Naruto : I Got "Return by Death" Kind Of Cheat

The river exploded violently.

In mid-air, the mist shimmered with a distinct violet hue under the moonlight.

Along both riverbanks, the ground had been rigged with Explosive Mist Traps—each detonation releasing a cloud of toxic gas.

Booms echoed one after another as a choking fog enveloped the area.

Black Ape Squad was instantly shrouded in poison.

The lands around Amegakure were home to the giant salamander species—extremely venomous. The Rain ninja were notorious for their poisons, rivaling even the puppet masters of Sunagakure.

Everyone in the squad swallowed an antidote pill.

But these pills were prepared for Iwa poison. No one expected Amegakure's involvement. The antidote was ineffective.

After bursting out of the poisonous mist, the squad broke into coughing fits.

"Cough—cough—!" White Ram's voice trembled with guilt. "Captain… I failed to detect them hiding in the river…"

"This isn't your fault," Black Ape rasped between coughs. "Capturing live targets cost us too much time! Cough! Fall back!

Retreat in formation—make sure we get those three captives back!"

Everyone stumbled, running on weakened legs. The poison was taking its toll.

Yako, however, felt only mild effects.

His enhanced Senju physiology gave him heightened resistance to toxins.

"Leaf Monkey Squad—hold the rear!"

The newly formed Leaf Monkey Squad didn't hesitate. They turned back to cover the retreat.

The others fled at full speed.

Yako looked over his shoulder. The poisoned Leaf Monkey Squad lasted barely ten seconds before being slaughtered by the Rain ninja.

They fought to the last breath, taking five or six Amegakure shinobi down with them.

But the Rain shinobi pressed on.

Black Ape locked eyes with Yako—resolute, unflinching.

Yako understood what his squad leader intended.

The two strongest in the team—Black Ape and Yako—would stay behind to buy time. The sensory ninja White Ram and the rest had to get those prisoners out.

If they kept running while weakened by the toxin, no one would survive.

Black Ape's pride demanded this mission succeed. He wanted—needed—to prove he had fully recovered.

Yako nodded solemnly, then turned to Purple Cat.

"You three, carry the prisoners forward. From here, follow Captain White Ram's orders."

"Captain…" Purple Cat choked, but didn't argue further.

ANBU missions were always this ruthless.

Yako and Black Ape stopped in unison, turning to face the Rain shinobi.

Black Ape took a deep breath and produced a box from his pouch.

Yako glanced over. It was a set of Akimichi secret pills—the Three-Color Pills.

Black Ape skipped the weakest, the Blue Spinach Pill, and took out the more potent Yellow Curry Pill.

Seeing Yako's puzzled look, he said:

"This Rain poison… it's targeting my surgical leg. It's going numb, itchy—muscles and bones feel like they're twisting.

Before the leg gives out, I must take these bastards down."

Yako nodded in grim agreement.

The crushed bones from his injury had sapped Black Ape's combat ability.

"Let's do this, Captain—for your first mission since recovery."

Black Ape lifted his mask slightly and swallowed the Yellow Curry Pill.

"If I get injured again, they'll force me into retirement. How does interim captain sound, Fox?"

"Captain… Lady Tsunade is on the frontlines. If you get hurt, there's no way they'll retire you."

Black Ape didn't reply. He focused on battle.

A visible steam of chakra poured from his body.

"Partial Multi-Size Technique!"

His right arm swelled rapidly, palm expanding to ten meters wide. The arm stretched and thickened like a club.

He swung it sideways—five Rain ninja were sent flying before they could dodge.

Yako seized the opening, hurling kunai into their stunned bodies, finishing them off.

Black Ape transformed into a massive human boulder—Human Bullet Tank—and rolled into the Rain shinobi formation.

"Don't panic!" the Rain squad captain shouted. "He's been poisoned by salamander venom! He won't last long! Wear him down!"

At the captain's command, the Rain ninja scattered.

Black Ape barreled between them, crushing and scattering—but the impact waned with each charge.

Explosive tags rained down on him.

Yako prowled the perimeter, waiting for his moment.

One Rain ninja, forced to leap back by the rolling juggernaut, landed near Yako.

Doton: Earth Flow Spears!

As the Rain ninja touched down, a stone spear pierced his gut from below.

He turned weakly, just in time to see the fox-masked ANBU form a single Bird seal.

Yako was pleased. Earth Flow Spears had minimal hand seals, a perfect mid-range jutsu that kept him safe.

No wonder so many taijutsu-focused shinobi transitioned to ninjutsu once their chakra reserves grew.

Mid-to-long-range ninjutsu greatly improved survival odds.

Taijutsu fighters were dancers on blades—one misstep meant critical injury.

Black Ape rolled back and forth over a dozen times. With Yako's support, they eliminated more than ten Rain ninja.

But finally, Black Ape collapsed—gasping for air, his body shrinking down.

His fingernails had turned purple—a sign of deep poison infiltration.

Nearby Rain shinobi charged in—kunai and senbon glinting.

"Suiton: Water Formation Wall!"

Yako appeared just in time, the wall blocking the onslaught of weapons.

Black Ape took the chance to pull out his final pill—the Red Chili Pill.

"Captain… you're going to burn all your fat reserves…"

He was about to stake everything.

Swallowing the Red Chili Pill, his chakra surged violently.

His obese frame shrank into lean muscle—wiry, tense, and radiating raw power.

Black Ape's strength soared again.

He sprang forward, charging straight through Yako's fading water wall.

The three Rain ninja on the other side had no time to react. A massive fist greeted them mid-motion.

Yako knew—Black Ape was giving everything to prove his worth, to complete this mission.

He'd heard whispers: ANBU leadership had considered forcing Black Ape out due to injury.

But the Akimichi clan needed to maintain influence in ANBU.

Ino-Shika-Chō had long ties to the Sarutobi, serving as each generation's support and anchor.

Black Ape wouldn't give up so easily.

The tide turned fast. Black Ape tore through the Rain shinobi like paper.

With his boosted chakra from burning fat, he went straight for the Rain squad leader.

The Rain captain pulled a strange umbrella-shaped weapon from his back.

But Black Ape was too fast. The captain didn't use the canopy to block—instead, he spun and hurled the open umbrella from the side.

Black Ape barreled forward, crashing into the Rain captain.

The umbrella whipped behind him.

With a bloodied gasp, the Rain captain clamped the umbrella shut.

Its inner spokes were fitted with long needle-like spikes—over a meter long—that pierced into Black Ape's back.

Yako leapt forward—but it was already too late.

The missing Iwa squad leader suddenly reappeared, slashing down with his blade.

Black Ape raised his only movable arm—the right one—to block.

The blade cleaved through it.

Doton: Earth Flow Spears!

Yako's jutsu skewered the Iwa captain through the chest.

He rushed forward, finished off the broken Rain captain, and pulled Black Ape from the umbrella's lethal embrace.

"Captain!"

No arms. His back riddled with steel spikes. Purple venom sprayed from every wound.

Black Ape had given everything.

All for the Akimichi. Was it really worth it?