"'Detention…'?", Sarutobi Ishishu was a little curious about that term.
Senku spoke unhurriedly, "It's what the Jinchuriki from your place are called in my homeland, 'detention'."
Ishishu asked, "Senku, in your homeland there are Tailed Beasts as well?"
As a chronicler, Ishishu thought Senku would speak off the cuff, "Not Tailed Beasts, but powerful demon beasts that bring disaster."
"In your lands, sealing these demons into children's bodies, it's a calamity, not a blessing."
Ishishu never stopped walking, probing with his words, "But master, aren't such demon beasts sealed from a young age there?"
Senku denied it, "Only sufficiently powerful individuals can seal and then utilize the power of these beasts."
"And only those with mature thought won't be corrupted by the beasts."
Ishishu slowed his steps; they were fast catching up to Gaara and the others.
But he also knew Rengoku was not far behind, and now wasn't the right place to communicate fully.
As rookies, Sasuke and the others left a lot of traces while traveling.
Ishishu wasn't worried about losing them.
He had already roughly gotten a read on Senku's character, and followed Senku's words, "Yes, nowadays many villages seal Tailed Beasts into children."
"Like our mission target this time, he couldn't control the beast, causing many innocent deaths."
Senku intoned a Buddhist chant, "Then indeed, the child should be freed from suffering as soon as possible."
Ishishu flowed on, "Has Master Senku learned all the intel about this target?"
Senku nodded slightly, "I already know about Uchiha Rengoku. Our organization will cooperate in drawing him out."
"You only need to intercept the person for us."
Hearing that Akatsuki would lure the person out, Ishishu secretly breathed easier, "How long will Master Senku need to complete the Tailed Beast extraction?"
"Half a cup of tea, immediately."
Sarutobi Ishishu was a bit unaccustomed to measuring time in half-cups of tea.
After a moment's reaction, he confirmed, "Master Senku means a few minutes?"
"Indeed."
At this point their pace was slow; they were progressing steadily.
Ishishu felt somewhat anxious, while Senku remained utterly calm.
Because out here, apart from Ishishu, everyone else was one of his people.
He wasn't thinking about success or failure so much as whether the performance would be convincing.
———
The two of them had been tracking Gaara and the others the whole day.
They had already coordinated: the terrain at Gon Peak was perilous and the ideal place to make a move.
Akatsuki members were also lying in wait nearby; at that time they would let Sasuke and the others pass first, then intercept the trailing Rengoku. Ishishu's group would take a detour in front of Gon Peak to intercept Gaara and the others.
Senku didn't mind spending more time with Ishishu. After all, he needed to build a persona and reveal certain things to Ishishu.
From Ishishu's perspective, he had by now figured out Senku's nature.
He was an honest man, few words, a very cultivated old monk.
The key question was Senku's attitude toward Jinchuriki.
Firstly, Senku believed those who imprison Tailed Beasts must be morally upright people, because only upright thoughts can control beasts.
And Jinchuriki shouldn't be used in wars, that would magnify war's intensity.
It felt like applying a patch after the great Senju Hashirama distributed the beasts. Merely maintaining a fragile and laughable peace.
From Senku's calm tone, Ishishu could always feel his firm conviction.
And throughout the journey Senku had only sipped from a water pouch.
Ishishu had already taken two ration pills.
Now it was evening; Sasuke's party had already made camp.
Ishishu and Senku prepared to rest for the night, planning to act when they reached Gon Peak the next day.
Senku casually found a stone and sat cross-legged.
As trackers, they naturally wouldn't light a fire or pitch tents.
Ishishu also ate a ration pill to replenish strength.
After a whole day, it was the first time he saw Senku eat.
Senku took out a very coarse hard bannock from his robe.
Only palm-sized, rough-looking and harsh on the throat at a glance.
Ishishu offered his ration pill to Senku, but Senku refused.
"Monastics do not eat such refined foods."
Ishishu felt a stir in his heart. No wonder Senku's clothes were so tattered; he was indeed an ascetic monk.
Most monks in the shinobi world weren't ascetic, but the ascetic tradition was famous.
Such people practice a simple life and strict self-discipline, pursuing a plain yet noble mode of living.
In short, ascetic monks impose self-restraint to seek spiritual awakening and transcendence.
They reject all pleasures, avoid women, and do not savor gourmet food.
They even refuse highly processed items.
Such people do only what they deem right, with an iron will unshakable by outside things.
Thinking this, Ishishu wondered if, 'Perhaps, the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki could cooperate with this Senku.'
But the premise was that Senku must perfectly handle the One-Tail Jinchuriki this time.
———
[The Next Day]
Halfway up Gon Peak, Kakuzu leaned against the cliff wall, waiting patiently.
He felt somewhat uneasy.
After all, this enemy was not like the usual ones.
Uchiha Rengoku's combat power needed no elaboration.
But this job paid well. For such profit, a little risk was worth it.
As an experienced bounty shinobi, Kakuzu's timing was tight.
Before long, he saw a three-man team escorting a person approaching at the mountain's foot.
Kakuzu used Earth Release to burrow into the rock wall and watched Sasuke's team pass before his eyes.
But that protected person, it seemed like he'd glanced at him.
'Was it an illusion?'
Hidden, Kakuzu dismissed the thought.
Their Akatsuki plan here was to hold Rengoku off for several minutes.
Soon a figure came trudging far behind.
He stopped about fifty meters from Kakuzu.
"Oh? Who's here," Rengoku asked calmly.
Though Kakuzu knew it was likely he couldn't fool Rengoku, being noticed from so far still made his heart jump.
Kakuzu steadied himself and emerged from the rock wall.
"Leader Rengoku, you're sharp indeed."
Kakuzu greeted with small talk.
Rengoku sized up this money-loving Kakuzu; from his appearance one truly couldn't tell he was over eighty.
"You're Kakuzu, right? What are you doing here?"
Kakuzu chuckled, "This time I came specially for Leader Rengoku."
Rengoku's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"
Kakuzu's nerves were stretched tight, but outwardly he revealed nothing, "Gaara is after all a Jinchuriki. If the beast is kept long-term by the Uchiha and goes berserk, it could cause some damage to the clan…"
As Kakuzu said this, a sudden scream from Gaara rang in the distance, followed by a massive eruption of Tailed Beast chakra.
Rengoku's gaze hardened, "Daring to scheme against my Uchiha, Akatsuki, you seek death!"
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