Chapter 118 (Patreon)

The three maids were, of course, Mei Terumī, Pakura, and Yugito Nii.

When they had first begun working as maids, all three of them had found the situation rather awkward. Pakura, in particular, had struggled to accept it.

Things became even more embarrassing when Yujiro somehow obtained three proper maid uniforms.

Each uniform was made from black-and-white fabric and decorated with lace. For Yugito, Yujiro had even prepared a pair of cat ears and a matching tail.

After all, Yugito was the jinchūriki of Matatabi, the Two-Tails, who resembled an enormous cat. Perhaps because of that, she showed surprisingly little resistance to the accessories.

“Yujiro, we want you to grant us that enhancement too.”

Mei looked at Yujiro expectantly, though her voice remained cautious.

Pakura and Yugito stood nearby, watching him with the same anticipation in their eyes.

“Not yet. That will depend on your performance.”

Yujiro smiled faintly.

Did they really think he would hand out benefits so easily?

If they did not work hard or prove themselves, there was no reason for him to reward them.

He had no intention of becoming a convenient tool they could use whenever they wanted to grow stronger.

“Then, Lord Yujiro, how would you like us to perform?”

Mei took hold of Yujiro’s right hand and leaned closer, adopting an innocent, almost girlish expression.

“That isn’t something I can simply tell you.”

The corner of Yujiro’s mouth rose slightly.

“Just continue doing your jobs properly. Perhaps one day, if your performance impresses me, I’ll grant you that enhancement.”

After saying that, Yujiro picked up his black blade and left without another word.

There were still many things he needed to test.

Before long, Yujiro arrived at the ANBU training grounds in the forest behind Konoha.

Kakashi and several other jōnin often came here to train.

Yujiro had come to test the ability he had obtained after reaching the Fourth Stage of the Limiter.

As soon as he entered the training ground, he heard the familiar cry of concentrated lightning.

A dazzling mass of lightning had gathered around Kakashi’s right hand in the distance.

Kakashi had lifted his forehead protector, revealing the three-tomoe Sharingan beneath it.

With the Sharingan guiding his movements, Kakashi shot forward like a streak of white lightning.

Boom!

His Raikiri struck a massive boulder nearly ten meters across.

The entire boulder shattered instantly, collapsing into a heap of broken stone.

“Hah…”

Kakashi slowly exhaled and lowered his hand.

The ANBU shinobi watching from the surrounding area immediately erupted into cheers.

A technique with that level of speed and destructive force was far beyond what most ordinary ANBU could achieve.

Only the strongest among Konoha’s jōnin possessed power of that level.

However, after hearing the surrounding cheers, Kakashi merely shook his head.

His strength was still far from enough.

At that moment, voices suddenly rose from behind him.

“Lord Yujiro!”

“Look! Commander Yujiro is here!”

The surrounding ANBU immediately turned toward the black-clad figure approaching the training ground.

A look of unmistakable respect appeared on every face.

Yujiro was the commander of Konoha’s ANBU and a man whose name had already given rise to countless legends throughout the shinobi world.

To these ANBU shinobi, he was someone they would willingly follow even into death.

Many of those trained by the ANBU, along with those who had joined more recently, had done so because of Yujiro.

Some wanted the opportunity to see the legendary shinobi with their own eyes.

Others had joined because they wanted the honor of serving directly beneath him.

Yujiro looked over the gathered ANBU with a faint smile.

These shinobi were one of the foundations supporting Konoha.

Anyone capable of entering the ANBU and passing its strict evaluations had at least proven that their loyalty and conduct could be trusted.

“Yujiro.”

Kakashi walked over to meet him.

“Kakashi, I came here because I want you to help me test something.”

Yujiro spoke with an easy smile.

“Huh?”

Kakashi scratched the side of his head, wondering whether he had misheard.

Yujiro wanted to train with him?

Would he even be able to last through a single exchange against Yujiro?

“Don’t worry about it.”

Yujiro stepped into the middle of the training ground.

“Come at me with everything you have. Use Raikiri and strike me directly.”

