Naruto: Multiverse Character Templates

A village north of Amegakure.

Natsuki, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato moved swiftly through the rain before stopping in front of a courtyard.

It was already deep winter. Combined with the unending rain, dusk looked almost like midnight.

Beneath the curtain of rain, the courtyard before them was unusually quiet.

Natsuki waved his hand.

Yahiko and Konan activated Partial Demonization at the same time.

Their blood accelerated, and their chakra surged. Their bodies suddenly changed, growing taller until they took on adult forms.

Demon horns appeared on both of their foreheads.

Less than two months after Konan awakened Partial Demonization, Yahiko had successfully unlocked it as well.

The sudden fluctuations in chakra immediately alerted the Iwa ANBU inside the courtyard.

Four Iwa ANBU appeared one after another.

Natsuki was not surprised.

His purpose this time was not to launch a surprise attack, but to test the progress Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato had made.

The previous day, Natsuki had received intelligence from the Clear Sky Squad and the Eagle Squad.

They had discovered an Iwa ANBU team.

According to their investigation, this was the team secretly supporting Hanzō's brother, Hanzō Hyōe, in Amegakure.

After considering the matter, Natsuki decided to eliminate them.

However, his Fourth ANBU Division would not be the one to act. Instead, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato would handle them.

This Iwa ANBU team consisted of one Jonin and three Tokubetsu Jonin.

The three Tokubetsu Jonin were perfect opponents for Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.

After awakening Partial Demonization, Yahiko and Konan had already reached the level of Tokubetsu Jonin.

Nagato had not been transformed into a demon, but his talent far surpassed theirs.

After mastering the Konoha Six Powers and Armament Haki, he began learning Water Breathing.

Although he had only learned half of its forms, his strength had barely reached the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin.

However, none of the three had ever fought a Tokubetsu Jonin in a real battle.

Especially not a Tokubetsu Jonin from one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

Outside the Five Great Villages, smaller shinobi villages deliberately lowered the standards when evaluating shinobi ranks.

In other words, their ranks were somewhat inflated.

However, that was understandable.

Small shinobi villages had very few shinobi. If they followed the standards of the Five Great Villages, they would barely have any Jonin or Tokubetsu Jonin.

At the same time, employers often imposed rank requirements when issuing missions. Many missions could only be accepted by Tokubetsu Jonin or Jonin.

Small villages had no choice but to quietly lower their requirements.

"Who are you?"

The appearance of Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato immediately placed the Iwa ANBU on guard.

Natsuki moved forward in a flash and intercepted the captain of the Iwa ANBU team.

Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato also quickly selected their respective opponents.

What should have been a chaotic surprise attack immediately turned into four separate one-on-one battles.

The Iwa ANBU either failed to notice the change or simply did not care.

They reacted quickly and immediately launched their attacks.

With Natsuki's strength, he could have quickly defeated the Iwa Jonin, but he chose not to.

If the Iwa Jonin died first, the other three Tokubetsu Jonin would undoubtedly be affected.

They might lose their will to fight and attempt to flee, which would defeat Natsuki's purpose.

The best option was to keep the Jonin occupied.

While fighting him, Natsuki observed the battles of Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.

Konan was the first.

After entering Partial Demonization, she took out the Sorcery Clima-Tact Natsuki had given her.

"Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood!"

Blood spread from her palm and quickly covered the Sorcery Clima-Tact.

Flames soon began burning across its surface.

This was another application of Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood. It allowed her to coat a ninja tool in flames.

At Natsuki's suggestion, she called it Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood Blade.

Any enemy who touched it would be burned.

Weather Arts was difficult to learn.

Konan had not fully mastered it yet. However, because of Exploding Blood Blade, she had first learned Nami's Staff Technique.

Gripping the Sorcery Clima-Tact, she suddenly accelerated.

With a single Soru, she appeared in front of the Iwa shinobi.

Without saying a word, she swung the Sorcery Clima-Tact at him.

The rain in its path evaporated instantly.

The Iwa shinobi had already seen the burning Sorcery Clima-Tact from a distance.

Now that it was close, he did not dare touch it directly.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

The Iwa shinobi formed a one-handed seal with his left hand and swung his right fist.

A large amount of rock covered his right arm.

