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Chen Xing's Plan
Chen Xing knew that having talent alone wasn't enough — if he wanted to grow stronger, he first needed a steady supply of resources. Without them, even the most gifted shinobi could wither away before reaching their full potential. Money came first.
From a long-term perspective, the most profitable approach would be to develop the Village's economic and trade network, much like how Sunagakure profited from trade routes and crafts unique to the Land of Wind. But Chen Xing didn't have that kind of influence yet. He wasn't a former clan head or a merchant leader — in fact, he had barely managed to graduate the Academy. For now, the fastest way to make money was to take on bounty missions.
As for S-rank bounties? He wasn't in a rush. Those were the kinds of jobs that could get you killed, and without the right intel or backup, the odds of failure were high. Instead, he skimmed through the A-rank bounty list, searching for something both lucrative and within reach.
One target caught his eye:
> Black Tao Taiyi — Missing-nin from Sunagakure.
Rank: Jōnin-level.
Bounty: 2.22 million ryō.
Last spotted: May 26th, near a village outside Yuye City.
The next day, Chen Xing returned to the Black Bar, a favored gathering place for bounty hunters and underground brokers.
"Tell me everything you have on this guy," Chen Xing said calmly, placing the A-rank bounty booklet on the counter and pointing to the man's profile picture.
The barmaid froze in surprise. "You just completed a job yesterday… and now you're already taking another?"
A few bounty hunters nearby exchanged uneasy glances.
"Who is this brat? I've never seen him before," one muttered.
"Careful," another warned under his breath. "That 'brat' took down the bald-headed thug yesterday — the same guy who killed two hunters from this bar last month. If you don't want to end up like them, don't talk big."
The first man paled, remembering the corpse left at the city gate. The so-called 'Bald Ox' had been a veteran fighter, stronger than most missing-nin of his rank. Yet Chen Xing had killed him in a single encounter.
Chen Xing, seated at the counter, could hear their whispers easily. He almost laughed — to him, that "Bald Ox" was hardly worth the trouble.
"I didn't expect him to be back so soon," another hunter murmured. "The kid's got nerve."
A grizzled warrior shook his head. "That's not just nerve. Some people are born prodigies. The rest of us can only watch from below."
Inside the counter, the barmaid eventually returned with a thick notebook. "Found him. But the intel will cost you twenty thousand ryō."
Without hesitation, Chen Xing dropped the money on the counter.
"This Black Tao Taiyi… former Sunagakure operative. Known for brutality. Information is scarce — most details are secondhand rumors. Reported to have killed several Sand ANBU during a smuggling dispute. Likes to linger near small villages far from major patrol routes."
Chen Xing raised an eyebrow. "That's all? No wonder the price is so low compared to yesterday's intel." Still, even scraps of information were better than nothing.
Leaving Yuye City, Chen Xing headed into a quiet forest, channeled chakra into his back, and manifested violet chakra wings — a technique that blurred the line between ninjutsu and raw chakra manipulation, not unlike the chakra flow principles used by the Hyūga. With a burst of speed, he became a streak of purple light, flying toward the Bird Country border.
Three hours later, he landed near Baihua City. Despite its name, the place had nothing to do with flowers — just another frontier settlement. Asking discreet questions, he found the local branch of the underground network.
Inside, the scene was much like the Black Bar in Yuye City — crowded, noisy, full of bounty hunters boasting about their kills. Chen Xing ignored the chatter, purchased the location details, and followed a guide out of town.
"Sir, you're after Black Tao Taiyi?" the guide asked with a mixture of awe and curiosity.
"That's right," Chen Xing replied with a faint smile. "Seems your network is quite happy with my last job."
"Of course," the man grinned. "Our intel business is the best in the trade. Even the big villages' hunters need our help."
They reached a small village a few kilometers away. The guide pointed ahead. "That's where he's holed up. As per the rules, I'll be heading back now."
Chen Xing nodded, waving him off.
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Black Tao Taiyi
Life as a missing-nin was always a gamble. Since deserting Sunagakure, Black Tao Taiyi had stayed alive by moving constantly — never lingering in one place for more than ten days. Over the years, he'd slaughtered any bounty hunter foolish enough to track him.
Ten days ago, he'd seized control of this tiny village. The cowardly headman, desperate to save his own skin, had gone so far as to offer his newlywed daughter-in-law to Taiyi as a "gift." Taiyi, lecherous and arrogant, accepted without hesitation.
Now, lounging outside the hut, Taiyi counted the money extorted from the villagers — a neat stack worth one hundred thousand ryō. "Not bad," he muttered, pocketing it. "You can keep the woman. I'm moving on."
The fat village head bowed repeatedly. "Thank you, sir! Safe travels!"
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This was the kind of man Chen Xing was coming for.
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