Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki

Kazuyama had hurled Five-Tails Kokuō even higher into the sky than before. It would take a while for her to fall back down—plenty of time to finish off the targets in front of him.

His main focus was the captain of the Explosion Corps. If he remembered correctly, the name Iwapo was worth a bounty of forty-five million ryō.

And Kazuyama liked money—very much.

A sly grin curled on his lips as he and his clones shot toward Iwapo like lightning.

As captain of Iwagakure's demolition team, Iwapo was no pushover. Calm and seasoned, he didn't flinch. His hands flew through seals before slamming one palm to the ground—his Kekkei Genkai: Explosion Release. With it, he could turn objects into bombs using chakra.

"Explosion Release: Rock Landmine!"

The ground trembled as explosions erupted beneath them.

Kazuyama and his clones leapt into the air, watching the land explode in a wave below. As soon as he rose, the surrounding shinobi launched a barrage of attacks—jutsu and tools raining down like they cost nothing.

"Use your heads. Don't just waste your attacks!"

"Split into two teams! One fakes a frontal assault, the other tracks his landing point!"

"Trap him, then take him down!"

Iwapo's voice rang out again. He knew exactly what Kazuyama was capable of. The Konoha Ghost, like the Yellow Flash, wielded space–time ninjutsu. Attacks like these wouldn't be enough.

Under his command, the Iwa shinobi split into two formations. One group kept bombarding Kazuyama, while the other spread out to encircle him and cut off any escape.

"No wonder he's worth forty-five million. That mind alone puts Gari to shame."

"Tsk. But even if the Sage of Six Paths descended from the heavens, I'm still collecting this payday."

This time, Kazuyama didn't dodge using the Flying Thunder God Technique. Breaking his usual pattern, he conjured a set of crystal armor with Crystal Release—his version of a royal battle outfit.

Arms raised in defense, with clones aiding in deflection, he blocked everything thrown his way—stones, shuriken, kunai—it all bounced off.

Upon landing, he accelerated straight toward Iwapo.

The captain's expression didn't change. His hand seals remained lightning-fast. Kazuyama was already in close, Wing Blade drawn, its edge glinting in the sun as it slashed down.

"Forty-five million—today, it's mine."

Faced with a killing blow, Iwapo stayed calm. He completed his seals and activated his jutsu in a flash.

"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"

A standard earth technique—by injecting chakra underground, he could raise or lower a chunk of earth with fluid control.

Just as Kazuyama's blade was about to strike, the ground beneath him suddenly surged upward.

"Damn it, this guy..."

Kazuyama cursed as the sudden lift threw off his balance. The sensation was infuriating.

But Iwapo had underestimated him. Though Kazuyama's main body was caught by the rising ground, his four clones were still active—and they moved fast, surrounding Iwapo in an instant.

"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"

The jutsu was used again, but this time, Iwapo lowered the ground under his own feet.

As he dropped, Kazuyama didn't react with frustration. Instead, a wicked grin spread across his face.

The four clones closed in on the pit, each forming the same hand seal.

"Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!"

With the release of the technique, countless snakes slithered down into the pit.

Seeing the swarm rush toward him, Iwapo finally showed a change in expression.

Trapped with no space to escape, he was at a severe disadvantage.

With no other option, he activated Moving Earth Core once more to lift himself out of the pit.

"Coming up?"

"Then this is the end for you, Explosion Corps Captain."

Kazuyama had been waiting for this moment—and he wasn't alone. All four clones stood ready.

Five Kazuyamas grinned in unison.

"Know the secret of Konoha-style taijutsu?"

"Consecutive Strikes!"

As Kazuyama launched his attack, Iwapo quickly reached for the long blade strapped to his back. He tried to swing it fast enough to drive Kazuyama back.

But it was futile—even the Iwa shinobi rushing to back him up were wasting their efforts.

A massive serpent suddenly burst from the ground, encircling both Kazuyama and Iwapo.

It was Kinrin—the one who had dug the tunnel earlier. With her sealing off the battlefield, Kazuyama could now finish Iwapo without worry.

Crack!

The greatest strength of Crystal Release clones was their sheer hardness—ordinary weapons couldn't even scratch them.

Just like how Lightning Release clones discharge bolts of lightning when struck, Crystal Release clones simply raised an arm and shattered Iwapo's long blade.

"Damn it… what the hell is this...?"

Disbelief flickered in Iwapo's eyes—but that was the last expression he ever made.

The clone and the real Kazuyama had already closed in. What made Konoha-style taijutsu so terrifying was its relentless flurry of follow-ups.

"Konoha-style—Ninja Taijutsu Secret Technique: One Thousand Years of Death—Enhanced Pain!"

A flower bloomed.

Aside from the searing pain that cut straight to the bone, Iwapo could feel nothing else.

"Aaaagh!"

His scream tore through the battlefield.

But that was only the beginning.

Kazuyama didn't stop at one hit. Iwapo, already reeling from the first strike, was subjected to five more in rapid succession.

The captain of the Explosion Corps died right there under a barrage of One Thousand Years of Death—actually, he was probably already gone halfway through it.

"Kazuyama... you're seriously brutal..."

"Just watching that made me hurt..."

"Oof... poor guy."

Kazuyama dismissed his clones, unfazed by Chōmei's complaints. He didn't care.

They were the enemy—no reason to spare them. And besides, there was a bounty involved.

He suddenly understood the appeal for someone like Kakuzu. Turning dead enemies into cash... was a pretty satisfying feeling.

"Kinrin, we're leaving. Take me and the body—head toward the Land of Earth."

"We'll go underground."

Kazuyama glanced toward Kinrin, who was still holding off enemy forces, and called her back.

At the same time, he looked up. Through his Hive Mind, he could already see Kokuō descending fast from the sky.

He'd dragged things out long enough. The battle's momentum had surely shifted by now—it was about time to pull back.

Not that he planned on heading back to the front. This was war—contributing once was enough.

If Jiraiya had arrived, then Minato was probably here too. Whatever came next could be left to them.

"Kazuyama, time to go. The ground's shaking—I think Son Gokū's about to break through."

Chōmei's voice rang out again. Kazuyama nodded.

Kinrin's massive body surged toward him, scooped up both Kazuyama and Iwapo's corpse in one gulp, and dove into the earth, starting their retreat.