76: Uzumaki

Late April.

　　The land of tea, a canyon.

　　On both sides are steep and dangerous mountain walls, forming a natural barrier.

　　On the road of the canyon, two groups of people fought here.

　　They hold Kunai and are able to use ninjutsu, so it's clear that both sides of the battle are ninjas.

　　The leader of one of them is Insect Man. He is a cadre of Shiraishi's organization. According to Shiraishi's request, they collect information in the ninja world while looking for talents they can absorb.

　　And the identity of the bounty hunter is undoubtedly very suitable for the five of them.

　　While collecting intelligence and talents, you can also increase your own income, expand the fame of the five of them, allow more employers to find them, entrust them to perform tasks, and gain access to more secrets.

　　This time, it was a mission from a businessman from the Land of Tea, asking the five of them to clean up an illegal ninja organization in the Land of Tea.

　　This ninja organization comes from outside the country of tea. It is not affiliated to the five major countries, nor is it the other small ninja villages. It became a ninja by coincidence, that is, a wandering ninja without a ninja village.

　　They relied on robbing past business travelers to beg for food, which caused the merchants of the tea country to offer a reward in the underground black market to eliminate this wandering ninja organization and restore the stability of the business routes in the tea country.

　　To be honest, this kind of task is not too difficult for the five of them.

　　The average strength of the five of them is above Chunin.

　　Not only were they endowed with strong physical qualities, but also possessed strong perception, self-healing and other abilities. Under the arrangement of Shiraishi, they also practiced their own unique secret techniques.

　　The strength of their five-member team required at least three Jonin together to defeat them, and they couldn't kill them.

　　As for the ninja strength of the wandering ninja organization, the strength of the unit below is mainly lower ninja, and the strength of the leader is mostly at the level of chunin. The level of upper ninja is very rare among the huge base of wandering ninjas.

　　"What, what is this!?"

　　The ninja with green clothes and brown hair used his arms to hold the neck of a wandering ninja from behind, and fierce sparks suddenly appeared on his arms.

　　To be more precise, the entire arm turned into flames.

　　The homeless man's throat was instantly burned to charcoal, and he fell to the ground and lost his breath.

　　Immediately afterwards, a wandering ninja stabbed his back from behind with a ninja knife, feeling as if it had hit the air, and the stabbed part turned into an insubstantial flame.

　　The wandering ninja was immediately covered in flames and let out a terrifying scream.

　　In the end, he returned to his original appearance, and the brown-haired ninja had a dull expression on his face.

　　This kind of battle can be said to be child's play.

　　"Fire man, your ninjutsu is as cruel as ever."

　　The ninja in the fuchsia clothes came over and laughed.

　　"No way, each of us has been given a systematic ninjutsu."

　　The man who emerged from the shadow of the stone, dressed in yellow and had black hair, seemed very satisfied with the abilities he had acquired.

　　Fire Man's ninjutsu is a secret technique derived from the change in the nature of fire attribute chakra.

　　His is a secret technique derived from the change of the nature of the yin attribute Chakra, which can sneak in the shadows freely, and is an unstoppable assassin in the squad.

　　The rest of the people also dealt with the enemies they were assigned to.

　　"The mission is over now. At our speed, we will soon be able to make a name for ourselves in the underground black market."

　　"That way, recruiting talent will also be a lot easier."

　　The completion of the task of annihilating the wandering ninjas entrusted by the merchants of the tea country means that their team has added another achievement in the black market.

　　If it accumulates like this, within a few years, it will become famous in the underground black market, and more resources and talents can be attracted.

　　"No matter what kind of guy you face, just be careful. "

　　The leader Bug Man came to the corpses of these wandering ninjas and scoured the corpses as usual.

　　Sometimes, these wandering ninjas also carry some more interesting things, although such a situation has never been encountered by the bug man, and it is just to increase his personal small treasury.

　　Anyway, these wandering ninjas are dead, and their wealth belongs to them.

　　This is a profitable task.

　　"Oh?"

　　The bug man raised his brows and touched a scroll on the corpse of a wandering ninja.

　　This wandering ninja bug man remembered that he was the leader of this wandering ninja organization.

