Chapter 387: An Lushan's Demise (7k)

Chapter 387: An Lushan's Demise (7k)



To validate her idea, Mu Yue used an excuse to alter the ratio of investigation to training time.

Starting from the third day, they would train all day and investigate at night.

No one objected, and both Mu Yue's disciples and Naruto Uzumaki and Yamato abided by her arrangement.

With the intelligence they currently possessed, it was sufficient to complete their respective tasks. Any further investigation would only serve to conclude the mission more securely and minimize the impact of the An Lushan incident on Loulan.

Therefore, reducing investigation time was reasonable.

"You all must be tired from training. How about we get some supper?" Mu Yue suggested, glancing at the weary group.

"Supper? Are we going for ramen?" Naruto's fatigue vanished at the mention of food, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

There was nothing better than a hot bowl of Ichiraku ramen after an exhausting training session.

Naruto could also settle for instant noodles, but eating alone meant enduring three tedious minutes of waiting. Going out for ramen with everyone was more fun, even if it meant waiting, as they could chat together.

Yamato looked up at the sky; it was already late at night, and the sky was dotted with sparkling, fresh stars.

"At this hour, I think only izakaya bars would still be open." Yamato retracted his gaze and honestly told Naruto.

Though a little out of place, it was the truth—ordinary ramen shops wouldn't still be operating past midnight.

Yamato would have happily accompanied Mu Yue to an izakaya, but he felt it wasn't quite appropriate. Even Naruto wasn't of legal age yet, and Kakashi and the others were even further from it. It wasn't the right time for them to frequent such establishments.

"Looks like you're in for a treat tonight, Naruto." Obito immediately thought of Mu Yue preparing supper for them.

After all, she was a sage; there was no way she hadn't already considered what Yamato had in mind.

"We won't be dining out. I'll cook for you all," Mu Yue explained.

Before they had started training, she had already prepared everything.

Obito wore a knowing expression, and Kakashi and Rin Nohara eagerly anticipated the supper Mu Yue would prepare.

She was their teacher, not their chef, and it had been a while since they had last tasted her culinary creations.

During the wait, Kakashi and the others looked so excited that Yamato couldn't help but ask, "Is Mu Yue really good at cooking?"

He had wanted to offer to help in the kitchen, but Mu Yue had refused. She had told him that if he wanted to help, he could clean up afterward, but she would handle the cooking herself.

"Good at it? Her cooking is like it's been imbued with some kind of super-advanced ninjutsu. There's no dish in the ninja world that can compare," Obito replied dramatically.

While he loved his grandmother's cooking, he had to admit that Mu Yue's culinary skills were unparalleled.

Yamato's expression turned doubtful. He would have believed Obito if he had simply said that Mu Yue was a good cook, but this over-the-top praise lowered its credibility.

It wasn't that he thought Obito was lying; it was just that there might be a bit of an idol filter at play, and the chef's identity made a difference.

"Mu Yue's cooking skills are on par with her ninja abilities," Kakashi said seriously.

Kakashi even thought that Mu Yue might make more money as a chef than as a ninja.

Her dishes were so delicious that they induced hallucinations. Undoubtedly, noble lords would pay a fortune to taste such unique cuisine in the ninja world.

Yamato's eyes widened in surprise. Coming from Kakashi, this praise held a lot of weight. Kakashi wasn't the type to exaggerate, and he was usually level-headed and rational.

"I can't wait," Naruto said, listening to Kakashi and the others praise Mu Yue's cooking.

He curiously craned his neck to peek into the kitchen, eagerly anticipating the upcoming supper.

"By the way, who's the Fifth Hokage?" Obito asked, his curiosity piqued.

Obito aspired to become the Hokage one day. Given his age, becoming the Fourth was out of the question, so he set his sights on the Fifth. Naturally, he wanted to know who his competitor would be in this altered timeline.

"Tsunade-obaasan," Naruto replied.

"Huh? Tsunade-sama became the Fifth Hokage?" Rin Nohara's mouth fell open slightly in surprise.

She didn't doubt Tsunade's capabilities; in fact, at this point in time, all three Sannin were considered top contenders for the position of Fourth Hokage. Any one of them taking on the role would be accepted by the Hidden Leaf Village without question.

