Wok Shadow Ninja

Chapter 73: The Ownership of the Thunder Blade

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Water Style: Water Wave!"

Ino and her shadow clones fought as one, relentlessly unleashing advanced water ninjutsu. Their coordinated assault pushed a weary Black Zetsu further and further back.

Her direct, aggressive fighting style was proving highly effective, though it was undeniably draining her chakra reserves.

Asuma, working in perfect sync with her water techniques, used his chakra blades and wind-style ninjutsu to press his advantage against the increasingly battered Black Zetsu. Within just a handful of exchanges, he had clearly gained the upper hand.

Both were masters of close-quarters combat, their movements swift and deadly. However, Black Zetsu, weakened by blood loss, simply couldn't match Asuma's speed anymore.

Black Zetsu swung the Thunder Blade, aiming for Asuma's neck, but Asuma reacted instantly, snapping back and launching a sharp kick at his opponent's ankle before his feet even touched the ground again.

With a guttural cry, Black Zetsu ignored the kick, reversed his grip on the Thunder Blade, and lunged, thrusting the blade towards Asuma's heart.

Asuma dodged to the side, and in a lightning-fast counter-move, slashed a deep gash across Black Zetsu's exposed flank. Hardly any blood flowed, Black Zetsu was practically bled dry already.

"Give up. You can't win," Asuma stated, his voice firm.

"Win? Lose? Are you Konoha ninja still obsessed with such petty concepts?" Black Zetsu scoffed. "All I want is to survive!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ino's Water Dragon Bullet slammed into his back, sending him stumbling. Asuma seized the opportunity, striking again and severing Black Zetsu's right arm – the one still clutching the Thunder Blade. Barely conscious from the massive blood loss, Black Zetsu swayed for a few steps before collapsing face-first into the mud, his fight finally over.

"That was a close one!" Ino exclaimed from a safe distance, wiping sweat from her brow.

Elite jonin with that level of combat experience were incredibly tough opponents. Luckily, this guy was a bit of a loose cannon, and with Asuma's relentless pressure, they'd managed to pull through. Otherwise, the three of them alone might not have been enough to take down this madman.

Madmen were often more trouble than they were worth; you could never predict what they'd do next.

"Is this guy really the leader of those River Country rogue ninja? Why was he so strong?" Choji wondered aloud, his confidence shaken by how little he felt he'd contributed to the fight. He felt a pang of insecurity at the enemy's sheer power.

Shikamaru, ever the pragmatist, explained, "Don't get hung up on it. If I'm not mistaken, he was one of the former Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, an elite force from Kirigakure. It's not that we're weak, it's that we were up against a seriously strong opponent."

Ino, sensing Choji's deflated spirits, chimed in to reassure him. "If you hadn't taken off with Ranmaru, this guy wouldn't have lost his cool in the first place. A ninja who loses their temper is bound to get weaker. And I definitely couldn't have kept up with you when you ran. You were the key to winning this fight, Choji."

Choji, still a child at heart, brightened immediately. "Really? You mean it?"

Asuma and Shikamaru both nodded, smiling, and Choji's gloom vanished, replaced by elation. "Then let's head back to the village and celebrate with some barbecue!"

Asuma gave a forced chuckle, "…Sure."

Going back to the village for barbecue was just talk for now. The more pressing issue was what to do with Black Zetsu and Ranmaru.

The Thunder Blade was immediately taken into custody. Ino had water and earth nature transformations, both well-developed. Shikamaru had fire and earth, with fire still in its early stages. Choji only had a nascent fire nature. Asuma was proficient in fire and wind chakra. None of them had lightning nature chakra.

Kakashi might have been able to bury the Executioner's Blade and pretend nothing happened, but Asuma couldn't hide the truth from his father, the Hokage.

Asuma lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply, and said, "We can't use the blade ourselves, so it'll have to be handed over to the village. Don't worry, we'll definitely be rewarded for this."

Ino felt a twinge of regret. The Thunder Blade's power was undeniable, but without lightning chakra, it was useless to her. She had no intention of learning lightning techniques or abandoning her ranged combat style for close-quarters fighting. Unless she drastically improved her lightning skills, she couldn't wield the blade to unleash lightning ninjutsu without hand seals like Black Zetsu had.

Besides, this blade was far too significant to Kirigakure. Knowing the Third Hokage's usual policy of appeasement, it was highly likely the blade would be returned unless Ino was willing to become a rogue ninja just to keep it.

Asuma secured the Thunder Blade, leaving the question of Black Zetsu and Ranmaru.

"I'll send a message hawk to the old man and ask for his instructions," Asuma said, beginning to write a letter. Meanwhile, Shikamaru and Choji set about tying up the unconscious Black Zetsu and Ranmaru.

Black Zetsu, with a missing arm, couldn't weave hand seals anymore. Without hand seals, many ninjutsu were simply impossible. Asuma, as the Third Hokage's son, knew a few sealing techniques and applied a seal to Black Zetsu's abdomen to block his chakra pathways.

Unable to use chakra, unable to form seals, missing an arm, and bound tightly – it would take a miracle for him to escape now.

Ranmaru didn't seem to have much combat ability, but he could disrupt Ino's sensory skills and interfere with Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique, which indicated he possessed some unique talents.

Shikamaru and Choji were still figuring out the best way to tie up the small, seemingly harmless boy.

Ino, having no interest in boys, declared she was "clearing the battlefield" and left the seven captured Black Zetsu subordinates to Asuma. In reality, she'd made a beeline for the Black Zetsu clan's base to see what loot she could find.

The Oxalis Mine was a gold mine, literally. The group was using mercury to dissolve the ore and extract gold – a rudimentary refining method.

The mine reeked of a pungent chemical smell.

Wrinkling her nose, Ino first ransacked Black Zetsu's personal quarters. She found a considerable collection of lightning and water ninjutsu scrolls, which she grabbed without much more than a glance.

She also uncovered about five million ryo in paper currency, along with twenty boxes packed with various jewels, jade, and silk fabrics. However, she didn't find much actual gold. What she did find was a hidden warehouse filled with a large number of empty crates, each marked with the kanji for "fire."

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