　　Judging from the texture of the scroll, it is very cheap, but it is sealed with a sealing art. Is there any secret hidden in it?

　　"What's in there?"

　　"I don't know. It's probably not a trap."

　　The bug man pondered for a while, even if it was a trap, he had to open it to see what was inside.

　　However, preventive measures are also required.

　　After unlocking the above spell, the bug man jumped back immediately to prevent any trap spells in the scroll.

　　But there was nothing on the scroll, just scribbled writing on it, presumably that they were going to use some 'secret' to sell for a lot of money.

　　The five bug men were perplexed, and couldn't figure out what the 'secret' these wandering ninjas were talking about, which could be used to sell for a lot of money.

　　From the writing, they have found the right buyer and today is the day of the deal.

　　Unfortunately, now that the five of them are ambushed in advance, it is estimated that this transaction cannot be carried out.

　　"Boss, are you going to see this so-called 'secret'?"

　　"Let's stop by and have a look. It doesn't seem too far from here. After all, we need to recruit a lot of people in the future, and even the smallest mosquito legs are meat."

　　Insect man's views are also shared by the four.

　　Although the salary of the organization is very good, because it is only a few years old, many places need money.

　　Talent can only be recruited if you have money.

　　The talents stipulated above are not just ninjas, but talents in all aspects.

　　Artisans, research, education, medicine and more.

　　They need to complete the original accumulation in this area as soon as possible, and stabilize the basic framework of the organization before they can develop at a high speed.

　　Even the legs of mosquitoes should be scoured clean. Not a single opportunity can be missed.

　　◎

　　In the cave, the paths were extremely bumpy and humid, and the air was filled with a dirty smell.

　　This is the smell of poverty and death.

　　The five insect men are very familiar with this smell. In the past, in the present country of rain, this smell existed everywhere.

　　This is the lair of the wandering ninjas, and their 'secret' that they want to trade with unknown buyers is also here, and it is said on the scroll that this 'secret' is very important and can be sold for a very good price.

　　In this regard, the five men are of course very interested to come here to hunt for treasures.

　　I just hope that this secret will not disappoint them too much.

　　Because it was too dark inside the cave, the fire man picked up a wooden stick and started to burn it, using it as a torch for lighting.

　　There is a lot of food waste and debris in the cave. It is conceivable that these wandering ninjas must be very poor.

　　"Is it here?"

　　After removing all the traps on the road, the five bug men came to a closed wooden door.

　　There is a sealed iron lock on it, and the top of the lock is stained with rust.

　　An indescribable stench and a rotten smell came from inside.

　　This is the only place in the lair that can be used to hide 'secrets'.

　　Under the perception of the five of them, the 'secret' inside does not know what it is, but behind the door, there are still many living people.

　　The number is eight.

　　In this room, there are eight living beings.

　　Locked inside, can't be the companion of those wandering ninjas, captives?

　　Was it attacked by those wandering ninjas and caught here?

　　The bug man was a little distressed, but he broke the lock on the door and opened the door.

　　The light of the fire shone in, and the room inside also had lights, which were very weak, and flickered.

　　They were skinny and looked like they had been abused for a long time.

　　There are men and women, young and old, like members of a family.

　　With chapped lips and bleak faces, wandering ninjas give them minimal food and water.

　　On them were heavy shackles and handcuffs.

　　The bug man looked around at the eight people, and finally his eyes were fixed on a child who was only a few years old.

　　The shining light of hope and longing is the attachment to life.

　　There is also a trace of tension and anxiety.

　　"Boss, they seem to be a little different from ordinary people."

　　The fire man said softly beside him.

　　"Even if you are abused like this and provide the minimum amount of water and food, the vitality in your body still exceeds that of others, and all of them have red hair..."

　　The bug man narrowed his eyes and found that these eight people, both male and female, had extremely bright red hair.

　　"The remnant of the Uzumaki family..."

　　That's the secret to being able to sell it for money.

　　Indeed a very good 'treasure'.

　　The bug man took a few steps forward and came to these people.

　　They had an unbearable stench on their bodies, a lot of dust on their faces, infected wounds and no medication, and cockroaches crawling on the lunch boxes next to them.

