Chapter 81: Let's Begin Our Date (War)!

Chapter 81: Let's Begin Our Date (War)!

Above the Hidden Leaf Village, a massive, thick layer of cumulonimbus clouds swirled, occasionally punctuated by flashes of lightning and thunder, creating an apocalyptic scene.

Torrential rain poured down, the sky like a cracked water jug, with endless droplets cascading down in a heavy, curtain-like mist that enveloped the entire village.

"I feel so light."

Luk stood in the storm, no longer restraining his power. He felt the entire world was an extension of his will, and with a mere thought, he could change the direction of the wind and the flow of the rain.

The sweetness of power flowed continuously from his heart.

Only now did Luk truly understand why so many people pursued power—it was indeed exhilarating!

An adult Storm Dragon was the center of a storm, and even though a juvenile version had undergone several transformations, it still lacked the full essence. To perfectly recreate the grandeur of the Amaterasu and Susanoo, he deliberately created this rain.

The third element of victory: creating a favorable environment.

Luk dispelled his Shadow Clone Jutsu, and the mosquitoes he sent out earlier to scout the terrain vanished, their memories flooding his mind.

"Hmm... so this is the layout of the Hokage Tower."

Luk nodded, though he had seen it in the anime, it was the first time he saw it in person. The structure was quite complex. After a quick tour, he found the location of the Scroll of Seals.

The room had a barrier, and two ninja guarded the entrance, their strength ranging from high-level Chunin to elite Jounin.

It wasn't as strict as he imagined, but the number of people who could enter the Hokage Tower was already very limited. From the entrance to the Scroll of Seals, there were several checkpoints, and ANBU ninjas were also monitoring from the shadows. Overall, it was still well-protected.

Let's get started!

Luk walked towards his destination with a mix of anticipation.

...

In the ANBU surveillance room, the ninja responsible for monitoring the area was frustrated.

The dense fog in the morning was already a headache, and now a torrential rain had started in the evening. The rain had already caused several surveillance cameras to malfunction.

As the screens went black one by one, he reluctantly put on a raincoat and grabbed a replacement camera.

"Really, in this weather, even if I fix it, it'll break again soon."

He grumbled as he stepped outside. The moment he did, he felt the heavy rain pummeling his body, the force like someone throwing pebbles at him.

"Is this rain even normal?"

He hurried to the broken camera and replaced it. In the rain, a relaxed figure walked past him without him noticing.

...

Luk entered the Hokage Tower and looked up at the shadows on the ceiling.

Five ninjas were hiding there, completely unaware of the intruder.

The loud rain outside interfered with the ninjas' hearing and attention, and the lightness of his steps, enhanced by the "Shinobi Footsteps" technique, eliminated any sound. The "Concealment Ring" and "Transparency Jutsu" perfectly hid his presence.

Tsk, this is going too smoothly.

But a bit of a challenge would be more interesting.

Luk shook his head and walked towards the room where the Scroll of Seals was kept. He passed by several groups of ninja guards, but not a single one noticed him.

Although he had made extensive preparations, he couldn't help but feel a bit bored. After all, this was the first and strongest ninja village, and this level of security seemed a bit lax.

Two Jounin guards stood at attention, diligently performing their duties without any slacking. Their professional attitude made Luk look forward to creating more diligent clones for endless overtime work.

Thud!

With precise movements, Luk struck the back of their necks, rendering the unsuspecting guards unconscious. The heavy rain masked their muffled groans, and they were caught by two gentle gusts of wind before hitting the ground, making no sound.

Luk focused on the door. There was a barrier that had stopped the "mosquito clones" he used for reconnaissance.

Unlike skills, which could be replicated, characteristics could only be used when transformed into the specific person.

He canceled the Transparency Jutsu and transformed from "Moonlight Swift" to "Uchiha Fugaku." His eyes suddenly revealed three spinning tomoe, which then connected to form a disc-like shape.

After a moment of observation, Luk looked away. With the enhanced vision from his Mangekyou Sharingan, he determined that the barrier's strength was low, mainly serving as an alarm.

He guessed the trigger condition was chakra, a classic double-lock mechanism using two conflicting conditions.

Ordinary people couldn't break the barrier, and those who could would trigger the alarm when using chakra. Even taijutsu-specialized ninjas weren't that strong without chakra.

But there were exceptions.

Luk reined in the energy within him, transformed back to his original form, and walked through the door. The barrier dissipated like a burst bubble before his formidable physique.

The alarm didn't sound, as expected.

Even though he usually referred to his energy as chakra, after being influenced by multiple worlds, it was no longer strictly chakra. With his terrifying control, not a single bit of chakra leaked out, and it would have been a problem if the alarm had sounded.