His fist became heavy and powerful before crashing violently into the Sorcery Clima-Tact.

The dull impact sent a wave of air outward.

The surrounding rain was blown away.

Konan gripped the Sorcery Clima-Tact with both hands and entered a contest of strength with the Iwa shinobi.

At that moment, she raised one leg and kicked.

"Rankyaku!"

Her high-speed kick caused the air to howl.

The Iwa shinobi had intended to counter with a kick of his own, but he sensed danger.

Konan's kick felt incomparably sharp, as though a ninja blade were cutting toward him.

If he tried to counter with his leg, it might be severed.

At the last possible moment, he swung his right arm downward and struck the vacuum blade created by Konan's Rankyaku.

A cracking sound rang out.

The rock covering his right arm shattered.

Although the vacuum blade was weakened considerably, it still struck his arm.

A bloody cut appeared.

The Iwa shinobi's pupils contracted.

He had not expected to be injured during their first exchange.

Konan seized the opportunity and swung the Sorcery Clima-Tact toward his head.

"Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage!"

Enduring the pain, the Iwa shinobi clapped his hands together.

His entire body sank into the ground.

The Sorcery Clima-Tact struck the earth and cracked it apart.

However, it failed to inflict any real damage on him.

Konan looked from side to side but could not see any sign of him.

Even so, she remained calm.

During this period, aside from studying Weather Arts, she had continued researching Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood.

Coating ninja tools in flames was only one application.

"Blood Demon Art: Blood Rain!"

Konan raised her hand.

Blood flowed outward and merged with the rain all around her.

She remained still.

The instant the Iwa shinobi emerged from underground, she detected his location.

At the same time, the rain mixed with her blood exploded.

The water evaporated, and countless flames rose into the air.

The Iwa shinobi, who had been preparing to ambush Konan, paled and quickly formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Hardening Technique!"

His entire body immediately became harder than stone.

Flames struck him from every direction.

Although they did not injure him, the force drove him backward.

"Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blades!"

Konan raised one hand.

Her blood transformed into two Kurosawa blades, which flew through the flames toward the Iwa shinobi.

They moved too quickly.

Before he could finish forming hand seals, both Kurosawa blades exploded.

The flames surged as though hot oil had been poured over them, engulfing him completely.

The Iwa shinobi screamed and was sent flying.

His Earth Release: Hardening Technique could no longer protect him from the intense heat.

His entire body turned red, as though he had been pulled from boiling water.

"Armament Haki!"

Konan pressed her advantage.

She rushed forward and thrust the Sorcery Clima-Tact toward him.

Facing death, the Iwa shinobi hurriedly formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

An earthen wall rose from the ground.

"Rankyaku!"

Konan kicked and sliced through the wall.

At the same time, strengthened by Armament Haki, the Sorcery Clima-Tact pierced the Iwa shinobi's heart at high speed.

His mouth opened, and a large amount of blood poured out.

A moment later, he lost consciousness.

Next was Yahiko.

The instant the Iwa shinobi saw him, he swung both hands.

Eight shuriken flew out, sealing off every direction around Yahiko.

"Blood Demon Art: Shuriken!"

Unlike Konan, Yahiko did not use Soru to close the distance.

He raised one hand.

His blood transformed into shuriken-shaped ice crystals and flew forward.

Several metallic impacts rang out.

Every shuriken was knocked away by his ice crystals.

"Ice Release?"

The Iwa shinobi's heart shook, and he blurted out the words.

However, his reaction was not slow.

He immediately formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Rock Gun Technique!"

He opened his mouth as chakra gathered in his throat and transformed into small stones.

The stones shot out and expanded in the air, becoming like cannonballs as they flew toward Yahiko.

"Blood Demon Art: Scattering Lotuses!"

Countless petals appeared before Yahiko.

Every petal was made from a shard of ice and looked as sharp as a blade.

They scattered outward and surrounded the rock projectiles.

In an instant, the rocks were sliced apart and fell to the ground as rubble.

The remaining petals continued floating toward the Iwa shinobi.

"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"

An earthen wall rose in front of him and blocked the incoming petals.

"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Clouds!"

Yahiko swept one hand upward.

Blood surged into the sky and formed a massive cloud.