Rin had become something of a disciple to Tsunade, having spent a significant amount of time with her, and she understood Tsunade's personality. She knew that Tsunade had no desire to become the Hokage.

Tsunade was already reluctant to research medical ninjutsu, let alone take on the burden of managing the village's affairs as Hokage.

Rin couldn't imagine what Tsunade would be like as Hokage. Would she even show up to work on time, or would the Hokage's office be empty every afternoon?

Rin's face couldn't hide her concern, and she hoped that both Tsunade and the village would fare well during this challenging time.

"Tsunade-obaasan? Isn't she Rin's teacher for medical ninjutsu? I didn't expect her to become the Fifth," Obito said, scratching his head. He recalled that Tsunade and Jiraiya were from the same generation, and he wondered if her age might be a bit advanced for the role.

"Rin, do you know how strong Tsunade-sama is?" Obito inquired, eager for more information.

Since Obito referred to Naruto as 'big brother,' he subconsciously used Naruto's way of addressing Tsunade, neglecting the time travel aspect.

"She could probably knock you out with one punch, Obito. Also, it's best if you don't refer to Tsunade-sama as 'obaasan,'" Rin advised, her concern for Obito's safety evident.

"I knew you seemed familiar, but now it makes sense. You're just like Might Guy!" Obito exclaimed, feeling he had uncovered the truth.

Kakashi's lips twitched at the comment, thinking that some people truly lacked self-awareness.

Listening to Kakashi's team recount their mission experiences, Yamato silently marveled at how Kakashi had managed to survive. A C-rank mission that was not supposed to involve any encounters with ninjas had somehow led them to face ninjas of various levels, and even the Chunin Exams had not gone as planned.

"Wow, this is amazing! There are so many dishes I've never seen before," Naruto exclaimed, his eyes widening at the array of mouth-watering dishes being brought out from the kitchen. This was far more extravagant than he had imagined.

Considering that Naruto and Yamato had never tasted his cooking before, Mu Yue had prepared a mix of local dishes from the ninja world, ensuring that they would recognize at least half of the dishes on the table.

Many of the ingredients used were stored in Mu Yue's scrolls, as they might not have been available in Loulan.

With such a sumptuous spread before them, everyone took a moment to express their gratitude before digging in.

Naruto picked up a piece of tempura and bit into it. As his teeth broke through the crispy, fried exterior, he was delighted to find the shrimp inside was incredibly juicy and tender. He had not expected such a simple dish to be so delectable.

Then, something even more surprising happened. Naruto felt himself becoming lightheaded, and when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a mysterious and gorgeous blue world, surrounded by countless fish and shrimp.

He reached out to touch them, only to discover that he had transformed into a shrimp himself, with a pair of pincers extending from his body. Forgetting all his worries, Naruto happily swam in the ocean, enjoying his newfound form.

When he finally snapped out of it, he was back at the dining table, and the ocean and its creatures had vanished.

"You're amazing, Mu Yue!" Naruto exclaimed, giving Mu Yue a thumbs-up. He couldn't think of any other words to describe his experience.

Naruto recalled what Obito had said about seeing forests, oceans, and volcanoes when eating Mu Yue's food, and now he realized those descriptions had been spot-on.

Yamato, too, was stunned after taking a bite. He had thought he was under some sort of genjutsu for a moment. Obito's exaggerated descriptions had turned out to be true, and he couldn't help but be amazed.

"Go ahead and eat," Mu Yue urged them.

It was then that Yamato and Naruto noticed how quickly Kakashi, Obito, and the others were eating, their chopsticks moving so fast they left afterimages.

Seeing their plates emptying at an incredible rate, Naruto and Yamato also picked up their pace, determined not to be left behind.

"This is the best meal I've ever had," Naruto declared after finishing his meal, still craving more.

He felt he hadn't done the meal justice and believed he could have eaten even more dishes if given another chance.

"Thank you so much, Mu Yue-senpai," Yamato added, feeling incredibly grateful to have met Mu Yue.

Not only had Mu Yue helped them with their mission and taught them powerful secret techniques, but he had also gone out of his way to prepare such a delicious meal for them.

Mu Yue smiled but remained silent, as these gestures were but a trifle to him at his current level.

The next day, following Mu Yue's altered training schedule, Naruto and his companions began their morning exercises early.

Mu Yue also commenced his test, starting with a change of pace from their usual routine.