Entering the room, Luk didn't rush to take the Scroll of Seals. Instead, he activated his replication skill, analyzing the scroll to gain its contents without carrying it away.

Dead objects don't interfere with the Analysis skill, and in just a few breaths, Lu Ke felt another item he could transform into.

The task was completed flawlessly.

Lu Ke stretched lazily, finding the whole ordeal far too easy. There wasn't even a fight as he had imagined.

He took one last look at the Sealed Book and walked out without a second thought.

As he crossed the threshold, Lu Ke felt his body collide with an invisible barrier. This time, the barrier didn't shatter like a soap bubble but stretched like rubber, following his movements.

Alarms blared throughout the entire Hokage Tower, sharp and urgent.

Ninjas sprang into action, their agility and speed evident as they scanned their surroundings.

"There's an intruder, an intruder!"

"Who is it!? Someone, go call the on-duty ANBU and inform the Hokage!"

"The broken barrier was in the room where the Sealed Book was kept. Hurry, don't let him escape!"

Lu Ke raised an eyebrow. It wasn't just a double-layered barrier; it was a double-layered, double-locked barrier. The second barrier, well-hidden, activated when the outer one was breached, trapping the intruder inside.

The inner barrier was incredibly strong, likely taking even a Kage-level enemy several minutes to break through.

Lu Ke nodded. Fair enough, the security system of Konoha wasn't as weak as he thought.

By the way, it seems the Third Hokage let Naruto off the hook when he sneaked in.

Lu Ke calmly raised his fist and aimed it forward.

Boom!

The sturdy barrier was instantly shattered by the terrifying force, and everything in front of him was pierced without resistance, leaving a clear fist imprint.

A mere barrier couldn't stop his powerful and muscular body!

The ninjas capable of guarding the Hokage Tower were elite ANBU members, and they arrived quickly, surrounding Lu Ke from all sides.

"Who are you?"

The ANBU captain, who led the group, stared warily at the intruder. As he spoke, two ninjas stepped forward to drag away the two guards Lu Ke had knocked out.

The man before them wore a silk-like, elaborate robe and carried a silver-white katana_ that gleamed like moonlight. His figure and face were shrouded in a mist, making it hard to see clearly. Despite being surrounded, he stood calmly.

"I am a divine craftsman from the Land of Artisans. You can call me Aizen Sosuke D. Azure Zeus," Lu Ke said slowly.

The ANBU captain didn't show impatience at this clearly fake name.

The intruder's ability to break through the inner barrier so easily indicated his formidable strength, and he needed to buy time for reinforcements.

"What is your purpose? Perhaps we can negotiate," the ANBU captain said calmly.

"Hmm... I have two reasons, one true and one false. Which one do you want to hear?" Lu Ke pondered.

"Of course, the true one."

"I think Konoha has been stagnant for too long, and its roots are rotting. If no changes are made, the title of the First Ninja Village will be lost. So, it's time for a change."

"Konoha's affairs are the Third Hokage's responsibility. You, an outsider, are overstepping."

"Let me ask, what's the false reason?"

"To test my strength and have some fun," Lu Ke answered honestly.

The ANBU captain: ...I have a feeling that's the real reason!

"Do you have no room for negotiation?"

Lu Ke shook his head seriously. "Of course, there is. You can pretend I was never here."

How could he let a thief who sneaked into Konoha and stole the Sealed Book go?

The ANBU captain drew his short sword, took a deep breath, and prepared to fight this formidable enemy.

Chakra began to flow into the short sword, enveloping it in a layer of electric light, giving it a sharp edge. The ANBU captain had mastered the nature transformation of his lightning chakra.

Just as he was about to attack, his years of experience as a ninja, honed through countless life-and-death situations, gave him a strong premonition.

Without thinking, the ANBU captain instinctively ran out, shouting, "Run!"

His companions also sensed something was wrong and quickly moved away upon hearing the warning.

Lu Ke slowly raised his fist, his gaze piercing through the ceiling.

"Let's start by tearing this place apart."

The gathered force suddenly expanded, and the punch that shattered the barrier now encompassed the entire Hokage Tower. A terrifying explosion followed.

Boom!

Wood splintered and dust rose.

In an instant, the building that had stood unharmed since Konoha's founding was completely destroyed, leaving only fragments shattered by the terrifying force.

Seeing the destroyed Hokage Tower, the ANBU captain's heart sank.

This was going to be a big mess!

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No saved drafts, I write and post one chapter at a time. Big shots, do you think it's better to post a day's worth of chapters together or separately?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end