“Ahem…”

Kakashi coughed once before his expression became serious.

At that moment, a red-clad figure arrived at the edge of the training ground.

It was Kurenai Yūhi.

Kurenai was now one of Konoha’s jōnin and had also become a jōnin instructor. Because of that, she occasionally used the secluded ANBU training grounds to sharpen her abilities.

When she heard that Yujiro intended to spar with Kakashi, curiosity immediately appeared on her face.

Although Yujiro had never revealed the full extent of his strength, Kurenai knew that his abilities had long since surpassed anything she could properly imagine.

“Yujiro, do your best!”

Kurenai cupped her hands around her mouth and called from the edge of the training ground.

“Your big sister is cheering for you!”

Yujiro turned toward her and raised his thumb.

“Hey, Kakashi! You cannot lose to Yujiro!”

Another voice suddenly rang out from behind Kakashi.

“Because the flames of youth will never be extinguished!”

A man in a green jumpsuit had appeared at the edge of the training ground.

Might Guy raised his fist and loudly cheered for his eternal rival.

“Guy.”

Kakashi slowly turned toward him.

“Why don’t you come over here and help him test it instead?”

“Ah…”

Guy immediately looked up at the sky.

“What wonderful weather we’re having today!”

“Kakashi, don’t worry.”

Yujiro chuckled.

“Once I’m finished with you, Guy will be next.”

“Haha!”

Kakashi immediately laughed upon hearing that.

Guy, who was still standing in the distance, suddenly froze.

“After Kakashi… it will be Might Guy…”

He began muttering quietly to himself.

“Might Guy… Guy…”

“Come on.”

Yujiro held the black blade in one hand and smiled calmly.

“All right.”

Kakashi did not hesitate any longer.

The three tomoe in his Sharingan spun as his gaze locked firmly onto Yujiro.

Lightning once again gathered around Kakashi’s right hand.

Raikiri was currently the most powerful offensive technique in his entire arsenal.

Kakashi charged forward at tremendous speed.

At least, he appeared tremendously fast in the eyes of the surrounding shinobi.

To Yujiro, however, Kakashi’s movements seemed as though they had been slowed nearly tenfold.

“Raikiri!”

Brilliant lightning illuminated the training ground.

Everyone expected Yujiro to either dodge the attack or counter it.

However, what happened next was completely unexpected.

Yujiro did not fight back.

He did not even move from where he stood.

Kakashi’s lightning-covered hand plunged directly into Yujiro’s lower abdomen.

Even Kakashi himself froze in shock.

He had actually struck Yujiro?

How was that possible?

Kakashi immediately looked down at Yujiro’s abdomen.

What he saw left him completely stunned.

His hand had clearly pierced straight through Yujiro’s body, yet not a single drop of blood appeared.

Instead, the area surrounding Kakashi’s arm had transformed into a mass of dark, crackling lightning.

Yujiro lowered his gaze and calmly observed the section of his body that had become lightning.

As long as he transformed his body into an element, ordinary physical attacks would be incapable of killing him.

An elemental body.

Yujiro had now confirmed the nature of the ability.

He looked at Kakashi, who was still standing directly in front of him, and smiled.

“Lightning Release: Chidori Current.”

Black lightning immediately spread from Yujiro’s body and surged along Kakashi’s right arm.

The current raced through Kakashi’s entire body.

Crackle!

Kakashi was sent staggering backward as smoke rose from his clothes and hair.

His silver hair had been shocked completely upright.

After retreating two steps, Kakashi barely managed to steady himself.

Yujiro, on the other hand, remained standing in the same place without a single injury.

When Kurenai saw that Yujiro was unharmed, she finally released the breath she had been holding.

The concern in her eyes slowly faded.

“That troublesome little brat…”

Kurenai muttered quietly to herself.

“He always has to test some strange new ability and scare everyone around him.”

At that moment, Yujiro’s voice rang out across the training ground once again.

“Stop standing over there in that green jumpsuit and muttering to yourself.”

Yujiro turned toward Guy with a smile.

“You’re next.”