Looking at Amado and Orochimaru as they reported to him, Shinji's expression turned slightly grim. "So, all the experiments using White Zetsu clones failed?"
Amado nodded. "Yes. The White Zetsu clones cannot bear the power of Shinjutsu. No matter how many times we repeat the same experiment, there will be no results."
Shinji asked, "Is it necessary to use shinobi for the trials?"
Amado sighed. "As it stands, that seems to be the only way."
If given enough time—say, ten or twenty years—Amado could have started with animal testing, slowly analyzing the cellular characteristics of Otsutsuki Shibai to more efficiently screen for shinobi compatible with the cell transplantation.
But there was no time left!
After a moment of contemplation, Shinji asked again, "How many shinobi do you need?"
Amado shook his head. "It's impossible to judge at this stage. If we're lucky, perhaps one in ten will meet the requirements. But if we're unlucky, there might not be a single compatible match among a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand shinobi."
Orochimaru smiled. "There's no need to be so pessimistic. The example of the siblings Eida and Daemon proves that other compatible individuals should exist in the shinobi world. We can start with Eida and Daemon's background and search for other matches along their bloodlines."
Amado shook his head once more. "I already tried that. Eida and Daemon were orphans adopted by Otsutsuki Isshiki. Their parents died long ago during the Third Great Ninja War; tracing their family lineage has proven nearly impossible."
One should not assume the shinobi world is peaceful; the relative peace only exists within the Five Great Nations protected by the Five Hidden Villages.
Yet even the Five Hidden Villages have endured the catastrophe of four Great Ninja Wars. In the shinobi world, it is an all-too-common occurrence for a family or a bloodline to be severed because of a certain war or even a single battle.
Shinji didn't dwell on these details. He spoke decisively: "Then start with the prisoners and wanted criminals! If we run out of criminals, then recruit volunteers. Money, land, ninjutsu, secret techniques—no matter what the volunteers want, I will give it all!"
Amado breathed a soft sigh of relief, then lowered his voice. "Understood."
He had been worried that Shinji might be plagued by a womanish softness of heart, yet he also feared Shinji might hold life in contempt, doing as he pleased in the shinobi world like Otsutsuki Isshiki.
Shinji's answer put his mind at ease.
Despite having become the undisputed strongest in the shinobi world—capable of imposing his will upon it as he pleased—the youth before him still maintained a sense of morality that surpassed that of average shinobi. Even as his strength became increasingly inhuman, he managed to keep his original intentions intact!
Little did anyone know that because of this one sentence from Shinji, the criminals of the shinobi world were about to suffer a terrible fate.
The Land of Earth
"Stay still! Hand over your money and food obediently!"
A one-eyed rogue ninja shouted at a group of cowering villagers. Meanwhile, a large group of mountain bandits were searching house to house, looting the villagers' belongings.
Undoubtedly, this group of bandits led by a rogue ninja was raiding a village.
In the past, ordinary bandits wouldn't dare offend a village within the Five Great Nations. However, after the Shinobi Allied Forces lost the Fourth Great Ninja War, the prestige and power of the Five Hidden Villages had declined daily. Consequently, bandits everywhere were beginning to stir, setting their sights on the wealthy Five Great Nations.
Watching his subordinates haul out piles of loot from the village, the one-eyed rogue ninja gave a sinister laugh. "As expected of the Land of Earth! Even an insignificant little village like this is so wealthy! Haha, I've really struck it rich this time!"
Suddenly, a casual voice drifted from behind the one-eyed ninja: "Hey, are you the guy nicknamed 'One-Eye'?"
Startled, he spun around to find a blonde youth with a ponytail standing behind him. The youth was holding a wanted poster with his face on it.
Naturally, this blonde youth was Deidara. He looked at the one-eyed rogue ninja while comparing him to the poster, muttering to himself, "Looks like it's you."
The one-eyed ninja asked, "Are—Are you an Iwa ninja? You're all alone, and there are twenty of us. If we really fight, you have no chance of winning! How about you let us go, and I promise never to step foot in the Land of Earth again!"
"Twenty people!? Heh, not bad!"
Deidara grinned, then gave a grand wave of his hand. Ten Tenseigan puppets descended from the sky like tigers into a flock of sheep, pouncing on the bandits!
The Land of Birds
Ranmaru glanced at the Black Market boss before him. "Why are there so few wanted posters? I remember there are many criminals wanted by the Great Nations."
The boss seemed to recognize Ranmaru. He replied helplessly, "There are only these many A-rank posters. I'm really not lying to you!"
Ranmaru said, "A-rank?! When did I say I only wanted A-rank posters? Bring out all the wanted posters you have!"
"Huh!?" The boss was stunned.
He knew the person before him was an official member of Akatsuki—one of the few ninjas at the very top of the world. He had assumed a big shot like Ranmaru was hunting criminals only for the bounties and would look down on anyone below A-rank. He never expected Ranmaru to take everyone, so he had no choice but to bring out the entire stack.
Looking at the thick pile of posters, Ranmaru smiled.
After joining Shinji, his tasks hadn't decreased. Previously, he was busy recruiting scientific researchers from across the world; now, it had changed to hunting criminals.
The most frustrating part was that after switching sides, his competitors had increased rather than decreased. Besides his former colleague Deidara, there was the remnant of Kara, Delta, and Orochimaru's subordinate Kabuto Yakushi. They had all become his current colleagues and competitors, and everyone had KPIs to meet. Therefore, even for a simple task like catching criminals, he didn't dare be careless.
Fortunately, he had experience from his time in Akatsuki and knew exactly where to start for maximum efficiency.
With the posters in hand, Ranmaru began assigning the Tenseigan puppets under his command. He initiated an indiscriminate, borderless crackdown on crime!
Almost simultaneously, Kabuto Yakushi in the Land of Rice Fields and Delta in the Land of Rivers were doing similar things.
Since they were all Kage-level powerhouses, dealing with average wanted criminals and bandits was as easy as breathing. Coupled with the assistance of a large number of Tenseigan puppets, the entire black market of the shinobi world was sent into a state of panic within a few days. Every criminal or bandit with even a shred of notoriety was swept up.
The first to notice were the Hidden Villages. After all, the primary source of income for shinobi villages was commissions. Without bandits to raid villages or wanted criminals and rogue ninjas to cause trouble, the number of requests plummeted.
While the Great Hidden Villages were still confused, large batches of criminals were already being escorted to the Research Institute from every corner of the world.