"W-Wood Release!?"
When Asuma saw the faintly glowing green sapling before Kaito, his brain nearly short-circuited, ceasing all thought.
The First Hokage's might had thoroughly demonstrated one truth...
Wood Release = Strongest in the Shinobi World
But...
Why could an Uchiha use Wood Release!?
This made no sense!
Asuma's mind was in complete chaos. He even began imagining that the guy might have Senju bloodline in him.
Or perhaps...
Some unspeakable history between the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara.
Meanwhile, the forcibly brought shinobi all stared fixedly at that cluster of Wood attribute Spiritual Energy, their faces filled with wild excitement.
Some came from Takigakure, others from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure.
Their attitudes underwent a sudden transformation upon seeing Wood Release. The ninja from Kakuzu's homeland reacted fastest—facing the two, he immediately bowed respectfully to Kaito and shouted:
"Martial Uncle!"
"Are you going to teach us Wood Release!?"
Kakuzu: ?
As someone who had once fought against Hashirama Senju, he remembered Wood Release all too clearly.
Had his employer used Wood Release, he would have long since followed his survival instincts and fled.
He certainly wouldn't have remained standing there.
The children's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Though they'd previously suffered robbery by this villain, recalling Uchiha Kaito's words...
They suddenly realized this guy seemed to want them to join Amegakure.
Everyone had deliberately ignored this earlier because betraying one's village was considered a heinous crime in any shinobi village.
Even if forcibly taken to Amegakure, their hearts would remain with their original villages.
But when Uchiha Kaito revealed his Wood Release ability...
A brilliant idea flashed through their minds.
This Uchiha Kaito was clearly mentally unstable and seemed easy to manipulate.
They could worry about village betrayal later...
First, they needed to get their hands on Wood Release!
Moreover, by entering Amegakure, they might even maintain contact with their villages as informants.
When calculated this way...The 35 million ryo IOU I had signed earlier didn't seem like such a bad deal after all.
Not only did the leading jōnin present realize it, but even the teenagers understood there could be considerable benefits in this.
Soon, an old-school ninja from Sunagakure stepped forward and, mimicking Kakuzu's tone from earlier, respectfully said:
"Martial Uncle..."
"I also wish to pursue the Cultivation of Immortality."
These words seemed to set off a strange rhythm. The others immediately followed suit, shouting "Martial Uncle" in unison.
Only the members of Konoha wore expressions of utter bewilderment.
Ino and Choji, hearing the repeated cries of "Martial Uncle," began to wonder if they had somehow left the Shinobi World...
While everyone's attention was focused on Kaito's use of "Wood Release," Shikamaru was the first to realize that the technique-like phenomenon had absolutely nothing to do with Chakra.
"They're just trying to scam Wood Release!!"
"Don't teach them!"
Asuma saw right through their schemes and spoke up to warn the not-too-bright Uchiha, fearing the kid might get carried away and foolishly teach them Wood Release under their persuasion.
Because once they learned Wood Release...
The Shinobi World would face a war of unprecedented scale!
Not only would the Hidden Rain Village be doomed...
But Konoha would fall too!
"Silence! How dare you disrespect Martial Uncle for 35 million!"
Before Kaito could even speak, Kakuzu jumped in like a protective parent to stop Asuma, then turned to Kaito with earnest sincerity.
"Martial Uncle, don't listen to this guy's nonsense."
As he spoke, he glanced at the group of disciples not yet admitted to the Sect and flashed a genuinely pleased smile.
"In my opinion, these disciples..."
"Are the future of our Sect!"
At Kakuzu's words, their eyes lit up with greedy green glints. They exchanged meaningful glances and smiled knowingly.
Good, good...
So Elder Kakuzu was one of their own!
Seeing this, Asuma grew frantic, desperately shouting about how they were once from the same village and shouldn't trust Kakuzu.
He was so agitated he nearly charged forward to yell...
"Let the Sage of Six Paths judge loyalty!"
If not for Shikamaru's quick reflexes—using his Shadow Possession Jutsu to restrain Asuma while Choji clamped a hand over his mouth—he might have really provoked Kakuzu into taking their team leader's head straight to the Bingo Book for the bounty.
Of course...
He knew there was definitely something fishy going on here!
Kakuzu, in rare mercy, ignored the tantrum-throwing 35-million-ryo bounty, instead speaking through his stomach in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Boss, take them all."
"I can skin them alive."
To Kakuzu, every person before him was blindingly bright money. But Uchiha Kaito was different from this copper-stinking miser.
He never cared about money...
He just knew the Sect's Spirit Stones would never run short now.
Kaito pretended to ponder for a few minutes before showing a slightly troubled expression.
"I'll only accept ten disciples."
"However..."
"The rest of you can stay in the Hidden Rain Village as provisional disciples after the test. But if you truly wish to walk the path of cultivation..."
"You must pass the assessment a month later."
The moment these words left his mouth, the excited crowd instantly fell silent, their smiles freezing solid.
Their gazes toward those around them—even comrades from their own villages—began to shift strangely.
To their ears, Kaito's words might as well have been saying, "Want to learn Wood Release? Fine. But there are only ten slots."
Creak—
At this point, everyone clenched their fists, their blood inexplicably burning with fervor.
Come on!
Wood Release belongs only to the strong!This Sect disciple quota... he was determined to get it!
Shikamaru pursed his lips and unconsciously took a few steps back with his group, hiding behind the crowd.
Something's wrong...
Very wrong...
Shikamaru hadn't spent much time with Uchiha Kaito, but he still knew this guy a little.
Though he didn't know what this guy was planning...
Shikamaru instinctively felt they were in big trouble!
"Excellent!"
"Now, touch those five clusters of Spiritual Energy with your arms."
Kaito looked pleased seeing everyone's competitive gazes, then suddenly noticed Shikamaru's group hiding in the back. Pointing at them, he called out.
"Shikamaru, since we're old acquaintances..."
"You'll go first."
"N-no thanks..." Shikamaru reacted as if facing a mortal enemy, sweating profusely. His intelligence could see through anyone, yet he alone couldn't predict what this guy would do next.
The ever-loyal Elder Kakuzu worked at maximum efficiency. Seeing the Konoha ninjas being so hesitant, he dragged Shikamaru forward like a chicken by the scruff while grabbing Choji's ankle with his other hand.
Ino and Asuma had no choice but to obediently follow and undergo this so-called Spirit Root test.
Ten minutes later...
Of the thirty-some people present, only Shikamaru had dual Spirit Roots while the rest all had single Spirit Roots.
With such poor talent, Kaito doubted whether this first batch of disciples could even break through to Foundation Establishment. He even considered tossing them to his father in the Secret Realm to see if forcibly cultivating demonic beast techniques could produce Demon Cores...
Kakuzu had been hiding at the back of the group since the Spirit Root test finished. Several ninjas around him were now eavesdropping on this Sect Elder's "inside information."
"Stop asking already..."
"This Elder truly has no inside information, and no special favors either!"
That's what he said...
Yet his fingers rubbed together meaningfully at them.