　　Here they can only survive.

　　"It's really sad that the Uzumaki clan, who used to be very famous in the ninja world, has fallen to this point."

　　Not only did the country perish, but even the clansmen were scattered everywhere, wandering in the ninja world, living a precarious life.

　　"Since you are alive, why don't you go to Konoha for help? You are captured by wandering ninjas, and you live a wandering life that is worse than an underground mouse?"

　　The bug man touched the little head of the Uzumaki child and asked in confusion.

　　The Uzumaki Clan and Konoha have had an alliance relationship since ancient times.

　　Even Konoha's jōnin costumes are printed with the mark of the Uzumaki clan to show the friendship between the two sides.

　　For those who lost their country, their first reaction should be to take refuge in Konoha, instead of living such a beggar-like wandering life all over the Ninja world.

　　"There was a distress signal...but they only took one person..."

　　A middle-aged man with red hair lowered his head and said this, and he could hear his crying. The question from the bug man seemed to evoke bad memories of his past.

　　It has been less than ten years since the country of the Uzumaki was destroyed.

　　For this middle-aged man, it was the pain he had personally experienced.

　　Bearing the title of the slave of the subjugated country, he wandered in the ninja world, and was ostracized and arrested.

　　At that time, he clearly remembered that Konoha did not lend a helping hand.

　　Whether it is before or after the event, the distress signal sent in the past is like a rock sinking into the sea, and what they get is always despair.

　　The thought of asking Konoha for help must have faded a long time ago.

　　For the destruction of the country of the Uzumaki, the insect male can only express a moment of silence.

　　Perhaps in the future, his past motherland, the Land of Rain, will also embark on this path and become a victim of a great power.

　　At that time, the people of the Land of Rain will become mice that cannot see the light in the darkness, just like the current Uzumaki clan.

　　People who see the people of the country of rain will also call them the slaves of the country.

　　The so-called covenant is just a piece of paper.

　　It's just worthless paper.

　　"I feel sympathy for what you have been through. Seeing the motherland being ravaged by others, the heart-wrenching feeling is the same for everyone."

　　The bug man was deeply touched.

　　"Our organization is recruiting outstanding talents. If you are willing to join, you will be your companions in the future. The living environment, clean water and food, and security will be satisfied, but at the same time you need to pay your loyalty. If you don't agree, we won't embarrass you either, just live your own life."

　　These people were hesitant, worried and hopeful.

　　The nerves of these people have long been fragile, and they only need to give them the despair after hope, and they can only commit suicide.

　　The bug man said with a smile: "Our leader said that he will not save those who only pray for the rain all day long. There is no good thing in this world. While doing good deeds, gain greater benefits, This will give us more motivation to do good things."

　　And the benefits that the Uzumaki Clan can provide is undoubtedly their bloodline, as well as the abundant sealing technique.

　　Even if their country was wiped out, sooner or later, they would be of great use.

　　"There is no need to be ashamed whether you live like a man or a dog. The important thing is the future. As long as people are not dead, there is the possibility of changing their fate. Anyway, your country is gone, and now there is only one bad life. What's there to lose? Who wasn't a homeless dog once?"

　　The bug man sighed.

　　Because of the war, his family was broken, and then he made a living by robbery and murder, and then he was arrested as a tragic experimental subject. Thinking of those years, he felt terrible, and cold sweat broke out on his back.

　　Fortunately, there is a rainbow after the wind and rain, and many things have been seen, and it is no longer as naive as before.

　　The world is like this.

　　He hoped that these remnants of the Uzumaki clan would make a choice that they would not regret.

　　The important thing is to fool them into the organization first.

　　That way, money, women, mansions and everything are possible in the future.

　　This is the principle of his bug man doing good deeds.

　　◎

　　Shiraishi's daily work is to arrive at the ninja school before three o'clock to help Tsunade teach the students of the experimental class and help them learn the knowledge of medical ninjutsu.

　　In addition to this, he is occasionally dragged to the hospital as a coolie.

　　Most of the time is still in the laboratory, quietly doing research.

　　Of course, at school, there is a thorny kid named Uchiha Obito from time to time who will come to trouble him.

