room scream in terror.
"Asuma!"
As his voice fell, Asuma Sarutobi appeared, holding his Chakra Blades.
Feeling the oppressive pressure of the Ninjutsu, his twin blades glowed blue.
His body leaped back and forth within the cramped space along with his blades.
The instantly stacked strikes completely shattered the wind blades.
Naruto's pupils constricted.
Why was Asuma here?
He should be in the Land of Fire's Metropolis as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja.
After the Third Ninja World War, Asuma was promoted from Chunin to Jonin due to his outstanding performance.
To find his so-called "Jade," he had left Konoha.
He didn't return to Konoha to serve as a lead Joninuntil after the Twelve Guardian Ninja disbanded.
Naruto's thoughts flashed by; his long sword quivered, and the moment a soft hum sounded, it turned into a streak of clear light.
The silent Asuma had remained sufficiently vigilant.
When the flying sword approached, he struck out heavily with both fists.
Crack.
The sword Naruto bought from Cat Grandma was snapped instantly.
Truly wealthy.
Asuma's Chakra Blades were considered famous among Ninja tools, cutting through iron like butter, and were naturally exorbitantly expensive.
Naruto raised his hands, a faint glow of Chakraappearing on his fists and feet.
"Who are you?"
Asuma asked in a brief opening.
But he received no response.
A white streak of force directly attacked his temple.
Ruthless and swift.
He instinctively raised his fists to protect his head.
Before he could react, Naruto's lightning-fast punch suddenly stopped, and his right foot kicked out diagonally upward.
Asuma felt a powerful force hit his right arm, actually moving it over ten centimeters.
His face was exposed.
Naruto didn't hesitate to smash his right fist down toward his head.
In the blink of an eye, Asuma rolled on the ground, dodging the attack in a very disheveled manner.
He looked at the unfamiliar youth in horror and asked, "What kind of fist technique is this?"
Naruto said flatly, "A fist technique for killing."
Asuma's expression tightened; this was definitely a terrifying opponent.
Naruto glanced at the situation outside the door.
The fighting seemed intense.
But even now, no one had broken into the room.
This indicated that the attackers' strength was likely far inferior to that of the Governor of Omi.
Naruto's gaze turned cold, and his figure lunged forward.
Under Asuma's unexpected gaze, Naruto's legs wrapped around his body while his elbows slammed into his lower back, eliciting a miserable cry.
This was the "Wrap" and "Press" from the Eight Extremes Fist's Six Major Openings.
Asuma had never seen such an exquisite fist technique, and caught off guard, Naruto succeeded.
But with a poof, he turned into a wooden log.
Naruto knew he was still too young.
"Wind Release: Dust Cloud Jutsu!"
An alarming surge of power came from behind him.
A whirlwind wrapped in dust tore through the air.
Naruto turned back and barely managed to prop up a Wind Wall in front of him.
But it was quickly broken, and he was struck by the whirlwind.
A vibration that felt like it would tear his eardrums rang out in the air.
Naruto was sent flying.
His clothes were torn, revealing the riddled iron vest underneath.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and laughed. "You've angered me. Even I'm afraid of this next move."
Asuma's expression shifted.
This person left a deep impression on him.
Especially that Eight Extremes Fist.
He definitely wasn't a wandering Ninja, but came from some organization.
He cautiously raised his fists, his Chakra Bladesglowing with blue light.
Naruto let out a loud shout: "Face the wind! Hasagi... Retreat!"
Boundless Chakra filled the area like a vast ocean.
Asuma instinctively took half a step back.
Then, the overwhelming phenomenon vanished.
Naruto had already fled.
After all, he knew the principle that a great man should be able to yield as well as stand tall.
Thanks to the big boss Hai Di Cang Long for the tip.