"Today, we won't be practicing taijutsu. Instead, I'll be teaching you the Yang Breath," Mu Yue announced before the training began.

"This will be challenging, so Naruto, make sure you pay close attention," he added.

The lecture reward system wasn't merely about Mu Yue giving lectures; it also depended on whether the students grasped the lessons.

As the Yang Breath was a secret technique still in development, Mu Yue emphasized the difficulty and started by explaining the basics.

"I'll do my best to learn it," Naruto nodded seriously.

Whether it was defeating the Akatsuki or bringing back Sasuke, he knew he needed strength, and he took his training seriously.

Moreover, with Mu Yue treating him so well, Naruto was determined to train hard and not let his mentor down.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Naruto quickly formed the necessary hand seals and channeled his chakra, creating several dozen shadow clones.

Aware that he wasn't a genius when it came to academics, Naruto decided to make up for it by having dozens of clones thinking and learning together.

"Before you learn the Yang Breath, there are two fundamental concepts you need to understand: the Yang chakra nature transformation and breathing," Mu Yue began his lesson.

Knowing that Naruto's foundation was lacking, he started from the basics, introducing the Yang attribute chakra.

Dozens of Naruto clones listened attentively, as this was a subject he was unfamiliar with. The only time he had heard about it was when Yamato briefly mentioned it while teaching him about the Wind attribute chakra nature transformation.

After about forty minutes of explanation, Mu Yue paused to give Naruto some time to digest the information.

Understanding this, Naruto dismissed his clones and organized his memories. When Mu Yue resumed his lecture, Naruto created several dozen clones again, eager to absorb the knowledge.

By the end of the morning, Mu Yue had successfully taught Naruto about the Yang attribute chakra nature transformation and the fundamental breathing technique.

Mu Yue had to admit that the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu was incredibly useful, as Naruto's learning speed was impressive.

However, this overpowered method of learning was only feasible for someone like Naruto, as it placed tremendous demands on the body and mind.

Most people wouldn't be able to handle creating even a few shadow clones for training, let alone several dozen. It was a true testament to Naruto's endurance.

In the afternoon, Mu Yue officially began teaching him the Yang Breath, which was still in the development stage.

As it wasn't fully developed yet, Mu Yue focused mostly on the theoretical aspects.

"When using the Yang Breath, your body's energy will be enhanced, and techniques related to the Yang chakra nature transformation will become more powerful. To maximize the effect, the final stage of training involves integrating the Yang Breath into other techniques.

To achieve this effect in the Naruto world, it's highly likely that Yang-attribute chakra nature transformation or natural energy is introduced, transforming the flames of Breath of Sun into Yang-enhanced fire or natural energy fire, or possibly both, as they are not mutually exclusive.

As Mu Yue hasn't come across any knowledge related to Immortal Techniques involving natural energy yet, he starts his experimentation with the Yang attribute.

Due to Mu Yue's development purpose, the biggest difference between Yang Breathing and other breathing techniques is that it holds a lot of potential.

Currently, Yang Breathing is very weak, and in terms of early effects, it's only slightly stronger than the basic breathing technique, but the difficulty level is worlds apart.

However, Yang Breathing has many paths to explore. As one continues to progress, reaching the depths of Yang Breathing can lead to an incredibly powerful bodily energy, making self-healing without seals a possibility.

At the same time, Yang Breathing can also be fused with compatible breathing techniques, as Mu Yue envisioned, to aid in its advancement towards Breath of Sun.

In addition to teaching Uzumaki Naruto, Mu Yue also instructed Yamato in water-style jutsu.

He believed that learning powerful water jutsu with Yamato's chakra control could result in actual combat performance that wasn't necessarily inferior to wood-style jutsu.

Of course, wood-style jutsu has its unique applications, such as suppressing the tailed beasts' chakra, which couldn't be replicated no matter how much one practiced water jutsu.

[Lecture Complete]



[Evaluation: S]



[Rewards: Yang-attribute Chakra Nature Transformation +9, Basic Breathing +12, Yang Breathing +2, Water-attribute Chakra Nature Transformation +1]



Along with the reward settlement, Mu Yue's mind gained some related cultivation memories.

A faint smile appeared on Mu Yue's face. This was indeed an unexpected but pleasant surprise, and he should be able to complete the initial development of Yang Breathing within a month at this rate.

