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Byakuya silently praised Pakura's back. Beautiful. It's a shame she doesn't do cupping therapy.
Pakura, who was about to leave, turned back to look at him. "That blue-black giant snake?"
"Correct. You Sand ninja know about it too?"
"Of course we know. Just a few days ago, several of our people died in its jaws. I advise you not to think about subduing it as a summoning beast. Its background is quite significant."
Pakura suddenly smiled. "If you take off your mask and let me see your face, I'll help you."
"Pakura, right now I am helping you. Besides, we are considered allies."
"I haven't agreed to anything."
Byakuya said confidently, "Actually, you don't have a choice."
She waved her hand and turned to walk away. "How do I not have a choice? If I kill you, won't the Sand high command remain ignorant of Danzo's open scheme?"
"Do you think Danzo only has me as a pawn? Even if I die, someone else will report to the Sand high command."
"Heh." Pakura sneered. "Like I said, let me think about it. I have no desire to be a pawn remotely controlled by Danzo Shimura."
"We shall see."
Pakura left using the Body Flicker Jutsu.
When she used this technique, there were distinct orange trails left behind, likely Scorch Style chakra.
Byakuya withdrew his gaze and muttered, "Pakura also created her own Body Flicker using her Kekkei Genkai."
In the original story, there was another person in the Leaf who took the Body Flicker Jutsu to an art form: Shisui Uchiha.
He even earned the moniker "Shisui of the Body Flicker."
The current Shisui was still attending the Ninja Academy. Byakuya wondered if he could make contact with this future Mangekyo Sharingan user.
He stayed in place for half an hour. Only when he was sure there were no changes in his surroundings did he return to his chosen hideout.
He had learned a bone-deep lesson from the time Pakura suddenly appeared after he killed the spy Sansan Kaoru.
Chewing on a soldier pill, he took a sip of mountain spring water from a bamboo tube.
He pondered the details of Pakura's behavior during the negotiation.
Byakuya had essentially used Danzo's name to bluff her hard.
Otherwise, why would Pakura, who clearly harbored intense killing intent, listen quietly until the end?
Perhaps her physical exhaustion played a part, but Byakuya wouldn't rely on that assumption.
People in this world were more or less stubborn and often irrational. If Pakura was dead set on killing him, he would have had to use the Flying Thunder God to "tactically retreat."
"Flying Thunder God consumes a massive amount of chakra. One use and I need half a day to recover."
The spring water was sweet. Byakuya dropped the soldier pill into the bamboo tube and drank slowly, his mind racing at high speed.
"Something's wrong."
Byakuya stood up abruptly.
"The words I said could absolutely never move a Pakura who is loyal to the Sand Village."
"There must be another reason causing her to lose heart, forcing her to make a new choice."
"What exactly is it?"
He dismissed the idea of trying to subdue the blue-black snake right now and downed the mixture of spring water and dissolved soldier pill in one gulp.
Disregarding the chakra cost, Byakuya used Storm Style Body Flicker repeatedly to chase after Pakura.
He expanded his sensory perception to its absolute limit.
Perhaps due to luck, or perhaps Pakura intentionally leaked her aura, Byakuya actually found her trail.
Pakura was sitting on a high tree branch, swinging her legs back and forth.
Hearing the noise.
She glanced over her shoulder. "Kid, what is it? Another Shadow Clone! You call me naive, but your own cowardice is despicable."
Byakuya's Shadow Clone smiled awkwardly. "Don't laugh at me, senior. The killing intent on you really doesn't inspire confidence."
"What do you want?"
The Shadow Clone sat down casually next to Pakura, swinging his legs just like her.
The view of the primeval forest was unobstructed.
It wasn't actually beautiful; some places were filled with colorful, poisonous miasma.
"Don't tell me you're begging me to help you subdue that big snake?"
"If begging worked, I'd beg immediately."
"It's useless."
"The blue-black snake is from Ryuchi Cave, right?"
"Since you know, why ask me? Snakes from Ryuchi Cave hold grudges. I don't want to provoke them at this juncture."
The clone asked curiously, "How did senior find out the snake is from Ryuchi Cave?"
"No harm in telling you. It's useless to the Sand anyway."
Pakura explained, "The Sand Village is poor. Some ninja secretly take bounty missions from the Exchange Office to supplement their household income. Several people took the mission to kill the blue-black snake. Although they knew they were outmatched, for the sake of the substantial reward, they told their families their whereabouts and came here to hunt it."
"So they all died," the clone said.
"Yes."
"Why would the Exchange Office have a mission like that? Daring to provoke Ryuchi Cave."
"Some other ninja village or organization posted it, probably. A giant snake from Ryuchi Cave is a treasure trove. Scales for forging weapons, flesh for research, organs for cultivation... the research projects are endless."
"I see."
"Oh right. Her name is Tagorihime (Bone-Binding Princess). She's a young subordinate of the White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave."
"A female snake, then."
"Kid, I didn't expect you to have heard of Ryuchi Cave."
"Most powerful snakes in the ninja world come from Ryuchi Cave. Naturally, I know of it."
Pakura turned to look at his Shuten-doji mask. "Send your main body here. I swear to the heavens I won't lay a hand on you."
"Really?"
"Coward."
"Fine. I'll trust senior one more time."
He dispelled the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
A few minutes later, Byakuya's main body sat next to Pakura.
They were very close.
He could even smell the faint, sweet scent on her, like a desert mallow growing tenaciously in the sand.
"Speak. What is it?"
Byakuya's tone was certain. "Was it the Sand ninja stationed in the Land of Rivers who forced you to change?"
"Hmph." Pakura's expression shifted slightly. "You are very smart. Danzo sending you here was definitely a mistake on his part. A mission like this should be executed by his most trusted confidant."
He nodded, agreeing with Pakura. "Indeed, there is a lot of room for maneuvering."
"Kid, I'm interested in what you said. But I don't know how many people in the Sand would follow me."
"Rasa has to die. If conditions permit, Chiyo and that Ebizo should die too."
Pakura sighed. "Chiyo and Ebizo cannot die."
"Why?"
"They are the only remaining pillars of the Sand Village. Most of the veterans from the Second War have passed away."
"Wouldn't it be fine if you became the pillar of the Sand?"
"One pillar cannot support a house alone. The One-Tail Jinchuriki is dying too. I worry that I alone cannot suppress that monster."
Byakuya seized the opportunity. "You help me subdue Tagorihime, and I'll help you suppress the Sand Village."
"Do you think that's possible?"
"I could just disguise myself as a Sand ninja."
"What a joke! The Sand Village isn't full of idiots. If we really did as you say, I wouldn't be a spy for the Leaf—I'd be a complete puppet," Pakura said disdainfully. "What I want is peace!! And land, resources, and population for the Sand's development!"
"After all this talk, senior, are you determined not to act until you see results?"
"It is you who won't act without seeing results. You are too impatient," Pakura said.
Byakuya exhaled, having gained a pretty good insight into Pakura's thoughts.
To put it simply, she had been backed into a corner by the ninja within the Sand Village who yearned for peace.
The fact that it came to this was also due to her own personality.