The cloud descended.

Although it resembled a cloud, it was actually composed of countless ice crystals.

The Iwa shinobi heard the sound of rushing air above him and quickly retreated with the Body Flicker Technique.

Yahiko accelerated and appeared in front of him.

"Rankyaku!"

A high-speed vacuum blade flew toward the Iwa shinobi.

His scalp tingled.

He had not expected Yahiko, who had just been exchanging ninjutsu with him, to suddenly fight like a taijutsu specialist.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

The Iwa shinobi sensed the terrifying sharpness of the kick.

Rock covered his clenched right fist as he punched forward.

The rock was immediately sliced apart.

A sharp pain ran through his hand.

However, his extensive combat experience allowed him to use the force of the impact to create distance between himself and Yahiko.

"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Lotus Princess!"

Yahiko did not pursue him.

He remained where he was and brought his hands together.

Two ice maidens appeared, opened their mouths, and exhaled freezing air.

The rain froze wherever the cold air passed.

The Iwa shinobi shivered uncontrollably.

He quickly formed hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Flow!"

He punched the ground.

The earth cracked, releasing a rushing mudslide.

The mudslide collided with the freezing air and rapidly froze.

However, it also slowed the advance of the cold.

Before the Iwa shinobi could breathe a sigh of relief, Yahiko used Soru and appeared before him.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

The Iwa shinobi threw a punch by instinct.

"Armament Haki!"

Yahiko reached out with his left hand and caught the fist.

The Iwa shinobi froze in shock.

Before he could react, Yahiko extended his right hand and thrust his index finger toward the man's heart.

"Shigan!"

Agonizing pain spread through the Iwa shinobi's chest.

He lowered his head and stared at his pierced heart in disbelief.

"Rankyaku!"

Yahiko followed with one final kick.

The Iwa shinobi's body was cut in half and collapsed into the rain, staining the water red.

Yahiko and Konan were roughly equal in strength, so their battles ended almost simultaneously.

Nagato was slightly weaker than the two of them, which made his battle the last to finish.

At the beginning of the fight, Nagato drew the projected version of the Kusanagi Sword that Natsuki had given him.

Without warning, he appeared in front of the Iwa shinobi.

"Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!"

He leaned forward and swung the Kusanagi Sword.

The surrounding rain was drawn toward the blade and transformed into a stream of water that swept toward the Iwa shinobi.

"Earth Release: Earth Substitute!"

The Iwa shinobi made no attempt to evade and was struck by the slash.

However, no blood appeared.

His body transformed into rock.

The sound of rushing air rang out.

Nagato turned around and saw countless stone spikes rising from the ground.

The spikes shot forward like shuriken.

"Kami-e!"

Nagato moved like a butterfly carried by the wind, avoiding every stone spike with strange but effortless movements.

"What kind of taijutsu is that?"

Surprise appeared on the Iwa shinobi's face.

In the next moment, he became even more shocked.

"Geppo!"

Nagato flew above him.

"Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!"

His body rotated like a water wheel as he swung the Kusanagi Sword.

Water followed the blade and poured downward in an instant.

The Iwa shinobi immediately raised one hand.

"Water Release: Water Wave Hand!"

A stream of water shot from his palm and surged upward like a water dragon.

Water Release: Water Wave Hand was a rare Water Release technique that required no hand seals.

Nagato did not evade.

He used the Kusanagi Sword to cut straight through the water dragon.

By then, he was already close to the Iwa shinobi.

Without pausing, the man swung both hands.

A large number of shuriken flew toward Nagato at once.

"Geppo!"

Nagato vanished from where he had been.

"Flying techniques are troublesome."

The Iwa shinobi frowned slightly and scanned his surroundings.

He quickly found Nagato.

"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"

Nagato rushed toward him.

Water flowed around his body. As he swung his sword, several currents appeared to move alongside the blade.

"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon!"

The Iwa shinobi formed hand seals.

The ground split apart, and a large amount of earth and stone flew upward, forming a dragon.

Nagato slashed several times, striking the earthen dragon with every blow.

Rocks scattered through the air.

The Iwa shinobi snorted and raised one hand.

He controlled the scattered rocks, accelerating them toward Nagato.

"Kami-e!"

