join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for hundreds of additional chapters and over a dozen stories
Seeing Hiruko in this state, Danzo couldn't help but fall into contemplation.
Although this operation was proposed by him, the one who decided to implement it was still himself.
What's more, his current situation was far more severe than others imagined.
So, Shimura Danzo lowered his head, looking at Hiruko, who was kneeling on the ground, his voice unprecedentedly calm:
"According to the intelligence gathered from our inside sources, Sawara Kiri is a genius who managed to escape from the Third Raikage with Tsunade."
"You're just a Jonin, are you strong enough? How many people do you have under your command?"
Hiruko didn't answer the first question, instead saying, "I still have two Root squads, but I recently found a channel and established contact with the Land of Lightning."
If the Anbu, directly under the Hokage, were the FBI for internal investigations, then Root was the CIA specializing in external affairs.
Because of this, Root's connections with the outside world were intricate, and it was not surprising for them to connect with any channel.
However, at this moment, Hiruko saying this in front of Shimura Danzo clearly had another meaning—he had found a way to directly call for reinforcements from the Hidden Cloud Village.
Hearing this, Danzo's single eye couldn't help but light up.
The atmosphere in the Village was very tense right now; if the conflict could be diverted externally, that would naturally be for the best.
However, he also heard other meanings in Hiruko's words.
"To contact them, how much money do you need?"
"Fifty million ryo."
"How much?!"
Shimura Danzo's only eye almost popped out of its socket.
Hiruko, however, was incredibly firm: "Fifty million ryo, to invite a Kumogakure Jonin to infiltrate the Village and assassinate Sawara Kiri, and simultaneously shift the Village's focus!"
He was a smart man and could immediately see what Shimura Danzo was truly worried about.
The point of this incident was not to kill Sawara Kiri, but to have Cloud Ninja invade Konoha and divert attention.
Shimura Danzo, hearing this, clearly understood and stared at him seriously:
"A mere Sawara Kiri, plus a few lives of Cloud Ninja, isn't worth that much."
"Lord Danzo..."
Before Hiruko could finish, Danzo continued:
"Thirty million!"
"I can give you a maximum of thirty million ryo."
Hearing this, and seeing Shimura Danzo's serious expression, Hiruko understood that this was his limit of endurance, and took a deep breath:
"Add another five million ryo."
"Within ten days."
"Cloud Ninja will assassinate Sawara Kiri!"
Shimura Danzo pondered for nearly a minute, looking him in the eye, before finally saying coldly:
"Root does not go back on its word."
With just that one sentence, Hiruko understood that Danzo didn't trust him, and immediately emphasized his tone, bowing his head to the ground:
"Five days!"
"Within five days, assassinate Sawara Kiri."
The Root members present immediately looked at him in unison.
Hiruko, this time, was truly betting his life.
Should I just take the money and run?
After withdrawing all the cash from Root's finance department with a voucher, this thought kept popping up in Hiruko's mind.
However, as soon as he thought of 'that jutsu' he hadn't finished conceiving underground, and the full-scale pursuit he would inevitably face from all of Konoha after taking the money and running, Hiruko immediately dismissed the idea.
He was somewhat at a loss.
However...
"I didn't expect 'that person' Lord Danzo to actually be willing to give so much."
Hiruko looked at the heavy sack of cash in his hand, his thoughts growing heavier: "It seems Sawara-kun's strength cannot be underestimated either?"
"Perhaps, he's even more of a genius than Orochimaru and the others?"
A sarcastic smile unconsciously spread across his face.
Hiruko, a Konoha Jonin, was a Ninja from the same period as the Sannin.
In his youth, he had a long period of teaming up with the Sannin.
However, because his speed of power growth could not keep up with those three monsters, he was transferred to another squad after about two or three years, until he entered Root.
It was precisely because of this experience that Hiruko understood what an outrageous concept 'genius' was more than anyone else.
Therefore, he would never underestimate any genius.
At the same time, he also harbored an almost extreme jealousy towards those with such extraordinary talent.
"Hey, you."
After coming out of the finance office, Hiruko sneered and beckoned a confidant, simply instructing: "Call those guys we found earlier."
"Tell them there's a big business opportunity."
Communication between Ninja was very convenient; even without using wireless communication, which was still under development, just summoning animal communication could transmit simple messages across the entire Ninja World in a short time.
Soon, the Ninja of the Hidden Cloud Village intelligence department received a message from an enemy country.
"Lord Dodai!"
"Our spy in Konoha has sent a message; there's a big job."
"Hmm?"
Dodai in the office immediately stood up and took the intelligence.
Just by glancing at it, he immediately strode towards the Raikage's office.
Since the Third Raikage was injured and returned to the Village a month ago, this news had caused a huge stir among the top Ninja circles in the Hidden Cloud Village.
The Raikage did not let these rumors spread, immediately sealing off the news with swift action, staying in the Raikage Building for an entire month without going out.
Only a few people knew he was recuperating.
Bone injuries, knife wounds.
His body, once as sturdy as armor, now bore two deep scars.
"Lord Third."
Dodai, after being announced, strode into the office and handed over the intelligence: "Someone in Konoha is offering twenty-five million ryo for us to kill a newly promoted Jonin—and it needs to be done by infiltrating Konoha."
"I think there's something fishy about this."
"Thud."
The Third Raikage put down the barbell marked "10T" in his hand with a dull thud, wiped his sweat with a towel, and said gruffly: "What Jonin is worth twenty-five million? Sarutobi's eldest son?"
"It's a newly promoted Jonin named Sawara Kiri; here's his photo."
Hearing this name, the Third Raikage had no reaction yet.
