A massive Suiton (Water Release) surged toward Konan. She slipped aside. Her Kami no Mai (Paper-Style Dance) bought a moment, but the Suiton slammed into the ground and froze into blocks of ice.
When the dust settled there was no sign of the youth.
Where had he gone? Konan scanned the area, calculating counters in her head.
A Chūnin? Impossible. He'd just used powerful Katon (Fire Release), Suiton (Water Release), Doton (Earth Release), Ranton (Storm Release) and Hyōton (Ice Release). He even showed two bloodline-level techniques. Who in the shinobi world could reach that level?
Konan's eyes widened. A name surfaced in her mind. Though she'd never met him, she'd heard of him.
"Hyūga Shigeo? Could it be him?"
As she wondered, a cold gust dropped from the sky and lunged at her. She dodged, but another silhouette leapt in, trailing burning flames.
"Kami no Mai!"
Countless sheets of paper shot out. Several bore explosive seals. As they neared flame, the tags detonated with violent bangs that rolled through the valley.
In the next instant Konan's movement halted. She had set a ruse; a few sheets had slipped behind the youth. A tremendous explosion rang out — he'd taken the hit.
Then with a poof a cloud of white smoke vanished from the scene.
It was a Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique).
Konan spun. A Shōton (Crystal Release) manifested and in an instant she was encased within it.
Her eyes went upward. The youth hovered above like a god. She'd never noticed him.
Her paper wings lost their effect. Trapped in the crystal shell, she fell toward the ground heavy as a stone. If the crystal shattered on impact would she be torn apart?
Konan's face turned ice-cold and stubborn. Was she going to die?
From sky to ground should have taken two seconds. Ten seconds passed and she felt nothing.
No cracking. No splitting pain.
Suddenly the crystal rotated. She saw behind herself the youth holding the shattered shell in his arms. He stood on the ground, holding the giant crystal and watching her without blinking.
"I said that's my target. I can guess who posted that bounty on the black market, but what's mine is mine. I won't let you touch him. Bye."
With that Shigeo gently set her on the ground and snapped his fingers. With a sharp snap the crystal that had held Konan shattered into dust. She was unharmed.
Konan looked at the youth and spoke to him for the first time. "Don't think I'll spare you because you spared me."
She produced paper kunai and hurled them at Shigeo. A kunai struck and embedded in his body. He stood there merely staring.
A moment later a bang of white smoke, and the person vanished — another Kage Bunshin.
When the smoke cleared neither Shigeo nor Ame-Neri were visible.
…
At an exchange office in a small town in the Land of Earth, Shigeo dumped Ame-Neri onto the floor. The captive thrashed but could not free himself from the white cloth sack sealed with chakra.
The clerk behind the counter stared in shock. "How… how is he still alive?"
Most bounties they received were corpses, frozen and stored in the cold chest awaiting inspection. A live capture complicated everything.
"Alive or dead — does the price change?" Shigeo asked, more interested in the money.
"No, no. The problem is the trouble. If he runs, it's our fault."
"Cut the chatter. Hand him to whoever posted the bounty. I'm sure they prefer to judge him alive." Shigeo tapped the table. "Pay up."
The clerk went inside to fetch the cash. Ame-Neri's mouth was sealed; he could not speak.
Public trial? Ame-Neri's eyes twitched with worry. Who was this youth? The death of Hanzō of the Salamander in the Land of Rain was not public knowledge — even Konoha's Anbu had not fully traced it. How did this boy know that whether dead or alive Ame-Neri would face a public trial?
Shigeo collected the money and turned to leave.
Outside the exchange he walked down the street while the sunset lengthened his shadow.
With that five bounties were complete.
He booked a nearby inn, took a proper bath, and slept well.
The next day he began handling paperwork Umihawk had brought. Most matters were Aokumon business. The present Aokumon was not the same as when Lute ran things from East Secret Island. Then they scammed, traded goods, did every shady thing. Now Aokumon had separated from the Kōyō (Sunward) merchant group and restarted. Many matters still required his approval and signature.
"I wonder if Pain of the Akatsuki is as busy running that organization. If it were him… ha." Shigeo read a note and couldn't help laughing to himself. He imagined Pain using the Rinnegan and the Six Paths to process documents: each path takes a page, skims it, signs, done.
That thought put his mind at ease.
After finishing business he left the inn to buy some local specialties as gifts for Wuqianling. He didn't say goodbye; the little girl shouldn't cry.
He entered a shop and bought two stuffed toys, then another store for candy. As he prepared to leave a voice called out.
"A-Mo! Is that really you? A-Mo, what are you doing here?"
It was Da Zhuang. Shigeo turned. Da Zhuang and several caravan people were unloading nearby. Chen Mazi stood with a ledger; his pen dropped to the ground when he saw Shigeo.
He looked left and right and tried to run, but his legs wouldn't move. They trembled; he stammered for a long time before forcing out a smile. "Heh—You're here? Long time no see!"
"Two days, maybe?" Shigeo answered coldly.
A gust of wind made the street feel like a blade. Chen Mazi's knees went weak and he fell to the ground in a kowtow, babbling apologies. The caravan members turned their faces away and refused to look at him.
(End of Chapter)
[50 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter]
[10 Reviews = 5 Extra Chapter]
[Check out my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead]
[[email protected]/Zukooo]