After cutting off communication with Outer member Deepa, Victor fell into deep thought.
"Jigen has explicitly forbidden all Inner members from showing their faces. While I think he's being overly cautious, if things get exposed at this critical juncture, he'll definitely fly into a rage. You have to remember—beneath that man's benevolent appearance lies an Otsutsuki..."
Thinking this, Victor couldn't help but get cold feet.
But then he reconsidered: "Over these years, how much funding have I provided for Amado's research? Yet he still can't find the most crucial 'vessel'!"
"Without finding a vessel, he can't be resurrected, and thus can't sacrifice himself to the Ten-Tails to make the Divine Tree bloom and bear fruit again!"
"Damn it, if not for immortality, who would abandon their ninja beliefs to work with these bandits!"
"Now he's being overly cautious—obtaining the fruit seems impossibly distant..."
"The Divine Tree's flower appears at this exact moment. Damn it, is there no way? Should I have the Outers attend that auction in my place? No, facing such temptation, even the Outers can't be trusted!"
"Either I don't go, or I go personally. But going personally means defying Jigen and risking my life. Is there any way to resolve this situation?"
Victor racked his brains. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and a cunning smile played at his lips.
At some unknown hideout, another Kara Inner member—Deepa, known as the belligerent clown—sat at a table enjoying red wine and steak.
But lately, he found everything tasteless!
"Damn it, what's Jigen playing at? Why won't he let me kill anyone!"
Crash!
Deepa violently overturned the table, sending wine and dishes crashing to the floor.
He slumped to the ground dejectedly. After a long moment, he regained his composure and looked at the mess: "Ah, I have to clean up again..."
Whoosh!
Blue light particles gathered before him, forming Victor's image.
"Hey, Deepa, you look pretty bored."
Deepa looked at Victor and shrugged: "I'm so bored I'm about to grow moldy. Can't go anywhere. The new toy Amado gave me has no place to be used! Victor, can you let me kill something?"
Victor smiled: "That probably won't work, but there's an opportunity that might let you unleash your nature."
Deepa's eyes lit up: "Really?!"
Victor said meaningfully: "That depends on whether you dare."
Deepa grinned bloodthirstily: "Who do you think I am? If you dare lead, I dare follow."
Victor said: "Good, then let's meet at the Land of Lightning base. Don't be late..."
Whoosh!
Victor's image vanished.
After contacting Deepa, Victor also subtly leaked the intelligence about the Divine Tree flower entering the black market to another Inner member, Boro. Victor was certain that given Boro's desire for the Infinite Tsukuyomi, he would also take the risk!
That's right—this was clever Victor's solution: drag both Deepa and Boro down with him!
If one person acting alone would face punishment, then three people could share the risk, right?
You have to know—Kara's Inner members, including Jigen himself, numbered only six!
Losing half at once would severely damage Kara!
Victor believed that even if things were exposed, he'd face at most a harsh scolding without life-threatening danger.
Victor donned his traveling attire, putting on his hat and cane, muttering: "The Land of Lightning, huh? Indeed, that's where Indra activated the Infinite Tsukuyomi. It makes sense that someone would obtain the Divine Tree flower in the Land of Lightning. Moreover, after the Land of Lightning's daimyo died, dark forces have run rampant like Hashirama's Wood Release. Only the dark forces here could host such an auction, heh heh..."
Victor looked at his limbs modified with Hashirama cells and scientific enhancements.
"I've already obtained a body capable of infinite regeneration. No powerful attack can kill me. But regeneration always comes with side effects—the more I regenerate, the more my organs mutate. That's still not eternal. If I had the Divine Tree's flower, I might achieve true immortality—something even Orochimaru never accomplished. Be frustrated! Ninjas are just a bunch of useless trash who can only end their lives meaninglessly in the empty fantasy called 'the ninja way'..."
"Hmph, so what if Uzumaki Naruto became the Ten-Tails' jinchuriki? In the end, he still can't resist aging and death, just like the Sage of Six Paths."
"I don't care if you're from the future. Even if this world is destroyed, I have places to hide. As long as I'm alive, I'm the final winner..."
Thus, Victor headed to the Land of Lightning with soaring ambition to attend the underground black market auction!
...
Three nights later, the auction proceeded as scheduled.
The auction host, backed by the Exchange Office, passionately recounted the Divine Tree flower's origins under the spotlight!
Since this was a carefully planned scam, naturally even the story was fabricated seamlessly.
Disguised Victor and Deepa sat in a corner of the bidding area.
Having personally arrived at the scene, he didn't care about the flower's origins at all. He simply used his eyes equipped with scientific ninja tools to see through the wooden box containing the flower, conducting observational analysis...
He couldn't contain his inner excitement, gripping his cane tightly.
"Separated from the Divine Tree's main trunk, it only withers but doesn't decay. The chakra and life force sleeping within are astounding—this must undoubtedly be a genuine Divine Tree flower!"
The bidding began!
Many coveted this flower, bidding frantically!
Soon... the flower had been bid up to the astronomical price of one billion!
Victor made his move—two billion. For a moment, the entire venue fell silent!
But the Land of Lightning had no shortage of wealthy individuals. Someone bid thirty billion, clearly ready for confrontation!
Victor remained calm, adding ten billion to each opponent's bid until it reached one hundred billion!
The entire venue went silent!
This was a number even a great nation would have to consider carefully!
Even the wealthy bidder backed down.
Thus, Victor successfully acquired the Divine Tree flower for the astronomical price of one hundred billion!
Just as Victor was secretly celebrating, he didn't know that every movement in this auction house was being monitored and recorded, with footage transmitted in real-time to Amegakure!
Naruto sighed: "This guy really is loaded..."
Kakuzu asked: "Is that him? The one called Victor?"
Naruto said: "Judging by his build, it should be right. He's probably disguised with ninjutsu."
Kakuzu said: "Don't rush. Wait until he pays, then we'll strike!"
Naruto smiled: "No hurry. As long as he came, he can't escape..."
Completely unaware of this, Victor paid the hundred billion, took the Divine Tree flower, and prepared to leave.
Victor thought: "Hmph, Jigen was indeed being overly cautious. Those ninjas are busy cleaning up their own messes—how could they spare attention for him..."
The accompanying Deepa said impatiently: "Victor, when can I finally take action!"
Victor replied dismissively: "Don't rush. Later I'll take you to my human experimentation site. There are countless experimental animals serving as lab rats—you can kill at will..."
Deepa's eyes moved: "Fine, then wait for me. I'm going to the restroom..."
Without waiting for Victor's agreement, he left on his own.
At this moment, an Amegakure ANBU lurking in the auction house quietly took out a Flying Thunder God kunai!
Thousands of miles away, Naruto's lips curved upward: "Time to close the net~!"
Whoosh! The next second, he emerged from that kunai, descending upon the auction venue!
Beep beep beep beep beep beep...!
Victor, waiting for Deepa, had his internal chakra alarm system blaring violently!
Cold sweat instantly streamed down his face: "An unimaginably massive chakra reaction suddenly appeared—what's happening...?!?"
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