However, when he took the photo, his pupils suddenly constricted.
"Damn it!"
Almost the moment he saw the face in the photo, the Third Raikage cursed, his entire Lightning Release flickering violently as if activated.
"Someone's trying to screw me over!"
"Lord Third?" Dodai was still a bit confused.
"Heh." The Third Raikage didn't say much, casually handed the photo back, thought for a moment, and instructed, "Transfer this mission through the underground channels to Iwagakure. Remember! Lower the price a bit, and withhold some information. Just say you want his head, a worldwide bounty!"
"Yes, sir!"
After Dodai left, the Third Raikage muttered to himself, "These Konoha bastards, with no brains, they screwed me once, and now they want to screw me again!"
"How can that be a newly promoted Jonin?"
"Whoever wants that paltry money can have it. Heh, it'll be good for Ōnoki and the others to taste that punch too."
However, what kind of brain did Ōnoki have?
When he saw this message, clearly passed on from Kumogakure, and then looked at the target information, which had been embellished by Kumogakure, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
"Newly promoted Jonin, Sawara Kiri?"
"A little brat just fifteen years old, and his head is worth fifteen million ryo?"
"There must be some conspiracy inside."
As for the seemingly highest risk item, 'infiltrating Konoha,' he completely ignored it—Iwagakure did not lack brave and self-sacrificing individuals, and even had an entire Explosion Release squad. The external defenses of various Ninja Villages were actually no different from a sieve for the Ninja themselves.
After weighing it for a long time, Ōnoki still felt that this matter was a bit dangerous.
"Kitsuchi?"
"I'm here, Lord Tsuchikage."
"Go and transfer this mission to... transfer it to Hidden Mist. Sunagakure has invested so much on the front lines, they don't have time to infiltrate the rear."
"What about the money...?"
"You simple-minded fellow, of course, keep as much as you can. The Village isn't flush with cash! And, withhold some of his information; let the Hidden Mist people test him out."
"I understand, Lord Tsuchikage."
"Underground Assassination Order."
"Konoha's newly promoted Jonin, Sawara Kiri."
"Fifteen years old, his resume for the past three years is a civilian position in the Hokage Building, closely associated with Tsunade, one of the Sannin, recently specially promoted to Jonin, frequently entering and exiting the Senju clan compound, suspected of having a special talent in his lower body."
"Bounty: Five million ryo."
"But it requires infiltrating Konoha for assassination?"
"Even if he's a well-connected individual with limited strength, there's still some danger."
"No wonder it has an S-rank bounty..."
Inside the Mizukage's office, the Mizukage's secretary, who was assisting with political affairs at one side of the desk, looked down at the intelligence in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.
After much thought, the seal in his hand still couldn't fall. He stood up, took the intelligence to the Third Mizukage, and quietly asked:
"Lord Mizukage, there's a five-million-ryo assassination mission here, to be carried out in Konoha..."
However, the Third Mizukage, after only hearing half of it, impatiently waved his hand and said coldly: "You choose a suitable squad from a Ninja clan yourself—!"
"No, forget it."
He stopped halfway through his sentence, and the Third Mizukage suddenly sighed softly.
Recently, because the head of the Hozuki clan died on a mission, those old guys from the Ninja clans started making a fuss again at the Jonin Meeting, giving him a huge headache.
In addition, that old man Genji always disagreed with him, making it extremely difficult for his various policies to progress.
In fact, the three parties were gradually becoming like swords drawn.
Because of the confrontation between all parties, they couldn't spare any manpower, and many missions had piled up in the Village.
"Send it to the underground bounty exchange."
"Just, just send it out according to that 'underground traitor' order you just mentioned."
"We can't deal with Konoha's matters for now."
"Yes, sir."
It wasn't until the secretary left with the mission that the Third Mizukage, who was suffering from a headache due to political affairs, suddenly seemed to realize something, frowning and looking up:
"Eh?"
"What was that target's name again?"
A short mission, within two days, circulated among the four great nations, and was finally sent to the underground bounty exchange, whose intelligence outposts were spread throughout the Ninja World.
Land of Hot Water, a hidden underground outpost.
Mr. Kakuzu, completely wrapped in thick clothing, arrived at his small bank as usual to check for suitable missions.
As he was flipping through the 'ledger' full of names, his emerald eyes keenly caught a mission slip.
"Hmm?"
"Sawara Kiri, fifteen years old, newly promoted Jonin."
"Confirmed to be the lover of Tsunade, one of the Sannin."
"No reliable high-level mission records or special strength intelligence, worked as a civilian in the Hokage Building for three years, specially promoted through 'advancement device'."
"Underground Traitor Order: Bounty of one million five hundred thousand ryo."
"Mission suggestion: Those with tentacles, slime, or special preferences are preferred."
"Publisher: Hidden Mist."
Even though Kakuzu was now a bona fide old man in his sixties, seeing this mission still gave him a sense of revelation. His brows furrowed high, and his expression, visible even through his clothes, was very subtle.
Kakuzu first looked down at the Earth Grudge Fear wrapped around his body, then at the suggestion on the mission record.
"Sigh."
"This unlucky young man must have offended someone!"
"But he's quite valuable."
He said, his subtle expression immediately receding, and he loudly called out to the person behind the counter:
"Hey, you!"
"Give me this one!"
Although this young man was very unlucky, he would not let money pass him by.
Killing a expert's little lover, how hard could that be?
That was a full one million five hundred thousand ryo.
Today, he's the one!
(Hiruko ↑)
(Kakuzu ↑)
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence: 9 Reader for hundreds of additional chapters and over a dozen stories