Naruto: Drop System

"Lady Shion, do you know the Body Flicker Technique?" Yagyu asked as they exited the shrine.

"I'm not a ninja," Shion replied, shaking her head.

"Then hop on. I'll carry you."

Yagyu bent down, turning his back to her.

"Thank you," Shion said, understanding the urgency of their situation. She leaned onto Yagyu's back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

For a brief moment, both Yagyu and Shion felt an odd sensation from the close contact. Yagyu noted a softness reminiscent of Hinata's, accompanied by a pleasant fragrance.

Indeed, Shion resembled a "copy" of Hinata—not only in appearance but also in physique.

Meanwhile, it was Shion's first time being so close to a man. Pressed against Yagyu's solid, muscular back, she was fascinated by the sensation.

So this is what a man's body feels like... Shion thought, catching a whiff of his natural herbal scent.

"Hold on tight," Yagyu said, turning his head to look at her. "My speed might be a bit overwhelming."

"O-Okay…" Shion stammered, blushing as she tightened her grip around his neck, heart pounding as she met his side profile.

Yagyu supported her by the legs, then bolted forward with a blur of speed. The scenery raced by as Yagyu leaped through the forest toward the Land of Swamps, activating his sensory technique to be ready for any ambush.

Yagyu avoided using his Flying Thunder God Technique to instantly reach the sealing location in the Land of Swamps. Instead, he intended to draw Moryo and its subordinates to them, hoping they would follow his trail.

After all, Yagyu's knowledge of the old movie plotlines was faint at best, leaving him mostly in the dark regarding this particular one. But he knew only the Miko could seal Moryo's soul, and he preferred luring it into battle instead of risking any loopholes in the sealing ritual.

"Umm…" Shion's voice came hesitantly. "Your name is Yagyu, right?"

"Yes," Yagyu replied, slightly slowing his pace and nodding with a smile. "My name is Yagyu. To be formal, it's Senju Yagyu. Nice to meet you, Shion."

"P-Please, just call me Shion," she replied, shyly.

"Alright, Shion," Yagyu said with a grin.

"Yes…" Shion murmured, then, with a tinge of nervousness, asked, "Do you believe in fate, Yagyu?"

Fate? Of course, I do. Yagyu thought with a smirk, I've got two classmates whose destinies have been intertwined for millennia. How could I not?

But thinking about his unique place in this world, Yagyu answered with a smile, "Fate may exist, but it only binds the weak. When someone gains enough power, they break free from destiny's shackles."

"In other words, we're only bound by fate because we lack strength."

"Like you?" Shion looked at him, her eyes shining with intrigue.

If anyone else had spoken such words, Shion would have dismissed them with a scoff. But with Yagyu, they resonated deeply with her. He was, after all, the only person whose future she couldn't see, a rare exception to her otherwise flawless precognition.

Yagyu had to prove it to her, though, if she were to fully believe him.

Suddenly, the ground trembled violently beneath them.

The earth surged up, forming a large sphere of rock that trapped Yagyu and Shion inside.

Alarmed, Shion tightened her hold on Yagyu's neck.

Yagyu let go of her legs and allowed the earth sphere to enclose them, reassuring her, "Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on tightly. If you're scared, bury your head against my back—you'll be safe."

"…Okay!"

Shion replied, clutching tightly to him but bravely keeping her head up, observing how he would handle the threat.

"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"

With a single-hand seal, Yagyu shot a high-pressure water blade from his mouth, carving through the earthen sphere with ease.

Light poured through the gap, and Yagyu leaped out of the sphere, bringing Shion along with him.

Emerging from the gap, Yagyu did not flee. Instead, he used chakra to stand atop the sphere, gazing down at four figures emerging from the nearby forest, cloaked in white robes.

They were Moryo's four generals, similar to the Sound Four under Orochimaru's command. Yagyu didn't recognize them, nor did he care to engage in conversation.

In an instant, Yagyu's eyes glowed red.

A second later, Shion and the four generals' expressions changed.

The landscape—the trees, the path, even the giant sphere beneath them—began to distort, as if reality itself was transforming into a painting.

Suddenly, a massive pillar of lava erupted from the ground, engulfing the four generals.

As the molten rock spewed into the sky, only to rain down in fiery streams, the lava abruptly vanished, and the distorted scenery returned to clarity.

The four lay sprawled on the ground, their bodies marred with severe burns, some limbs partially melted.

The sight seemed to emphasize to Shion that what she'd witnessed wasn't an illusion—it was reality.

This was the power of Kurama Yakumo's unique bloodline ability.

Combining Yakumo's Illusionary Reality with the Sharingan's genjutsu, Yagyu had created an illusion technique that transcended even the Tsukuyomi.

No need for a drawing board; his Sharingan could serve as a canvas. Within this illusory space, anything Yagyu conjured could become real.

In his genjutsu, death meant actual death.

Yagyu's mastery over genjutsu had reached a level of pure mastery.

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