Ding!
A crisp notification sound came from the system.
[Hermit Purple (Four Stars): Level Four (Max Level)]
After all, it was only a four-star Stand. Even after reaching max level, its basic abilities didn't change too much. However, its overall spirit-writing speed, secrecy, and observation range were all greatly improved.
Konan saw the entire upgrade process of Hermit Purple. She only felt that the purple vines wrapped around Ryosuke's wrist became more lively, with an added hint of indescribable charm.
"It…"
Ryosuke made a shushing gesture and took a Polaroid camera out from the Ghost Room.
———
Obito, who had been glaring fiercely at the sky, withdrew his gaze.
"He's gone?"
White Snake Sage asked.
"He's gone."
Obito snorted, full of disdain as he said, "Ryosuke's weird little vines are indeed a bit troublesome, but only troublesome. With my perception ability, there's no way he can spy on my location."
"Don't say that."
White Snake Sage took a smoking pipe out from a small pouch wrapped around his waist, bit down on it, took a puff, and sighed, "Before I died, I also thought Ryosuke was nothing more than a mere mortal. With my sage power cultivated for more than a thousand years, even if I couldn't kill him, I should've been able to retreat with ease."
Obito shook his head.
'That's not how it works.'
He was already cautious enough. To preserve strength, he had even decided to avoid confronting Ryosuke entirely.
"But if I don't even have confidence in something as small as 'avoiding Ryosuke's sight'… then wouldn't all my years of cultivation have gone to the dogs?"
"Heh."
White Snake Sage bit down on the pipe and let out a cold laugh. He didn't continue speaking and turned to leave.
Obito waited a moment longer. After confirming Ryosuke wasn't spying anymore, he walked out of the Kamui space.
But right then, Obito frowned slightly.
The feeling of being watched appeared again, but extremely faint, flashing by in an instant. He hurriedly looked around.
Nothing.
He didn't feel that eye-to-eye connection he had with Ryosuke earlier.
"Was it just my imagination?"
———
In the photo, Obito was sitting on the tatami mat, looking around in shock. Across from him sat a man around sixty, dressed in luxurious clothing. Beside the man sat a girl around twelve or thirteen years old, with beige long hair and a beautiful face.
The room was lavishly decorated, hanging scrolls, the samurai sword displayed behind them, and the teapot and cups on the table all carried traces of master craftsmanship.
Especially on the teacup, where a delicate little crest was drawn.
The crest was made of an oni mask and a diamond symbol representing sealing. Konan blurted out, "The Land of Demons?"
"What demon country?"
Ryosuke instinctively reached for his Destruction Greatsword.
"It's the Land of Demons."
After Konan explained, Ryosuke roughly understood the situation of the Land of Demons, in this world, chakra wasn't the only power system.
Ryosuke had known this long ago.
His Ripple, Golden Rotation, the evil god Hidan worshipped, the sage arts of the Three Great Holy Lands, the sword techniques of samurai, all of these were powers outside the ninjutsu system.
The Land of Demons followed another path, the Power of the Demon God
Under the power of the Demon God, the Land of Demons indeed had its phase of dreaming to become a mighty nation.
But just like how the Land of Roran perished after using the Dragon Vein, relying on a power they couldn't fully control ultimately brought disaster.
A monstrous demon called "Moryo" descended into the world.
However, compared to Roran, the Land of Demons had something lucky, a special profession called the Shrine Maiden.
This profession basically had zero combat ability, but had special effectiveness against monsters. For generations, shrine maidens had sealed "Moryo."
Konan pointed at the cute young girl kneeling on the tatami in the photo, "Beige long hair, wearing bells… she is the shrine maiden of this generation, Shion."
"But…"
Konan couldn't understand.
"Why would he go to the Land of Demons?"
The Land of Demons was a very small country, without even a proper shinobi village. Even when the recent war swept across the whole ninja world, it didn't reach such a weak country.
Even if Obito wanted to find another organization to parasitize after Akatsuki's destruction, the Land of Demons shouldn't be the choice.
