Chapter 98: Departure
"What a pity..." Kael sighed inwardly, knowing that Yahiko hadn't taken his warning seriously.
It's not that my Talk no Jutsu is weak. If I were dealing with Nagato, I could have him so confused he wouldn't recognize his own mother! But Yahiko is the leader, and Nagato only listens to Yahiko...
After a moment of hesitation, Kael decided he couldn't bear to watch Yahiko march toward his inevitable doom.
He brought his hands together in front of his chest and slowly began to form seals.
On the other side, a sharp light flashed in Nagato's eyes. Recognizing the seals, he instantly understood that Kael was about to perform a jutsu. His seated body tensed slightly, like a predator preparing to hunt, his eyes fixed on Kael. If not for the complete lack of killing intent from Kael and the painstakingly slow speed of his hand seals, Nagato might have already attacked.
While Kael's summons posed little threat to Nagato, they were terrifying entities to Konan and Yahiko.
Poof!
A small puff of smoke exploded in the dim room, revealing two small objects.
One was a scroll. The other was a cute, chibi-style bat with a switch-like button on its back and a silver antenna on its head. As soon as it appeared, it flew toward Kael.
[Summoning Beast: Communication Bat]
Rank: E
Species: Chiroptera Mammal
Attribute: Sound
Abilities:
Ultra-Long-Range Transmission: Communication Bats can receive and transmit ultrasonic signals to each other. They can also automatically translate inaudible ultrasonic signals into human speech. The transmission range is unlimited, but the ultrasonic signal transmission is restricted to the same dimension. (Real-time voice communication is possible within a hundred miles. Beyond that, there is a one-second delay for every additional mile.)
System Evaluation: Roger, Roger. This is Dog One. This is Dog One. Do you copy? Do you copy?
"This is..."
Yahiko paused, his gaze drawn to the small, round bat. There was a hint of fondness in his eyes.
Yahiko likes this kind of thing? Kael was a bit surprised.
Although this item was for the three of them, it wasn't suitable for Yahiko to keep.
"This is a Communication Bat. As long as you are in the Shinobi World, you can contact me through it. There's a button on its back. Press it to speak, and your voice will be transmitted to me. Although there's no distance limit, the signal might get weak if you're too far away, causing a delay..."
"Whoa? That's amazing!" Yahiko said, his eyes shining with undisguised interest.
Seeing this, Kael raised his hand, and the bat hanging from his finger flew over to Yahiko. Kael then explained, "Don't misunderstand. It's not a listening device, just a summon with communication capabilities. My only goal is... I don't want to see anything bad happen to you..."
As he finished, Kael glanced meaningfully at Yahiko.
Yahiko was busy playing with the fluffy bat and didn't notice Kael's gaze at all. Only Nagato noticed, and he grew thoughtful.
His gaze lingered on Kael, his thoughts turning. I get the feeling this strange guy knows something...
"We met through a fight, so I suppose we're friends now. I, Kael Cross, am glad to have met everyone in Akatsuki. If you encounter any trouble in the future, remember to contact me immediately. Once I receive your message, I will rush over as fast as I can..."
Saying this, Kael snatched the bat back from Yahiko and handed it to a surprised Konan.
"Girls are more careful. From now on, Konan will keep this Communication Bat. We're friends now, so if you sense any danger, contact me immediately through it."
Kael looked at Konan with a serious expression.
"Mhm..." Konan nodded reservedly.
Then, Kael picked up the scroll from the ground and handed it to Yahiko.
"There's some money and food inside. Use it to help the civilians. Consider it a small token from the Leader of the Hidden Hot Water Village."
Yahiko looked embarrassed, lowering his head, unsure of what to do.
Since Akatsuki was founded, they had mostly received rolled eyes and harsh words. Meeting someone like Kael, who offered financial support, was a first.
"It's not much. The Hidden Hot Water Village isn't rich right now, so this is just from my personal savings... As a ninja from a small nation, I understand how hard it is for you. I hope this helps a little." Kael persuaded softly.
Yahiko and the others were visibly moved, looking at him silently.
Having handed over his preparations, Kael didn't stay any longer. He turned and walked out, his figure gradually disappearing into the torrential rain.
A moment later, an eagle's cry echoed.
Yahiko and the others walked out under the eaves, watching the young man ride the giant eagle, cleaving through the wind and rain as he departed.
"Kael Cross..." Yahiko murmured, his expression complex.
The appearance of this young man named Kael had caused a huge stir in his heart.
He turned to his partners in Akatsuki. "Have any of you heard of this person?"
Everyone shook their heads. They were young ninja who didn't even recognize the Hidden Hot Water forehead protector; how could they know this self-proclaimed leader named Kael?
"What was that earthquake earlier, Nagato?" Yahiko couldn't help but ask, a flash of shock in his eyes. Clearly, the earth-shattering scene had left a deep visual impact on him.
Nagato lowered his head in thought, then said uncertainly, "It was probably caused by that Earth Dragon of his. Only that summon possessed earth-nature chakra..."
"Earth Dragon..."
Yahiko and the others were shocked. A single Summoning Beast causing such destructive power completely overturned their worldview.
"Is that bat he left safe?" Yahiko asked Nagato.
Although he seemed carefree and a bit goofy, that didn't mean he was thoughtless.
Nagato shook his head slightly. Under the perception of his Rinnegan, the Communication Bat had almost no chakra, so it posed no threat.
Nodding, Yahiko stopped worrying and opened the storage scroll Kael had left him.
He released the seal, and a flash of light appeared.
Several well-sealed large crates materialized in the room. The group curiously opened them one by one, revealing clean clothes and neatly stacked bills. But mostly, there were compressed rations and other supplies, including exploding tags, kunai, shuriken, medical bandages, and military food pills.
Yahiko and the others looked on in awe. For Akatsuki, this amount of supplies was undoubtedly a timely help in their hour of need!
Kael, already on his way back, felt a tinge of regret. Although he had anticipated this outcome, returning empty-handed was still disappointing.
"Hanzo of the Salamander, whom you revere as a god, will eventually betray you with his own hands. Perhaps you will never understand, even until your death... when a ruler grows old and frail, he no longer thinks about striving for the country's future. All he wants is to tightly grip the power in his hands..."
Just as Kael was silently lamenting, a black bat symbol on the chest of his clothes glowed faintly red.
The next moment, a somewhat novel voice sounded.
It was Yahiko.
"Dog One, Dog One, calling Dog One. Can you hear me? Is this how military code works? By the way, what number Dog am I?"
The corners of Kael's mouth turned up in a handsome arc.
He pressed the button on his chest and said softly, "I'm Dog One. You're a dumbass!"
In a distant building, the excitement on Yahiko's face froze. He turned to look at Nagato and Konan, who had also leaned in curiously, and asked uncertainly, "Is that how the code goes? Why do I feel like he's cursing me?"
Nagato and Konan looked at each other, then nodded affirmatively at the same time, mischievous smiles appearing on their faces.