After hearing Kurotsuchi's suggestion, Shinju slapped his forehead.
"Right! Akatsuki probably doesn't have that many bases to extract tailed beast chakra. If we catch one of their members and ask directly, then do a full carpet search afterward, we might just find it! ( ˝ᗢ̈˝ )"
Kurotsuchi: (ー_ー)!!
Did he really just say "carpet search"? Guess thinking isn't necessary when you can just brute-force everything!
Shinju waved his hand.
"No time to waste. Let's move out."
...
Ruins of Amegakure.
After Shinju's group left, a white snake lying on a branch quietly slithered away...
...
A small town in the Land of Rain.
The three walked through the streets, searching for any sign of Akatsuki.
Akatsuki wasn't made up solely of high-ranking members like Kisame and Sasori — beneath them were countless operatives responsible for finances, intelligence, and other covert activities...
Finding Kisame and the others would be difficult, but the lower-ranked members? Much easier.
After casually buying some intel about an Akatsuki operative from a bounty broker, Shinju's group cornered a frail-looking girl in a back alley...
The girl burst into tears as they surrounded her, crying and shouting,
"Don't come any closer! I'm scared! If you want money, I'll give it to you! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)"
If the intel hadn't explicitly said that this girl was the head of one of Akatsuki's intelligence divisions, Shinju might've actually believed her act.
Shinju crossed his arms.
"Cut the act. We already know who you are."
"Chiba, right? Be honest and tell me where Akatsuki's tailed beast extraction bases are. Do that, and I'll let you walk away alive. (o´Д`o)ノ"
The girl — Chiba — realized her identity had been exposed, and the tears instantly stopped.
"Hmph! I knew I should've wiped out all those bounty brokers! Can't believe they're even selling my info! Ծ‸ Ծ"
Shinju sighed.
"Enough complaining. The intel clearly said you're Akatsuki's most active intelligence director — who else would they sell out if not you? ┐(´-｀)┌"
Chiba: "..."
"So you're Shinju, huh? I'm loyal to Akatsuki! Even though you're handsome, I'll never betray my organization!"
"Kill me if you want! I'm ready to give my life for Akatsuki's ultimate ideal! (」°ヘ°)」"
Before she could finish, Shinju vanished and reappeared behind her in a flash, striking her neck with a precise chop.
"Honestly... now's not the time for this nonsense. ┐(´-｀)┌"
He then placed his hand on the girl's head and cast Mind-Body Switch!
Moments later, all of her memories poured into Shinju's mind.
After reading through everything, Shinju gained the locations of several Akatsuki extraction points in the Land of Rain. Looking at the unconscious girl on the ground, he muttered,
"That's all you knew? I was hoping your brain could lead me to all their bases. ╮(﹀_﹀)╭"
Time was tight — every moment counted.
Shinju didn't bother with the girl any further. He and Akatsuchi grabbed Kurotsuchi and boarded an aircraft.
Once airborne, Kurotsuchi couldn't help but exclaim,
"Wow, Shinju! So this is your Painting? That's amazing! (´◊ω◊｀)"
Shinju smiled.
"Paintings are chakra-driven constructs. They're one-use only, but when not in use, they're just sheets of paper — super portable."
"If you want one, I can give you a piece. ∩_∩"
Kurotsuchi gasped.
"Eh?! Really? Thank you so much! (´つヮ⊂︎)"
Shinju waved dismissively from the pilot seat.
"It's nothing. ʘᴗʘ"
Of course, Shinju was never the kind to act without reason.
The reason he so "generously" offered a piece of painting was twofold: to build a friendly relationship with the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage, and to spark some demand.
After all, an aircraft moved even faster than a messenger hawk and could carry multiple people. Whether for intel delivery or rapid deployment, it was incredibly convenient. ୧⍢⃝୨
They hadn't needed it before because they'd never seen it in action.
But once they did? They'd definitely be willing to pay for it.
When that time came... Shinju would make a killing! (•̀⌄•́)
Just as Shinju was admiring his own business genius, their aircraft reached one of the suspected bases.
Akatsuchi, sitting in the back, asked,
"Should we go down?"
Shinju shook his head.
"We still have several bases to check. Landing at each one would take too long — let's just slice it open and take a look. ┑(￣Д ￣)┍"
Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi both froze.
"S–slice it open?!!"
Shinju nodded and calmly walked to the hatch. He pushed open the door, gathered chakra into his hand...
"Shrrk—"
A massive chakra blade, stretching nearly a kilometer long, materialized from Shinju's palm!
Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi: ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!,!!!∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
Were they seeing this right?!
That's a chakra scalpel... but WHY is it a kilometer long?!
Is he trying to perform surgery on the planet itself?!
Akatsuchi swallowed nervously, watching Shinju's every move.
Before the mission, Ōnoki had given him strict orders: protect Kurotsuchi and be cautious around Shinju.
Relations between Iwagakure and Konoha were never exactly warm — there had been plenty of conflicts in the past.
If Shinju suddenly decided to take out his grudges and attack them both, it wouldn't be surprising at all...
Now, seeing Shinju wield a thousand-meter chakra scalpel and remembering the Wood Release forest that had covered all of Amegakure, Akatsuchi felt the full weight of his mission.
The Tsuchikage-sama must've had way too much faith in him! (*꒦ິ⌓꒦ີ)
A guy like Shinju could crush him with a single finger!
Fortunately, Shinju had no intention of attacking. He simply brought down the massive chakra blade.
"SWOOSH!!!"
A flash of solidified chakra light split the ground—
"SHLAAASH!!"
—leaving behind a massive rift in the earth!
After striking, Shinju withdrew his chakra, turned, and shrugged.
"No one here. ╭(╯ε╰)╮"
Kurotsuchi stiffly turned her head, looking first at Shinju's casual expression, then at the enormous canyon carved into the ground.
Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
Was that... humanly possible?!
◝₍ᴑ̑ДO͝₎◞
Did he just split the planet in half with one swing?!
After a long silence, she finally spoke, still shaken.
"Um... just asking, but... what if your blade had hit the Five-Tails' jinchūriki by accident?"
"Wouldn't that mean we failed the entire mission? (✘_✘)"
Shinju smiled faintly.
"You're overthinking it. Honestly, as long as he's still breathing, I can bring him back. (´∇ﾉ｀*)ノ"
Kurotsuchi frowned.
"And if your blade hit his head and killed him instantly? (´°Δ°)"
Shinju replied without hesitation.
"As long as the body's intact, I can still bring him back."
Seeing her open her mouth again, Shinju cut her off.
"And if you're about to ask what happens if the body's completely gone, right?"
Kurotsuchi blinked and dumbly nodded. Σ( ° △ °|||)︴
Shinju continued matter-of-factly,
"For that situation, there's Edo Tensei. If that's not good enough, I can always grow him a new body. ( --0027▿ --0027 )"
Kurotsuchi just stood there, completely stunned.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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