Reborn in the Shinobi World with an Arceus Inside

In the mountain forest, several large elk were drinking from a river.

Suddenly, a nearby tree exploded into a person with a bang. The figure grabbed the largest of the elk, wrestling it to the ground. The other elk, startled, scattered in a panic.

But a tripwire had already been set up at the end of a path.

With a coordinated effort, the entire herd was caught and their necks were noosed with ropes.

"Great! This is a huge harvest!"

"It's all thanks to Lord Yamabiko!"

"That's right, Lord Yamabiko is amazing!"

Under the adoring gazes of the villagers, Yamabiko Yuto pursed his lips, a slight smile forming. A feeling called "a sense of accomplishment" began to bloom in his heart. Unlike the life of a ninja walking in the shadows, he could now receive this kind of admiration.

Just then, a hoarse, mocking voice drifted over.

"Heh. Is this why you betrayed Konoha? For these hopelessly foolish civilians?"

"!" Yamabiko Yuto snapped his head up to look at the top of a large tree not far away. When his eyes locked onto the figure there, his pupils couldn't help but shrink.

"Lord Orochimaru..."

"Yamabiko Yuto, your crime of betraying Konoha is unforgivable. You must have expected this day would come," a cool voice sounded from a tree on the other side.

Yuto's expression grew even more bitter. "Lady Tsunade, you're here, too..."

"And me!" An enraged Jiraiya landed in front of him, roaring, "Yamabiko Yuto, what in the world do you think you're doing?! Did you know? To break through the enemy lines, Koga used his clan's secret medicine, and he still hasn't woken up! And you—you're here, leisurely hunting? Have you forgotten the Will of Fire? Are you going to be a coward who's afraid to die?"

Yuto had never imagined that Konoha would dispatch these three rising star jonin just to arrest him.

Kaito was strong, but in his heart, he didn't think he was strong enough to handle these three. Their teacher was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, hailed as the strongest of all Hokage!

'Is it really so hard just to stay alive?' Yuto sighed. "I know there's no escape for me this time. I will go with you voluntarily. I only ask that you let them go. These villagers are innocent."

"You don't have to tell us that. We weren't going to harm them," Jiraiya said, glancing at the terrified villagers and shaking his head.

"Jiraiya, don't make decisions for us," Orochimaru said, his face cold. "Have you forgotten the person mentioned in Akimichi Koga's report? Using these villagers as hostages should be enough to force him out."

"No need to force me out. I'm already here," Kaito's voice suddenly sounded from behind Orochimaru.

Orochimaru was startled. By the time he rolled forward several times and turned to throw a few kunai, Kaito's figure had already appeared between Yamabiko Yuto and Jiraiya.

'This guy's speed is just as the report said. Terrifyingly fast,' Orochimaru thought, narrowing his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them.

"You're the one who defeated Koga's team? You're way too young. Aren't you just a kid?" Jiraiya scratched his head and laughed. "How embarrassing for them."

"Please wait a moment, ninja of Konoha. I need to have a word with my subordinate first," Kaito said, turning to Yamabiko Yuto.

"Sir, why did you come?" Yuto asked in surprise.

"Didn't I tell you? I told you not to worry. I've been following you nearby these past few days."

He had intended to use Yuto as bait to draw out someone from Konoha, but he never expected three heavyweights to show up directly. It was a pleasant surprise.

"Sir..." A warmth spread through Yuto's heart, and he said hurriedly, "They are elite jonin from Konoha. Their skills are extraordinary. You don't have to risk yourself for me!"

"Heh. Actually, protecting you is secondary. My main goal was to meet them." Kaito flashed a grin. "So, your mission is complete. Hurry up and take the villagers back to the Spark Sanctuary."

"...Alright."

"Hey, hey, hey! I can't pretend I didn't hear that," Jiraiya shouted. "Yamabiko Yuto, you're not going anywhere! You're coming back to Konoha with us to face your punishment!"

"That's right!" Tsunade and Orochimaru moved to the ground, forming a triangular pincer with Jiraiya, trapping Kaito and Yuto in the center. "If we let Yamabiko Yuto roam free, not only will it damage Konoha's reputation, but it will also lower the morale of the troops on the front lines! We will absolutely not let him escape!"

"In that case, let's see who's better."

The Sannin exchanged a look and launched their attack almost simultaneously.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya's hands danced, forming a complex series of hand seals in the blink of an eye.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"

Tsunade, meanwhile, crouched slightly, her eyes locked firmly on Kaito. If he tried to dodge upwards, he would be met with her monstrous strength.

Faced with their well-coordinated attack, Kaito remained fearless. He grabbed Yuto with one hand, and just before the ground beneath his feet turned to swamp, his figure blurred and vanished in an instant.

"Trying to run? It won't be that easy!" Tsunade lifted her long leg high and stomped down hard in the direction of the villagers.

Under the terrifying force, the ground cracked and splintered. It was as if an earth dragon was tunneling underground, racing along the path she had chosen.

At the critical moment, Kaito appeared in the path of the shattering earth. He threw Yuto towards the villagers and, at the same time, stomped his own foot, creating an identical shockwave that brought the tremor to a halt.

"Yuto, now! Run!"

"Yes, sir!"

Yuto no longer hesitated. He led the villagers and fled, abandoning even the elk they had just captured. The elk, given a chance to escape, scattered in all directions.

"Orochimaru, you go after them! We'll hold him here!" Tsunade shouted, charging forward herself.

Jiraiya responded in agreement and also surged forward, joining Tsunade in a pincer attack against Kaito.

Orochimaru leaped into the trees, circling around from another direction to pursue Yuto. With so many villagers, they couldn't have gotten far. Even by taking a detour, he could still intercept them.

"Heh. Now it's my turn to stop you."

A golden light flared around Kaito. After three consecutive flashes, all three Sannin were blasted back more than ten meters by a massive force, regrouping in one spot.

"Damn it, this guy is way too fast!" Jiraiya glanced at Orochimaru, surprised. "Orochimaru, I thought you had escaped with a Substitution Jutsu."

Orochimaru's face was grim. "He's too fast. I didn't even have a chance to use it."

"It seems we won't be able to take Yamabiko Yuto away without defeating him first," Tsunade said, rubbing her wrists. Her voice was cold. "In that case, let's change our objective. We'll start with him."

"Hahaha, that's just what I wanted!" Jiraiya laughed out loud, but he quickly stopped himself. "If we don't find a way to limit his speed, there's no way we can keep him here."

"..."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to run," Kaito called out to them. "If I ran away now, then my efforts in using Yuto as bait would have been for nothing. Therefore, I will defeat you fair and square, and in doing so, secure the safety of the Spark Sanctuary I have created."

"Hmph. The young people these days are truly something else," Orochimaru said, wiping the corner of his mouth. His voice was cold. "What is your name?"

"I don't change my name whether I'm moving or sitting still. I am Kaito!"