After learning that Sunagakure had been defeated, Kumogakure, who had gained little advantage so far, also chose to withdraw their troops. However, their attitude remained tough:
They still refused to sign a peace treaty with Konoha. Both sides remained in a state of war, though the intensity of combat had significantly decreased.
Ōnoki didn't dare take advantage this time either. After all, everyone still remembered the battle power of the Third Raikage. Although they had managed to force him to death with sheer numbers, the damage he dealt to Iwagakure was very real.
The last piece of news was that Amegakure had fallen into civil strife.
The official leader of Amegakure, the notorious poison master known as the "Demi-God of the Shinobi World," Hanzō, announced that the Akatsuki organization within the village had accepted aid from outside forces and intended to divide Amegakure. He officially declared war on them.
Neighboring villages all turned their attention to this country, which had once single-handedly sparked the Second Great Ninja War.
Underground gambling dens also began placing bets, wagering on whether Hanzō or Akatsuki would win in the end.
A certain woman who preferred to remain anonymous, Tsunade, also placed a bet—on Hanzō's victory.
However, none of this had anything to do with Takeshi, who had just bid farewell to the tearful slug that was sobbing acidic slime into a handkerchief.
Bringing Pakura with him, Takeshi arrived at a place within the Land of Fire called Renkawa Town.
"You know about bounty exchanges?"
Walking down the street and glancing at Pakura, who was now wearing the Konoha forehead protector he had given her, Takeshi asked.
"Bounty exchanges? Of course. All five great nations have them."
Pakura answered without hesitation.
"Then do you know where the one in the Land of Fire is?"
Takeshi's question made Pakura feel her intelligence was being insulted.
She had wanted to say it back in the Shikkotsu Forest already—this so-called White Reaper looked totally clueless. Though admittedly quite cute, was this really okay?
You're a local asking a foreigner if they know about something in your own country. How am I supposed to respond to that?
Pakura didn't reply. She just looked at Takeshi with a pitiful gaze.
This child... must've traded all his intelligence for good looks.
Feeling unnerved by Pakura's stare, Takeshi suddenly realized something and gave a light cough to cover his embarrassment.
"Ahem, well, I mean—I was just probing enemy intelligence, y'know? To see if Sunagakure was secretly investigating stuff in the Land of Fire."
Pakura's forehead was practically pulsing with black lines.
Sure, I admit the Sunagakure higher-ups are a bunch of brainless idiots. But even they wouldn't ignore your military intel to go investigate bounty exchanges, which exist in every country. Even the dumbest moron wouldn't think that's worth spying on.
"Just tell me what you're really up to."
Pakura preferred straightforward communication.
"I'm looking for someone. With him, my plan can officially begin. No—I'm still short one more. I still need an unlucky noble."
As for nobles, that part was easy to handle. But bounty exchanges...
He'd just have to rely fully on Father.
Pulling out a scroll from his pocket, Takeshi searched for the region he was currently in based on the index.
"What's that?" Pakura asked curiously, noticing the scroll covered in dense writing.
"My dad gave it to me. Sort of an emergency contact directory. Let me see... Renkawa Town—got it. 'Gen's General Store'? What kind of trash name is that?"
Grumbling about the naming sense of whoever came up with that, Takeshi took Pakura along and followed the directions to the small shop.
The shop was rather empty. Aside from some cluttered goods, only a young-looking shopkeeper was leaning idly against the counter.
But when he noticed Pakura's silhouette at the door, his expression immediately turned alert.
"Don't worry. She's with me."
Entering the shop with Pakura, Takeshi reassured him.
"Codename J?"
Still uneasy, the shopkeeper used a coded question to verify.
"Everything's normal. No trouble." Knowing the shopkeeper was worried he might be coerced by Pakura, Takeshi was both amused and exasperated. Not to brag, but with his current strength, there was no way someone like Pakura could threaten him.
"What can I do for you, Takeshi-sama?"
Once he confirmed Takeshi had come of his own will, the shopkeeper quickly closed the door and led Takeshi to a hidden room behind the store. He knelt halfway and awaited orders.
These people were all Root informants, technically not on the official roster—after all, everyone knew Root's official membership only totaled sixteen people.
"Do you have information on a missing-nin from Takigakure named Kakuzu? I want to know his whereabouts."
That's right—Takeshi was looking for none other than Kakuzu.
The Akatsuki's treasurer. Their economic manager. With him, Takeshi could sit back and count money all day, and maybe buy billions of explosive tags just to watch Kakuzu have a heart attack from stress.
"Please wait a moment."
The informant moved quickly and soon returned with the information Takeshi requested.
Unfortunately, Takeshi was disappointed by what he received.
It only recorded Kakuzu's background, but nothing about his current location.
Well, that made sense. In the eyes of most people, Kakuzu was just a rogue ninja from Takigakure who had lived during the same era as Hashirama. Who would've thought the guy was still alive thanks to Earth Grudge Fear?
But Takeshi, of course, knew exactly where to find him.
"Where's the nearest bounty exchange from here?"
...
Whether it was coincidence or not, Takeshi couldn't help but want to complain when he saw the massive public toilet before him.
Was a toilet the universal disguise for all bounty exchanges?
"You coming?"
Takeshi turned to look at Pakura, who was staring at the place with visible disgust.
"Let's go."
Pinching her nose, Pakura comforted herself that this was just another way to repay a debt. She walked ahead.
Entering the men's bathroom, they passed a row of stalls and stopped in front of a urinal. Takeshi pressed down on a ceramic tile. With a click, the entire wall began to shift.
A fierce-looking middle-aged man sat silently on a simple folding chair inside. When he heard the mechanism, he didn't even lift his head—just kept reading his newspaper.
"Posting a bounty or claiming one?"
"Looking for someone."
Takeshi's answer surprised the man.
He looked up—and saw the forehead protector hanging from Takeshi's neck.
"A Konoha shinobi? Sorry, but the bounty exchange doesn't—"
The man didn't even let him finish. Another fool trying to dig up missing-nin info from the exchange. He'd seen plenty over the years. None had ever succeeded.
After all, the forces backing the bounty exchange weren't something any ordinary shinobi could afford to cross—
A Scorch Release fireball vaporized the desk, and Takeshi's senbon accurately pierced the summoning scroll the man had just started to open.
"You—!"
The man's face changed instantly.
That scroll was his greatest trump card. Without it, he couldn't summon the bounty exchange's enforcer for protection.