Nagato sensed the air currents created by the stones and rapidly evaded them.

"That taijutsu again?"

The Iwa shinobi frowned and immediately moved both hands like blurs.

Dozens of kunai flew out.

Kami-e was powerful, but even it could not evade such a dense barrage.

"Armament Haki!"

Nagato advanced instead of retreating.

The stones and kunai struck his body and were deflected one after another.

"What?"

The Iwa shinobi's expression changed dramatically.

However, Nagato was already in front of him.

"Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!"

All the nearby rain gathered around Nagato.

He swung his sword with tremendous force, carrying the momentum of a crashing tide.

"Earth Release: Hardening Technique!"

The Iwa shinobi reacted quickly and raised both arms.

A metallic clang rang out.

His hardened arms blocked the blade.

"Rankyaku!"

"Armament Haki!"

Nagato reacted even faster.

He kicked out in an instant.

The kick, reinforced by Armament Haki, split the Iwa shinobi in two.

With that, all three Iwa Tokubetsu Jonin were dead.

The Iwa Jonin fighting Natsuki felt as though he had only looked away for a moment, yet all three of his subordinates had died one after another.

He immediately realized the situation was hopeless and attempted to flee.

Naturally, Natsuki did not give him the chance.

"Figure Eyes!"

"You..."

The Iwa Jonin had never expected Natsuki's eyes to suddenly cast a genjutsu.

He fell under its influence in an instant, and his expression became dazed.

Although he reacted quickly and immediately attempted to break the genjutsu, Natsuki was faster.

With a single slash, Natsuki severed his head.

"We actually defeated Iwa ANBU?"

Yahiko patted his face, still finding it difficult to believe.

He knew very well how formidable the ANBU of the Five Great Villages were.

They were among the most elite shinobi in their villages.

Nagato and Konan also felt as though they were dreaming.

More than two years ago, they could never have imagined that they would one day defeat Iwa ANBU.

Back then, they had lacked both food and warm clothing.

They had not even known whether they would survive until the next day.

All of this was because of Natsuki.

He had saved them and taught them, allowing their strength to improve rapidly enough for them to survive in the chaotic shinobi world.

"Gather their bodies together," Natsuki instructed. "Konan, burn them."

Corpses could reveal information.

Natsuki did not want Konoha or Iwagakure to learn the details of the battle by examining the bodies.

"Yes, Natsuki-sensei."

Konan raised one hand.

Her blood transformed into flames and burned the corpses.

By now, the three had experienced many battles and had grown accustomed to such matters.

"Let's go back."

Once the bodies had completely burned away, Natsuki spoke.

The New Year was approaching again, so it was time for him to return to Konoha.

With the Iwa ANBU team eliminated, Amegakure would also remain quiet for some time.

The following year, Natsuki could finally visit the Yomi Cult.

He had already unlocked the Blood Demon Art from the Kibutsuji Muzan Template.

That meant he temporarily did not need to learn any additional ninjutsu or secret techniques. His remaining abilities required either time or battles to unlock.

The priestess's temple in the Land of Demons.

A young woman suddenly awoke from a nightmare.

She wore traditional priestess robes. Her white hair had fallen loose, and she breathed heavily as she tried to calm herself.

She was Miroku, the current priestess of the Land of Demons.

Holding her forehead, she recalled the nightmare she had just experienced.

Or rather, the prophecy.

The priestesses possessed extremely unusual abilities.

Aside from being able to seal Mōryō, they could also foresee death.

Just now, Miroku had witnessed Mōryō's death.

That should have been impossible.

The Land of Demons had existed for nearly a thousand years, yet Mōryō had never been killed.

It could only be sealed by the priestesses.

The priestesses could seal Mōryō not because their sealing techniques were exceptionally powerful, but because their powers shared the same origin.

That was also why Miroku could suddenly foresee Mōryō's death.

Whenever Mōryō escaped its seal, it would attempt to devour the priestess and reunite their powers.

"Who was that person?"

Miroku had also seen the face of the one who killed Mōryō.

After thinking for a moment, she decided to have an artist draw the face and then search for that person's help.

She did not know why he was capable of killing Mōryō.

However, there was no doubt that he was the savior of the priestess line.

(To be continued.)

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