A Sage's Pursuit of Power

Aoba successfully led his team into Hozuki Castle.

The defenses of the castle were quite formidable, almost reaching 70-80% of the standard of the Hidden Leaf's defenses.

However, in Aoba's current view, these defensive barriers were essentially useless.

This time, Aoba didn't bring too many people. The Hidden Leaf was stretched too thin, with its resources and manpower spread out across various fronts.

There weren't enough ANBU members to spare, so Aoba chose to personally lead a small team into Hozuki Castle.

As soon as they entered the castle, Karin spoke up with a puzzled expression.

"How strange... there's a strange feeling here."

Karin's Mind's Eye of the Kagura was incredibly powerful, rivaling the Byakugan in perception. In terms of sensory abilities, she even surpassed Aoba.

"Sensei, I can feel something... strange. I don't know how to describe it. It's not alive, but it's emanating an unusual energy. And it's very bizarre."

"Pinpoint its location. That should be what we're looking for. Let's go check it out."

Aoba, Karin, Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura—this five-person team, marched straight into the heart of Hozuki Castle as if they owned the place.

They hadn't gone far before encountering numerous ninja trying to block their path.

"Leaf ninjas?"

"What's going on? We haven't received any notification about this."

"That guy... isn't that Aoba Kamikawa? The strongest ninja in the Hidden Leaf, the one who defeated the Raikage twice?"

"You must be joking! That's a Kage-level ninja! How are we supposed to stop him?"

From their conversations, it was clear these ninjas had no idea what was happening inside the castle.

"As you can see, we're the Hidden Leaf's investigation team. We're here on an official mission in Hozuki Castle. Please step aside," Aoba said calmly.

He wasn't keen on resorting to violence just yet. However, several of the ninjas seemed unwilling to comply.

"Sorry, but we haven't received orders from the village. We can't let you through, even if you're from the Hidden Leaf."

"I understand you haven't received orders from your village, but we have authorization from the daimyo of the Land of Grass," Aoba replied, tossing out a scroll.

This scroll wasn't fake, it was a genuine authorization from the daimyo of the Land of Grass. Furious over the Grass Ninja Village's defiance, the daimyo had contacted the Hidden Leaf directly and issued this document, essentially asking the "big brother" to discipline his unruly "dog."

But as the scroll flew through the air, one of the ninjas opposing them suddenly channeled chakra and fired a small Wind Release technique, destroying the scroll mid-air.

In an instant, the scroll was obliterated.

"Sorry, but we didn't see any authorization from the daimyo. Therefore, you can't pass," a young ninja said, stepping forward. His gaze carried a hint of mockery as he blocked Aoba's path.

Aoba looked at the young ninja with an odd expression.

"I'm curious, surely you realize you can't stop me. Do you understand the implications of what you just did?"

"Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't see any documents. All I see are a group of outsiders trying to trespass on restricted grounds."

"Interesting." Aoba chuckled lightly and then pulled out another scroll from his coat.

"What if I told you the previous scroll was a fake, and this one is the real deal? What would you do then?"

"..." The young ninja hadn't expected Aoba to play this kind of trick.

He wasn't really trying to stop Aoba, it was all about stalling for time. Knowing that Leaf ninjas were bound by rules, he aimed to delay them long enough for their plans inside the castle to proceed smoothly.

"You..." The playful smirk on the young ninja's face vanished, replaced by a trace of panic.

"You see," Aoba said, "this is when you should've said, 'Let me see that document,' and then destroyed it as soon as you got your hands on it. That way, you could've continued with your plan to buy time. So, do you want to see this one?"

He extended the scroll toward the ninja, but this time, no one dared to take it.

Although Aoba had shown no signs of anger, everyone present could sense danger looming.

Most of the guards had already begun retreating quietly. Only about a dozen ninjas remained by the young man's side, holding their ground.

Aoba scanned the scene briefly and then turned to his team.

"You can clear the way now."

Sasuke and Naruto, who had been itching for action, immediately charged forward.

Few people knew just how much these kids had grown under Aoba's training. Even Aoba himself wasn't entirely sure of their current capabilities.

Most of their combat experience came from sparring with Aoba, so this mission also served as a test. After all, with the Hidden Leaf's expansion plan about to kick off, Aoba desperately needed more capable subordinates. If these kids could prove themselves, his hands would be less tied.

At this moment, Karin lightly tugged on Aoba's sleeve, indicating that the strange energy source inside the castle was intensifying.

But Aoba wasn't concerned, he never intended to stop the Box of Ultimate Bliss from being activated. On the contrary, he was deliberately cooperating with the enemy's stalling tactics to ensure the box opened successfully. He needed to see what kind of phenomenon the box could produce.

Dangerous as it was, if the box proved valuable enough, Aoba wasn't about to let it sink into obscurity.

The mastermind behind Hozuki Castle was likely Mui, but it was clear he hadn't managed to rally all the ninjas to his cause.

Of the castle's guards, only about a dozen stood between Sasuke and Naruto. The rest stepped aside, waiting to see how the situation unfolded. Including the forces deeper inside the castle, Mui's loyal followers numbered only 30 or 40.

Sasuke and Naruto, however, were no longer the rookies they once were. Facing a dozen or so mid-level ninjas, they showed no fear.

Naruto immediately summoned dozens of Shadow Clones, startling his opponents.

In ninja battles, clones were a common tool for ambushes, feints, and baiting moves. But no one expected someone to open with dozens of clones for a frontal assault.

Compared to Naruto, Sasuke's fighting style was more traditional.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Spear." Thanks to Aoba's early training, Sasuke's mastery of Lightning Chakra far surpassed his control over Fire Chakra.

As a result, he wielded Lightning techniques with ease. While he wasn't yet at the level of summoning techniques with a single clap, he was close. All his Lightning Jutsus required no more than two hand seals.

The Thunder Spear pierced through two enemies instantly. Its high speed and destructive power made it a nightmare for anyone encountering it for the first time.

Meanwhile, Naruto bombarded his opponents with dozens of Rasengans, turning the three leading ninjas into literal meatballs.

In just one exchange, a third of the enemy's forces were wiped out by two mere Genins from the Hidden Leaf.

The guards of Hozuki Castle were stunned. Any thoughts of holding their ground evaporated, and several of them turned and fled outright.

Seeing this, Aoba knew the outcome was no longer in doubt. Without a sound, he left a Shadow Clone behind as his real body bypassed the defensive line and headed deeper into Hozuki Castle.

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Currently on Chapter 196 - Kirigakure's Path