Ryosuke pondered for a moment and gave a guess, "Edo Tensei."
"I've seen Orochimaru's Edo Tensei… honestly, that was just two corpses wearing the appearances of the dead, with severely weakened abilities."
They looked scary, but even the past Ryosuke could fight two at once.
But according to Konan's description, Kakuzu and the others might not be as strong as they were when alive, but they weren't that much weaker either.
Especially Kakuzu, who had awakened self-awareness. With his exceptional combat intelligence, the fighting power he erupted with was no less than when he was alive.
"They're improving Edo Tensei."
"The Land of Demons is skilled at handling spirits and demons. They might have exactly the kind of techniques Obito's group desires."
After hearing Ryosuke's explanation, Konan's expression turned extremely grim.
Because she thought of Nagato's stolen corpse.
If that technique improved further, could it be that someday, she would have to fight an Edo Tensei Nagato on the battlefield?
"Too evil!"
The always calm and rational Konan rarely showed such anger, "How can such an evil ninjutsu exist in this world!"
Having spoken with the Great Toad Sage, Ryosuke thought even further. There was a split of the White Snake Sage inside the Evil White Snake group. With its thousand years of memories… if it found the corpse of the Sage of Six Paths…
'Could it be Edo Tensei'd?'
Ryosuke exhaled deeply, stopping himself from unnecessary speculation.
"Let's go. To the Land of Demons."
"Okay."
Konan responded, then was about to spread her wings when she suddenly remembered something. She lowered her head and looked at her torn Akatsuki cloak.
When she didn't have her lower body earlier, it didn't matter much. But now that her body was restored, two bare white legs were exposed. Above them, though covered by the cloak, it was still only half-covered.
She hadn't thought about it earlier while they were discussing enemies, but now she suddenly realized, she had been talking to Ryosuke the whole time while half naked…
Ryosuke noticed her embarrassment. He tugged at his coat and revealed a "gap" leading into the Ghost Room.
"Go take a bath and change your clothes."
Konan nodded slightly with flushed cheeks and slipped into Ryosuke's pocket.
As the owner of "Burning the House Down," Ryosuke could see every corner of the Ghost Room as long as he opened the gap, this was also why he could always take out anything he wanted.
But whether it was Konan or Ryosuke himself, neither paid much attention to this detail.
Maybe because he had read her memories before, or because of their long correspondence, somehow a silent understanding had formed between them.
Ryosuke took out a set of his clean clothes and placed them on the tatami inside the Ghost Room. Then he took some food he had prepared earlier from the refrigerator, warmed it in the microwave for a few minutes, and placed it on the table.
When Konan came out of the bathroom, Ryosuke was no longer in the Ghost Room.
He left a note on the table, explaining that he was already heading toward the Land of Demons, and that since Konan had been buried underground for four days, she should eat first and then sleep to rest well.
After all, if they really encountered Obito's group, a battle would be unavoidable.
Konan casually tied her wet hair together. Wearing Ryosuke's shirt and pants, which looked extra oversized on her, she had a cute charm that was hard to describe.
She sat at the table, picked up the chopsticks, and began eating big mouthfuls.
As she ate, a tear fell again.
But this time, Konan didn't let it fall freely. She wiped it away forcefully, sniffed hard, and stuffed more food into her mouth to replenish her strength.
She wasn't a weakling who only knew how to cry.
She would rely on Ryosuke.
And just the same, Konan would also let Ryosuke rely on her.
A day later, Ryosuke reached the border of the Land of Demons. When he stepped out of the Ghost Room, Konan's makeup was once again flawless, and her eyes had recovered their usual sharpness and softness.
To avoid alarming Obito's group, making them run away the moment they heard of their arrival, the two of them disguised themselves slightly, hiding their identities and posing as a traveling couple.
But just as Ryosuke headed toward the capital of the Land of Demons, he encountered a completely unexpected group of people.
"Kakashi?"