After the cultivation session, Mu Yue, who was in a good mood, prepared another sumptuous dinner to treat his students.

Before the food was served, the group chatted happily, but once the dishes were on the table, no one spoke a word.

Having learned their lesson from the first time, Yamato and Uzumaki Naruto were cautious. They could chat freely before and after the meal, but during the meal, they focused all their attention on eating.

After dinner, they rested for a while before it was time for their investigation mission. Mu Yue created a shadow clone to follow Kakashi and the others, while his main body continued to research the dragon vein.

This routine went on for a week, and after gathering sufficient evidence, Obito and the others suggested capturing Centipede one night.

"This guy not only imprisons innocent people in his underground factory, forcing them to make puppets day and night, but he also conducts human experiments. Doesn't he feel disgusted with himself when he smiles at the people during the day?" Obito said indignantly.

During their investigation, they discovered that An Lushan was connected to the disappearances of many Loulan citizens, and with Mu Yue's Byakugan, they quickly located An Lushan's underground factory and uncovered his evil deeds.

"This time, we won't let that despicable guy get away," Uzumaki Naruto said, clenching his fists.

He couldn't wait to feed An Lushan his meatballs.

"With this evidence, not only will we prevent anyone from defending An Lushan, but the citizens will probably want to execute him immediately," Kakashi said, feeling they had prepared more than enough.

"Then let's take action tomorrow. I'll contact the queen later and have her arrange a meeting with An Lushan tomorrow," Mu Yue suggested.

An Lushan was a puppeteer, and his combat strength relied entirely on his puppets. If they fought him in his base, he would undoubtedly have many backup puppets ready.

By having the Loulan Queen invite An Lushan to meet outside, he would only be able to use the puppets he carried in his scrolls, which was a certain degree of weakening.

Although the enemy wasn't particularly strong, Mu Yue believed in giving his all, even when facing a weak opponent, to ensure that no accidents occurred.

"Keep your kunai ready, and if there's any danger, I can instantly teleport to your side," Mu Yue said as he took out two Flying Thunder God Kunai from his ninja tool pouch and handed them to Uzumaki Naruto and Yamato.

It was not only for their protection but also for An Lushan's.

If An Lushan died, Uzumaki Naruto and Yamato would be sent back to their world, so Mu Yue wouldn't let him die. He would seal An Lushan instead.

Uzumaki Naruto hadn't mastered Yang Breathing yet, and Jiraiya hadn't seen it either, so it wasn't time for them to return.

Mu Yue's plan seemed foolproof and reasonable, and everyone agreed. It was almost bedtime, so they dispersed and returned to their respective rooms.

…………

"Could it be that she finally came to her senses and decided to continue working with me?"

This was An Lushan's first thought upon hearing that the Loulan Queen wanted to meet him in the western part of Loulan to discuss development issues.

After all, this remote area had nothing to offer except for the dragon vein.

An Lushan was in a good mood about this, and he had even prepared to assassinate the Loulan Queen and install Princess Sara as the new ruler.

According to his information, Sara also possessed the same ability as the Queen.

Compared to the cunning Queen, the naive and sweet Sara would be much easier to control, and she might even help him count his money.

However, An Lushan's ultimate goal was to absorb the power of the dragon vein, not to rule over Loulan, so as long as he achieved that, everything else was irrelevant.

The western region of Loulan was the least developed area, with vast empty spaces and abandoned houses.

Led by Loulan soldiers, An Lushan found the Queen who was inspecting the area.

"Even though it's all Loulan, the environment in the west is so much worse than in other places. We should develop this area, even if it comes at a small cost." An Lushan continued when he saw that the queen wasn't reacting.

Just then, the handkerchief on the Loulan Queen suddenly drifted to the ground.

Whoosh!

The four Loulan soldiers standing next to An Lushan immediately drew their swords and slashed at him.

But to their surprise, it was as if they weren't attacking a person but striking steel. Their blades only managed to tear through An Lushan's clothes before they were unable to cut any further.

An Lushan's expression darkened as he realized that these ordinary soldiers dared to lay hands on him.

In order to withstand the power of the dragon vein, he had long since transformed himself into a puppet, so the swords of ordinary people could do little more than tickle him.

