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"I remember, it should be around here..."
"Are you sure you saw it right?"
"How could I be wrong?" A red-haired ninja held up a bounty poster. "This is worth 25 million ryo... A missing-nin from Kirigakure, and just a medical ninja at that. If we kill him, we'll be set for life."
"But something about this feels off. Think about it—if he's just an ordinary medical ninja, why has no one managed to kill him all this time?" His companion was cautious.
"Idiot! Do you think this place is easy to find? It's well-hidden." The red-haired ninja shot his partner an annoyed glare.
Did he really need to spell it out?
The only reason he'd brought someone else along was as a precaution.
Otherwise, why would he share the bounty? Out of generosity?
"As for this guy's strength, I'm sure he's nothing special. A high bounty isn't just about skill—it's also about how dangerous someone is. My guess is this medical ninja pissed off someone high up in Kirigakure. That's why his head's worth so much."
His companion's expression eased slightly, but a trace of doubt remained. "You don't think the two of us might fail to kill him, do you?"
The red-haired ninja stared at him like he was an idiot. "How strong do you think medical ninja usually are? Need I remind you? Sure, Kirigakure's a major village, but medical ninja are just support on the battlefield. They're not frontline fighters."
"You're forgetting about Tsunade."
"You think he can compare to Tsunade?" The red-haired ninja scoffed.
His companion opened his mouth to argue but then reconsidered. There really weren't any medical ninja in the world who could measure up to Tsunade. He reluctantly nodded.
"Besides, if two jonin like us can't take down one medical ninja, we might as well slit our own throats." The red-haired ninja snorted and pressed forward. "Anyway, get your weapons ready. He should be nearby..."
His partner immediately drew a kunai, sharpening his focus.
Even if the target was weak, that 25 million ryo was nothing to scoff at.
No one would turn down that kind of money.
Crouching low, the two used the tall grass as cover until they reached a waterfall.
Sure enough, a lone figure sat beneath the cascading water, deep in meditation.
The red-haired ninja smirked. "Trying to train like the big leagues, huh? Well, whatever. This place has plenty of water, so watch out for water-style jutsu. Even if he's just a medic, he's still a Kirigakure missing-nin. Water Release would be his go-to. We'll use the rocks to close the distance fast—then finish him in one strike!"
"Got it."
With their plan set, they moved swiftly. The roar of the waterfall masked their approach as they darted between scattered boulders in the river. Without hesitation, they hurled several kunai, then immediately followed up with Wind Release.
A barrage of wind blades shot toward the figure beneath the waterfall. At the same time, the two ninja drew fresh kunai and charged in, riding the momentum of their own attack.
"Asachi Midorima, die!" The red-haired ninja couldn't contain his excitement, shouting as he lunged.
25 million ryo—just within reach.
For a brief moment, his mind was flooded with visions of wealth.
But then, the first kunai meant for Midorima was swallowed by a sudden surge of water. The wind blades struck the waterfall harmlessly.
"Damn it—behind us!"
The red-haired ninja barely had time to yell before the water beneath his feet erupted, encasing him in a swirling sphere. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free.
His companion froze, only now realizing their target was standing behind them, one hand submerged in the water prison.
"How did you—"
His voice cut off as his eyes glazed over, consciousness slipping away.
"Who sent you?" Midorima stared coldly at the captured ninja.
He had to admit—the Sharingan was incredibly useful. Without it, subduing them wouldn't have been so effortless.
"I'm Honmura Anzai. He's Ichiji. We're jonin from Kusagakure," Honmura answered mechanically.
"Why are you here?"
"To kill you. For the bounty."
Midorima glanced at Ichiji, still thrashing uselessly inside the water prison, and sighed.
For a second, he'd thought it might be someone from Akatsuki.
"How did you find this place?"
"Ichiji stumbled across it by accident. He brought me here."
"Good. Now kill him. Then yourself."
Honmura hesitated, but under Midorima's unrelenting gaze, he slowly drew a kunai and drove it into Ichiji's trapped form.
Crimson bloomed in the water as Ichiji's struggles weakened, then ceased entirely.
Without protest, Honmura then turned the blade on himself, plunging it into his chest before collapsing into the river.
Only after confirming both were dead did Midorima release the jutsu. He rinsed the blood from his hands, then rifled through their belongings, pocketing a few hundred thousand ryo and several bounty flyers. He discarded most but kept one.
"A year later, and Zabuza's bounty still hasn't changed... I wonder how Kirigakure is doing now. Is Mei Terumī still safe? Has Kisame defected yet?" Midorima mused silently.
No matter what, he couldn't shake his concern for Mei. But there wasn't much he could do.
First, unlike him and Zabuza, Mei still had family.
That alone meant she had to tread carefully.
Second, the Elder Genji clearly valued her. Unless something happened to him, Mei would likely remain unharmed.
Returning to Kirigakure now might only put her in greater danger. As for Kisame... well, they'd never been close.
Besides, his focus these days was entirely on the [Cell Laboratory].
Over the past year, Midorima had finally found the time to study this "golden finger" of his—all because of those two pairs of Sharingan.
The Sharingan was undoubtedly one of the most powerful kekkei genkai in Naruto. But to truly unlock its potential, it needed to evolve into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
And while transplanted eyes could advance—as Kakashi had proven—Midorima had no idea how to trigger that evolution.
Right now, he had four Sharingan in his possession. But these eyes weren't implanted in his body. Instead, they were stored inside the [Cell Laboratory].
In other words, even if he experienced the profound grief required to awaken the Mangekyō (though Midorima couldn't imagine what could shake someone as detached as himself), it wouldn't affect the eyes.
His only hope lay in the [Cell Laboratory].
If the lab could simulate the evolution process, he'd gain the Mangekyō. Otherwise, he'd have to find another way.
For the past year, he'd deliberately secluded himself, devoting all his energy to unlocking the lab's secrets. And what he'd discovered had stunned him.
All this time, he'd severely underestimated his golden finger.