Here's @riojiyo131, your trusted writer.
You can now get early access up to Chapter 134 of Re: Naruto Uzumaki on my Patreon.
Up to Chapter 45 of Satoru Senju: Conquering the Omniverse is also available.
Lastly, I've launched a new story titled Marvel: Star Wars System, which already has 7 chapters published. Each chapter averages around 5,000 words.
patreon/riojiyo131
I won't bother you any further—hope you enjoy the chapter…
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The first 5 chapters of Marvel: Star Wars System are now available, completely free on my Patreon!
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"According to Karin, Naruto headed to the Land of Demons in search of Naoto's father. We'll probably run into him on the way to our mission," reported Reika as she darted nimbly through the trees, leaping from branch to branch.
Beside her were Sakura and Rock Lee, keeping pace. A little further ahead, leading the group, were Hinata and Neji, both with their eyes fixed forward.
In just a few weeks since Tsunade Senju had taken the position of Fifth Hokage of Konoha, many things had begun to change in the village.
Among those changes, many ninjas had been promoted in rank thanks to their contributions during Orochimaru's attack on the village.
All of them, except Sakura—who had no active role during the attack—were promoted to the rank of Chūnin.
Following Neji's example, Hinata had requested from the Fifth Hokage the opportunity to take the exam to ascend to Jōnin.
Reika, for her part, had not yet had the chance to do so.
And only because of that, Reika wasn't leading this small group, despite being the strongest.
She shot a glare at Hinata.
Their relationship had improved in recent weeks, but it was still inevitable for so rivalry to persist between them.
"I can feel your gaze on my back, Reika-chan," said Hinata, with a slightly amused tone.
"I can accept Neji as the team leader, but I don't like taking orders from you," admitted Reika bluntly.
"I understand," Hinata replied calmly. "But right now, we need to focus on our mission. Kakashi, Guy, and Kurenai-sensei are at the front, trying to stop the Ghost Army of the Demon Mōryō. There's no one else available."
"As Tsunade-sama said, the Ghost Army has already caused a lot of damage in several countries. All the Jōnin are needed at the front to stop them," Neji added.
"Shouldn't there be just one Jōnin leading this group then? Why would Tsunade-sama send two?" Sakura asked with curiosity.
"Because this mission isn't simple," explained Reika before anyone else could answer. "We have to protect and escort the Priestess of the Land of Demons, Shion. She's the only one capable of sealing Mōryō."
"Naruto-kun might be in danger... and not even know it," said Rock Lee with concern.
Neji clicked his tongue at the ntion of Naruto and changed the subject, without looking back.
"You should've stayed in the village, Lee. You still need ti to recover."
"Don't worry, Neji-kun!" exclaid Rock Lee, raising his fist. "Tsunade-sama is an incredible dical ninja! My injuries are nearly gone. As long as I don't go beyond the Third Gate, I'll be fine."
Neji didn't reply. He just nodded to himself silently.
"It's been almost a month since Naruto left the village..." Hinata murmured with a slight sigh.
"You're not the only one who wants to see him again. Just make sure you don't hog him," said Reika, pushing off a branch hard to move ahead of Sakura and Lee until she was beside Hinata.
"I won't. We both want to see him... and be with him," Hinata responded with a small smile.
Reika said nothing, but she smiled too.
Sakura, who was just behind them, lowered her gaze for a second.
She knew exactly what Reika and Hinata ant when they talked about being with Naruto.
She had already co to terms with the fact that Sasuke was actually a girl... and that her real na wasn't Sasuke, but Reika.
During the ti Naruto was away, she and Reika had talked a lot.
And although it was hard to understand at first, over ti she ca to see why Reika had pretended to be a boy.
But even so, she couldn't help feeling uncomfortable imagining Reika and Naruto together.
Luckily, that image faded from her mind as soon as she noticed Reika's gaze on her, with blank eyes, as if she could read exactly what she was thinking.
Sakura could only let out a nervous laugh.
"Is sothing wrong, Sakura-san? Did you eat so poisonous fruit by accident? Why are you making such a weird face?" asked Rock Lee with genuine concern.
"If you need to give you mouth-to-mouth..." he began to say, but didn't get to finish the sentence.
Sakura's fist crashed into his face with enough force to send him flying and slamming into a nearby tree.
"Idiot..." she muttered, shaking her hand with a grimace of discomfort.
She didn't say it aloud, but her fist hurt a bit. As if, instead of hitting Lee, she had punched a rock.
"I can't wait for Naruto to return to the village and for us to be a complete team again," thought Sakura, with a mix of nostalgia and hope.
She didn't like joint missions with other teams. Especially when she had to be paired with Lee.
...
In the temple of the Priestess of the Land of Demons, Shion, the Band of Four had eliminated each and every one of the guards protecting her room.
Everywhere Naruto looked, everything was engulfed in flas.
Mounted on Garuda, his eyes shifted from their usual blue and revealed the Byakugan.
Activating his Byakugan, he felt a slight tension in his eyes, as if they were about to transform, to evolve, at any mont.
But Naruto suppressed that sensation, aware that his Byakugan, now containing Hamura's Chakra, could evolve into the Tenseigan at any ti.
His Sharingan, infused with Indra's Chakra, was also ready to evolve into the Rinnegan.
And with the Chakra of Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths, it was most likely that this power would evolve into the Six Tomoe Rinnegan—the one Reika would awaken in the future.
His power was about to take a trendous leap, but Naruto didn't allow himself to be distracted by it.
His gaze scanned the inside of the Priestess's Temple for a mont, until it fixed on a specific point.
There, Shion was cornered by the Band of Four.
Shion's assistant and bodyguard, Taruho, lay on the ground, showing no signs of life.
Naruto frowned at the sight, aware that he had arrived too late.
He rembered Taruho as a sincere, kind man, always concerned about others.
His loyalty to Shion was unwavering; he protected her even at the risk of his own life.
But now, that sa man was dead. He had probably tried to face the Band of Four alone.
A risky decision, but an honorable one. He gave his life for Shion, and that deserved respect.
Although perhaps the wisest choice would've been to flee with her and save them both.
Unfortunately, that hadn't been possible.
Almost reluctantly, Naruto dropped down from high atop Garuda, which still circled above the Priestess's Temple.
The Band of Four looked up when the sky was filled with the sharp sound of thousands of birds screeching.
Naruto, his eyes now back to their usual blue, with no trace of the Byakugan, fixed his gaze directly on the one who seed to be leading the other three.
"Kusuna, watch out!" one of them shouted upon noticing the attack descending at full speed.
"Oh. So your na's Kusuna..." Naruto muttered with boredom, as if he had just rembered an irrelevant fact.
He wasn't the leader of the Band of Four, but he was second-in-command after Yomi. Kusuna was the one who used the Dark Chakra Serpents that empowered his companions, giving them extra Chakra and allowing them to use powerful techniques they otherwise never could.
If this were a role-playing ga, Kusuna would be the buffer.
That's precisely why Naruto targeted him directly.
But not with a regular Chidori.
Just like Reika during the Chūnin Exams, in her fight against Gaara, Naruto used shape manipulation to modify the Chidori. The result was a lance of pure electricity.
The Chidori in lance form shot through the air at brutal speed, piercing Kusuna's chest before he could react.
"Aghh..." was all he managed to say before collapsing lifelessly, with a smoking hole where his heart had been.
Naruto landed softly next to the body, his hand resting on the hilt of his Chokutō.
"So... who's next?" he asked without moving, letting his eyes drift slowly across the three remaining enemies.
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