"Looks like I'll have to let the Loulan Queen suffer an unfortunate assassination, and then Princess Sara can succeed her in times of danger." An Lushan prepared to kill everyone here and then enthrone Sara.

But before he could make a move, wooden stakes sprouted from the ground beneath him, binding him tightly.

The four Loulan soldiers seized the opportunity to retreat quickly, while the hidden Naruto Uzumaki and his team rushed out.

Naruto gathered a large amount of chakra in his hand, compressing and rotating it until it formed a rapidly spinning chakra ball.

Without hesitation, Naruto hurled the Rasengan at An Lushan's chest.

"Lightning Blade!"

Kakashi also seized the opportunity to concentrate and enhance the power of Lightning Breath, then swiftly swung the blade of lightning at An Lushan's legs.

An Lushan's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to break free from the wooden bindings, only to find that they were much harder than he expected.

Whoosh!

Kakashi's White Fang Nimble Blade directly severed An Lushan's legs.

Boom!!

Naruto's Rasengan tore through An Lushan's clothes and body, revealing the puppet components within.

"This enemy seems surprisingly easy to deal with," Obito remarked as he saw the severe damage inflicted on An Lushan. He thought the battle was already over.

"Don't be careless until the enemy is thoroughly dealt with," Mu Yue said, shaking her head, as she stood next to the Loulan Queen.

Although the Loulan Queen had chosen to terminate her collaboration with An Lushan, he had still absorbed a significant amount of dragon vein power, and he wouldn't be so easily defeated.

Naruto's Rasengan had indeed dealt a heavy blow to An Lushan, but it also destroyed the wooden stakes binding him. An Lushan rolled away and quickly took out a scroll, then activated the dragon vein chakra power within him.

From the scroll, a puppet appeared, and under An Lushan's control, it swiftly transformed into components that repaired his body, making him look even stronger than before.

"You're really persistent. I didn't expect you to follow me here as well," An Lushan said as he dodged and cursed.

Initially, An Lushan had thought that Naruto Uzumaki and his team had followed him to Loulan, so he had been very cautious, using aliases and transformation techniques. It was only after a long time without seeing Naruto that he dared to be sure that only he had traveled through time.

He never expected Naruto to show up at this critical moment, and with several unfamiliar helpers, no less.

An Lushan quickly took out two more scrolls and released six large puppets.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Deidara, with his enhanced Fire Breath, immediately spat out a large amount of fire, forming a giant fireball.

Boom!

A huge explosion sounded, and one of An Lushan's puppets was instantly blown to pieces.

"Rasengan!"

Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to create numerous shadow clones, and together, the clones and the original used Rasengan to attack, swiftly destroying two of the puppets.

"Wood Style: Violent Piercing Tree!"

Yamato calmly controlled the wooden stakes that extended from his body, piercing and destroying one of the puppets.

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"

Kakashi gathered a large amount of lightning-attribute chakra and thrust forward with a lightning spear. The spear was incredibly fast and had strong piercing power, and it destroyed yet another puppet.

Hinata Hyuga, wielding the chakra blade that Naruto had given her, cut the chakra threads connecting one of the puppets to An Lushan, causing him to lose control of it.

At the start of the battle, the six puppets that An Lushan had just released were all taken down.

An Lushan's face turned gloomy. Those had been most of the puppets he had on his person; he only had ten in total, and now only three remained.

Without hesitation, An Lushan released the last three puppets and frantically ran toward the location of his underground base.

Although the puppets he carried were of higher quality, he had many more in his base, and he could wear his opponents down with sheer numbers.

"As long as I can reach that place, I'll be fine!" An Lushan thought he saw a chance to turn the tables.

But Mu Yue and her team were ninjas, so of course, they had prepared some traps.

As An Lushan rushed out, Kakashi silently detonated the dozens of explosive tags he had planted earlier.

Boom!!!

A thunderous explosion erupted, and the dazzling explosion engulfed An Lushan and the three puppets that were covering his retreat.

Seeing An Lushan swallowed up by the mighty explosion, the Loulan Queen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Initially, she had planned to bring Princess Sara along to witness the cruelty of human nature, but for safety reasons, the queen ultimately abandoned that idea.

The thick smoke from the explosion obscured An Lushan's figure, and Naruto and his team stared intently, unsure of his condition.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end