　　Today's bear children are really scary, they know how to be jealous when they are only five or six years old.

　　The point is that he didn't do anything to the girl named Rin, he just taught her some medical knowledge after class every day.

　　There are many aspects of the ninja world that cannot be inferred by common sense.

　　The more you extrapolate, the more outrageous the answer you get.

　　For example... the white humanoid creature now lying on his lab bench.

　　It was the unidentified person that the insect men and the others captured before, because when it was monitoring 'Akatsuki', it was discovered by the insect men and pinched to death before being sent to him.

　　After that, Shiraishi became interested in this white creature with a simple life structure.

　　However, after dissecting the whole body and revealing the secrets inside, he got an answer that made Shiraishi even more inexplicable.

　　The energy extracted from this creature can revitalize a dead tree branch and bring forth new buds.

　　Wood release?

　　And there is also a smell that is similar to that of a tailed beast.

　　What is the origin of this creature?

　　The combination of Tailed Beast and Wood release?

　　But it's so weak.

　　According to Insect Man, this creature's combat power is extremely weak, and it can be easily settled with one hand and one move, and it doesn't even require ninjutsu.

　　"Looks like there's something wrong with Akatsuki."

　　Although the strength of this creature is weak, the secret within it shocked Shiraishi.

　　Wood release and Tail Beast, no matter which one they are, both have extremely brilliant legends.

　　The former is the power of the god of ninjas who calm down troubled times.

　　The latter is a chakra monster that has existed since ancient times, an immortal body, a transcendent creature that cannot be contested by human beings.

　　To be able to be involved in the relationship between the two, Shiraishi believes that there must be a lot of secrets in it.

　　Who is the man behind the white creature?

　　Why monitor Akatsuki?

　　Is this kind of creature really created with the power of Wood release and Tailed Beast?

　　If so, where did Wood release come from?

　　Since the death of the first Hokage, Wood release, which can suppress the power of the tailed beast, has disappeared in the ninja world and has become a legend.

　　Shiraishi thought of a very big possibility.

　　Konoha high-level!

　　They are secretly doing research to revive the wood release.

　　Just like him, extracting hidden cells from the corpse must not be difficult for Konoha.

　　Because they are the only people who can come into contact with the corpse of the first Hokage.

　　Extract the cells containing the power of Wood release from the corpse of the first Hokage, and then use the human body to experiment to produce wood release ninjas in batches.

　　And this creature in front of them is the result of their research.

　　The question is, why did you send it to monitor Akatsuki?

　　An organization with only eight or nine members is still a group of teenagers who have not grown up. If you really feel threatened, you can send Anbu to destroy it directly.

　　There's no need for such painstaking surveillance.

　　Shiraishi was confused, and many places were full of contradictions, but according to the information he had learned, this was a reasonable inference.

　　What the hell are they conspiring at the top of Konoha?

　　Just when Shiraishi was wondering what the upper level of Konoha were going to do, the dirt on the floor loosened, and the mud man's head made of khaki mud drilled out of the soil, his dark eyes staring at Shiraishi.

　　A scroll emerged from the mud, placed it on the ground, and it continued to function as a perfect communication tool, diving into the ground.

　　Shiraishi didn't care about this 'stupid son' leaving without saying a word, and Shiraishi didn't have any expectations for his intelligence for the time being.

　　Unwrapping the scroll with the technique, unsurprisingly, it was the scroll sent by the bug man and the others.

　　The content of the scroll is extremely simple, and Shiraishi glanced at it and understood the general meaning.

　　"The Uzumaki family? I thought all the people in this family were dead."

　　Shiraishi pondered for a while, then immediately took out a blank scroll, attached a few words to it, rolled the scroll, and sealed it with a spell.

　　"Give them this scroll."

　　It is said to the mud people in the ground.

　　The clay man reappeared on the surface again, and there seemed to be a humanoid resentment in his empty eyes.

　　Nonetheless, he was very obedient and accepted the task that Shiraishi entrusted to him.

　　At only half a year old, he completed the feat of running most of the ninja world alone.

　　Without a doubt, he was the perfect tool man that Shiraishi envisioned.