"Lord Danzo said that Lord Kaede Tsukasa's secret technique can control a large number of corpses. In a complicated country like the Land of Rain, it's well-suited for search missions," the assistant said.
Kaede Tsukasa put the mission scroll away and asked, "Lord Danzo didn't just say that, right? What else?"
"He also said he wants to take this opportunity to see the results of your training over the past six months," the assistant replied respectfully.
"For over five months, you consumed a total of 1,216 ninja corpses. Even for Root, supplying that many is difficult, because we cannot use corpses from the same village and must transport them from elsewhere," the assistant added.
"Hm. I could tell from the start—daily consumption of forty or fifty corpses gradually decreasing to ten or twenty. Some were long decayed, still covered in soil, clearly freshly dug from the ground. I noticed all of this. Since Lord Danzo issued the order, I will carry it out."
In truth, not carrying it out wouldn't have mattered. With his current strength, if he really wanted to leave, Danzo couldn't stop him—but there was no need.
Danzo was a troublesome man. In many ways, he represented the village. Anyone who acted against him would be considered a traitor. But if Danzo acted against someone, at most it would be a minor loss of benefits, followed by a scolding from the Third Hokage.
Kaede Tsukasa had no intention of betraying the village. As long as Danzo didn't go too far, there was no need to turn hostile—just take what was needed.
"So he wants to test my abilities with this mission… The Land of Rain, huh? Not a bad place. Hanzo, the Salamander of Rain, is one of the top-tier shinobi in the world. One false move and I might not return."
"You jest, Lord Kaede Tsukasa," the assistant said, with no trace of humor. "Although you have been training intensely these past five months, rumors of the Void Technique have persisted throughout the village. Everyone is waiting for you to act again, eager to witness the full power of this space-time ninjutsu."
Kaede Tsukasa didn't respond further. He turned to prepare his equipment—though there wasn't much to prepare. He changed into combat-ready clothes and sealed his straw hat and spare clothing into a dedicated scroll for easy transport.
Most importantly, he placed a summoning scroll at his waist.
The assistant's gaze followed the scroll. He knew well that what was sealed inside determined how much combat power Kaede Tsukasa could unleash.
"Curious?"
"No. I hardly feel curiosity. I'm simply following Lord Danzo's orders, trying to gather as much intelligence as possible, and intelligence often lies in the details," the assistant answered.
Kaede Tsukasa scoffed, indifferent. He appreciated the man's honesty—this was likely the social style chosen by this Root ninja.
After a quick preparation, he pushed open the doors of the corpse disposal area again. No delays, no hesitation—he was ready to depart.
A gentle breeze blew, pleasantly cool. The blazing summer was approaching.
"This season is perfect for travel. I want to experience the endless rain of the Land of Rain up close."
Kaede Tsukasa glanced back at the three assistants. They had, at some point, set aside their work, donned their gear, and silently followed him.
"…I remember your name is Komatsu Fuji, right? I hope I'm not mistaken. I thought only you were from Root—turns out all three of you are. Lord Danzo really values me, not even giving me a true assistant," Kaede Tsukasa shook his head.
Komatsu Fuji replied, "You probably expected this. It shouldn't matter to you. You've never trusted us; otherwise, this wouldn't be the first time you've called my name."
Kaede Tsukasa laughed. "True enough. Looks like we get along well. I've heard that Root ninjas are known for strictly following orders, even if it means walking to their deaths without hesitation. I hope you'll show me that admirable quality… Here's some good news in advance: even if you die, your corpses will continue to fight alongside me. Isn't that touching?"
The three Root ninjas didn't respond, waiting silently for Kaede Tsukasa's next command.
Truth be told, if he had actually ordered them to die on the spot, they probably wouldn't have obeyed. Observing and analyzing Kaede Tsukasa's strength and secret techniques was also part of their mission.
In some ways, this task was even more important than finding Jiraiya.
The four of them set off immediately, passing through the gates of Konoha and speeding northwest, moving with striking efficiency.
"Hey, whose squad is that? They don't even stop to greet anyone. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were spies from another village, fleeing after being discovered," said one of the dozen or so guards on the walls, watching the four shadows speed away while chatting during their watch.
This was why, during wartime, the gates would be manned with over ten ninjas; in peacetime, there wouldn't be nearly this many.
One of them stroked his chin, a doubtful look on his face. "The leader… I feel like I've seen him somewhere…"
"Was it during last year's battle against the Village Hidden in the Sand? That young man who used the Dead Soul Technique made quite a splash."
"Exactly, that's him. I remember Lord Kato publicly called him the village's genius! I was waiting for him to achieve greater feats, maybe even become someone like Minato Namikaze, but I haven't heard anything about him for a long time."
"Those who participated in the battle against the Sand Village have gradually been heading to the frontline against the Village Hidden in the Mist. Perhaps Kaede Tsukasa is waiting for such an opportunity too."
"Do you think he'll head straight to the frontline this time? He's really good at using corpses for jutsu; the frontline seems like the only place he could fully showcase his strength."
"Hard to say. That direction isn't right."
Soon, many of the ninjas stopped talking about Kaede Tsukasa and turned to discussing the Village Hidden in the Mist. Its combat strength had far exceeded expectations; the fighting showed no signs of ending and was growing increasingly fierce.
The entire ninja world was watching Konoha and the Mist Village clash one-on-one. Various villages occasionally sent teams to invade and harass, making life even more difficult for both sides.
Kaede Tsukasa and his team pressed on day and night, covering the distance in just fifty-seven hours, arriving at the border of the Land of Rain.
"Just arrived, and the weather's already changing. These clouds feel like they could collapse at any moment."
Kaede Tsukasa extended his hand, casually sensing the heavy moisture in the wind.
Behind him, the three Root ninjas were gasping rapidly, clearly struggling. In this ultra-high-intensity long-distance dash, their stamina was faltering.
"Something's off with his stamina,"
Komatsu Fuji had already noticed.
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