48 Advisor Shikamaru
" I still cannot permit that. And it's Advisor, not uncle. " Shikamaru emphasized that he was currently fulfilling his duties as an Advisor, but Rey didn't like the way Shikamaru spoke.
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" I understand if you want things done your way, but I cannot follow your orders under these circumstances. " Rey stated, causing a moment of silence as everyone stared at Rey in surprise.
" Do you realize the implications of what you're saying? "
Shikamaru asked, his face contorting with anger.
Rey met his gaze and replied,
"I am aware that my words may have consequences, but I am unsure if you are acting rationally or if your anger is clouding your judgment."
A ninja standing beside Shikamaru exclaimed in outrage at Rey's lack of respect.
Rey, however, did not back down and looked at the ninja before saying,
"Consider this: upon arriving here, ADVISOR Shikamaru's first action was to use his Shadow paralysis jutsu to bind Kawaki. He must have known that Kawaki possesses the Karma seal and can easily absorb any ninjutsu.
If Kawaki were truly an enemy, he could have used the absorbed jutsu to immobilize all of us and defeat us easily."
Shikamaru countered Rey's argument with, "But that is a flawed assumption."
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He paused to let his words sink in before continuing, " He does not have the ability to attack using the absorbed jutsu."
Rey inwardly rolled his eyes at Shikamaru's poor performance and said with a pitiful smile,
" It is common knowledge that a spy would never reveal all their cards.
Did you not consider that, Advisor Shikamaru?"
Rey's words caused everyone to think about the issue and finding his words carrying a valid point they turned to look at Shikamaru, who had no response.
The weight of their gaze was enough to make him feel embarrassed, and his anger shifted to Rey. Before he could speak, however, Rey said,
"Please think calmly, Uncle Shikamaru. You are not usually one to let your emotions cloud your judgment."
Rey had no personal animosity towards Shikamaru (apart from the fact that he was married to Temari) and knew that he was just on the edge due to Naruto's disappearance, So Rey did not want to create bad blood between them.
His words seemed to have an effect on Shikamaru, who took a deep breath and regained his composure.
"Fine, but do not take too long," Shikamaru said after a moment of thought.
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Reaching into an empty room, Rey closed the door behind him and looked at Boruto and Kawaki, who were both confused.
" Do you want to save Lord Seventh? "
Rey asked with a subtle smile on his face, causing Boruto and Kawaki to widen their eyes in surprise. " H-How? " Kawaki stammered.
" The plan is quite simple.
Although it's just a guess, I believe that since your Karma seal was given to you by Jigen, you may be able to utilize the abilities he has. " Rey explained.
Kawaki understood what Rey meant and immediately activated his Karma, trying to open a portal to Naruto.
Rey still needed to explain his plan to Boruto before he also tried to do the same, but no matter how hard they focused, they couldn't succeed.
Kawaki's and Boruto's shoulders slumped in disappointment as they failed to open a portal, but Rey had one more idea in mind.
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" I think you need something distinctive to Naruto for it to work.
There is a small amount of Naruto's blood on the ground outside, which should suffice. So, I want both of you to touch it and give it your best shot." Rey said, causing both of them to nod with determination to bring Naruto back in their eyes.
With that settled, Rey and the others returned to the outside and acted normally. Rey sat beside Mitsuki and Sarada and explained the plan to them while waiting for the right moment.
Soon, Shikamaru let his guard down as he began giving orders to his crew, causing Rey to nod at Kawaki and Boruto. Without wasting any time, Boruto and Kawaki got to work, and as soon as they touched Naruto's blood on the ground, strange energy came out of both of their Karmas and combined to form a circular portal.
"Yeah!" Boruto shouted, showing just how much of an idiot he was, drawing the attention of Shikamaru and his crew. Without hesitation, Rey jumped into the portal, followed by Sarada and Mitsuki, who grabbed Boruto and pulled him into the portal with his snake-like arms, and finally Kawaki, leaving Shikamaru and his crew unable to do anything.
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Rey and the others emerged from the portal and found themselves standing on a rocky terrain that seemed to stretch on endlessly in every direction. The ground beneath their feet was rough and uneven, covered in a layer of jagged stones and boulders of various sizes. The air was dry and dusty, and the sky above was a deep shade of purple, with no sign of the sun or any other celestial bodies. The only light came from the faint glow of their surroundings, casting long shadows on the rocky landscape.
In the distance, they saw a tall, middle-aged man standing on a rocky outcropping, his silhouette silhouetted against the dim light. He was heavily built and muscular, with short spiky white hair on the top of his head, a trimmed mustache, a beard stretching along his jawline to his temple, and violet eyes. He wore a black coat that marked him as a member of Kara, and had a trio of thick-line tattoos running down his face; two under each eye and the third one between his eyes from the nose to his head.
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"If it isn't Kawaki!
Oh, joy!
To get to run into you here!" the man exclaimed, causing Kawaki's face to contort into an unpleasant look.
Rey could tell just from that look that this man was a bad news.
