44. My World Has You And Only You

Sora dispatched the second special Jōnin with precision, leaving only Oyuro standing.

Oyuro watched in horror as his subordinate fell, a blade piercing his neck before collapsing lifelessly to the ground. His entire body trembled with rage.

Lightning crackled across Sora's body, sparking with intensity as he prepared his next move.

"Thunder Breath: Third Form - Gathering Mosquitoes into Thunder!"

Sora began spinning around Oyuro at high speed, leaving trails of lightning rippling through the air in his wake. The charged energy danced along his trajectory, drawn toward Oyuro's body like moths to a flame, bombarding him relentlessly.

Yet, to Sora's annoyance, the lightning seemed to have little effect on Oyuro.

Fueled by anger, Oyuro's focus sharpened. His eyes tracked Sora's blinding speed, gradually adapting to the movement and discerning the faint afterimages left in Sora's wake.

"I've got you now! Crescent Moon Slash - Yunliu Mikazuki Zan!" Oyuro roared.

Anticipating Sora's next move, Oyuro swung his ninja sword with precision, unleashing a large, crescent-shaped arc of energy.

The sword struck its target with a satisfying impact. For a moment, Oyuro believed he had hit Sora—until he realized it was Qianyu's blade that had met his own.

At last, Sora appeared clearly in Oyuro's line of sight, his face betraying a mocking smile.

Before Oyuro could react, his footing faltered. He looked down to see the ground beneath him transform into a sticky, inescapable swamp.

"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Sora's voice dripped with condescension as he spoke. "That was just a feint, and you fell for it. I even slowed down on purpose so you could keep up. Idiot. It's over!"

"Thunder Breath: Land Form - Electric Boom and Thunder Roar!"

In an instant, Sora became the epicentre of a storm, releasing countless slashes of lightning in all directions. The electrified attacks struck with surgical precision.

Oyuro, trapped in the swamp, had no chance to escape. His body was bombarded by the relentless storm of lightning slashes, each one leaving a deep, charred wound across his flesh. His screams echoed through the battlefield, mingling with the sickening smell of seared flesh.

With a crash, Oyuro's body collapsed, twitching uncontrollably.

Despite Oyuro's apparent defeat, Sora did not lower his guard. Instead, he gazed at the fallen ninja with cold determination. "Don't worry," Sora said darkly. "More of your comrades from Kumogakure will be joining you soon. Your village is next on my list."

With one swift motion, Sora swung his sword, severing Oyuro's head from his body. Blood sprayed across Sora's face as Oyuro's head rolled to the ground, coming to a stop after a few turns.

As Oyuro's consciousness faded, his final thoughts were of despair and sorrow, his lifeless gaze locked on Sora.

Another genius had emerged from Konoha, and Oyuro had failed to eliminate him.

In his final moments, Oyuro felt a heavy reluctance. He knew no one could predict how many Kumogakure shinobi would fall at Sora's hands in the future. His vision blurred, and with a final breath, he died completely.

The battle was over at last.

Sora wiped the blood from his face and exhaled deeply.

Sora, however, staggered, nearly collapsing to the ground. The prolonged rush of combat had drained the Chakra in his body to dangerously low levels—he was now nearly spent.

If not for his dwindling Chakra reserves, Sora wouldn't have needed to risk executing a feint during the fight.

Glancing at his right hand, Sora noticed the damage. The muscles near the base of his thumb had torn, and fresh blood seeped from the wound. His strength had been no match for Oyuro's, especially after Oyuro enhanced his physical power using Lightning Release Chakra to fortify his body.

Oyuro's style, or rather the style of most Kumogakure shinobi, bore an eerie similarity to Sora's. Kumogakure ninja excelled in swordsmanship and Lightning Release, combining these skills with popular and effective ninjutsu.

Sora's strongest technique—his full-throttle Thunder Breath swordsmanship—mirrored these traits. However, while Sora's speed surpassed Oyuro's, it was not overwhelmingly superior, leaving him with little advantage in a direct confrontation.

Speed alone allowed Sora to keep Oyuro at bay, but prolonging the fight would only have worked against him. His dwindling Chakra meant he had to end the battle quickly.

In the end, Oyuro had fallen.

Sora retrieved a blank scroll and sealed Oyuro's severed head inside. Then, he sealed away Atui's remains and the head of the first special Jōnin he had defeated earlier.

Satisfied with his work, Sora made his way toward Uzumaki Kushina's position.

When he arrived, he found Kushina sound asleep, leaning against the coiled body of White Snake.

Kushina, who had been forcibly abducted by the three Kumogakure shinobi, had endured intense emotional and physical strain during the ordeal. Exhaustion from the attempted kidnapping and the hopelessness of being taken near the border had worn her down completely.

The moment Sora arrived, Kushina's trust in him allowed her to relax, and sleep overtook her almost instantly.

Sora bent down, gently scooping Kushina into his arms. "Thank you, White Snake," he said softly.

The summoned snake gave a sly smile, its eyes gleaming. "Master Sora, next time, could you let me eat something fresh?"

Sora's eyes narrowed slightly as he replied, "I understand. I'll make sure you have something fresh soon."

The snake's grin widened into an unsettling, almost humanlike expression. "Master Sora, you're so generous. I adore you! From now on, if you ask me to eat the living, I'll never touch the dead!"

Rolling his eyes, Sora muttered, "Enough already. And what about the three ninjas?"

The snake patted its swollen belly with its tail. "Don't worry, Master Sora. They're taken care of. Have I ever let you down?"

Satisfied, Sora nodded. "Good. Return to Ryūchi Cave for now. I'll summon you again later."

"Of course, Master Sora. Farewell!"

With that, the White Snake vanished in a puff of smoke, returning to Ryūchi Cave.

Sora swallowed a soldier pill, regaining just enough Chakra to steady himself. Holding Kushina securely in his arms, he began the journey back to Konoha.

As he moved, the gentle motion caused Kushina to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself gazing at Sora's face.

Her intense stare did not go unnoticed. Feeling her gaze, Sora glanced down, surprised to see Kushina awake. "Kushina, are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked with concern.

Kushina shook her head. "I'm fine," she murmured.

"Then rest a little longer," Sora said gently. "I'll keep things steady. I'll wake you when we're back in Konoha."

Instead of answering, Kushina suddenly wrapped her arms around Sora's neck, pulling herself closer. Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

Sora froze mid-step, his body stiffening as though bound by a paralysis jutsu.

Before he could say anything, Kushina buried her face in his shoulder and began to sob quietly. "Sora, I was so scared," she confessed. "I thought I might never see you again. I didn't know what I'd do… Thank you, Sora. Thank you for everything."

Sora raised a hand, brushing away the tears at the corner of Kushina's eyes. A gentle smile played on his lips as he murmured, "Kushina, I should be the one thanking you. After I lost my parents, I was going through the motions, living without purpose. But now… everything is different. My world has you in it, and only you."

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