Late April.
Tea Country, Canyon.
Both sides were steep and dangerous mountain walls, forming a natural barrier.
On the canyon road, two groups of people were fighting.
They held kunai and could use ninjutsu, indicating that both sides in the conflict were ninjas.
The leader of one side was Bug Man, a cadre of the organization under Shiraishi. Following Shiraishi's instructions, they collected intelligence in the ninja world while searching for talents to recruit.
Their identity as bounty hunters was undoubtedly very suitable for the five of them.
While collecting information and talent, they could also increase their extra income, expand their fame, and allow more employers to find them, entrusting them with missions and exposing them to more secrets.
This time, it was a mission commissioned by a merchant from the Land of Tea, requiring the five of them to eliminate an illegal ninja organization within the Land of Tea.
This ninja organization came from outside the Land of Tea, was not affiliated with the Five Great Nations, nor was it one of the other small ninja villages. Instead, they were rogue ninjas who became ninjas by chance, meaning they had no ninja village.
They made a living by robbing passing merchants and travelers, which led to the Land of Tea's merchants offering a bounty in the underground black market to eliminate this rogue ninja organization and restore stability to the trade routes within the Land of Tea.
To be honest, this kind of mission was not very difficult for the five of them.
The average strength of the five of them was above that of a Chunin.
Not only were they granted powerful physical abilities, possessing strong perception, self-healing, and other capabilities, but under Shiraishi's arrangement, they also cultivated their own unique secret techniques.
The strength of their five-person team would require at least three Jonin to defeat, and even then, they couldn't kill them.
The strength of the rogue ninja organization's ninjas was primarily Genin-level, with their leader likely Chunin-level. Jonin-level rogues were extremely rare among the vast number of rogue ninjas.
"Wh-what is this?!"
A ninja in green clothes and brown hair held a rogue ninja by the neck from behind with his arm, and intense sparks immediately erupted from his arm.
More precisely, his entire arm had turned into flames.
The rogue ninja's throat was instantly burned to charcoal, and he fell to the ground, losing his breath.
Immediately after, another rogue ninja stabbed him in the back with a ninja sword from behind, feeling as if he had hit air, as the stabbed area turned into insubstantial flames.
The rogue ninja was immediately engulfed in a large fire, letting out a terrifying scream.
Finally, he returned to his original form, and the brown-haired ninja's face showed a calm expression.
This kind of battle could be described as child's play.
"Fire Man, your ninjutsu is as cruel as ever."
A ninja in purple-red clothes walked over, laughing.
"No choice, each of us was granted a systematic ninjutsu."
Emerging from the shadows of a rock, a person in yellow with black hair seemed very satisfied with the abilities he had acquired.
Fire Man's ninjutsu was a secret technique derived from the nature transformation of fire-style chakra.
His was a secret technique derived from the nature transformation of yin-style chakra, allowing him to freely move in shadows, making him an unpreventable assassin in the team.
The others also quickly dealt with their assigned enemies.
"The mission is complete now. At this rate, we'll soon make a name for ourselves in the underground black market."
"That way, recruiting talent will also become much simpler."
The completion of the mission to annihilate the rogue ninjas, commissioned by the merchant from the Land of Tea, meant that their team had added another achievement to their record in the black market.
Accumulating these, they would become famous in the underground black market within a few years, allowing them to attract more resources and talent.
"No matter what kind of opponent we face, we just need to be careful."
The leader, Bug Man, came to the side of the rogue ninjas' corpses and, as usual, searched them for items.
Sometimes, these rogue ninjas would carry some interesting things on them, although Bug Man had never encountered such a situation. He just considered it a way to increase his personal savings.
Anyway, these rogue ninjas were already dead, and their wealth belonged to them.
This was a lucrative mission.
"Oh?"
Bug Man raised an eyebrow, feeling a scroll on the body of one of the rogue ninjas.
Bug Man remembered this rogue ninja as the leader of this rogue ninja organization.
Judging by the quality of the scroll, it was very cheap, but it was sealed with a jutsu. Was there some secret hidden inside?
"What's inside?"
"I don't know. It can't be ruled out as a trap."
Bug Man pondered for a moment. Even if it was a trap, he had to open it to see what was inside.
However, precautionary measures were also necessary.
After undoing the jutsu on it, Bug Man immediately jumped back, preventing any trap jutsu from being inside the scroll.
But there was nothing on the scroll, only rather messy handwriting. The content roughly stated that they planned to use a certain 'secret' to sell for a large sum of money.
The five members of Bug Man's team were puzzled, unable to figure out what the 'secret' these rogue ninjas spoke of was that could be sold for a large sum of money.
From the handwriting, they had already found a suitable buyer, and today was the day of the transaction.
Unfortunately, they were ambushed by the five of them in advance, so this transaction would likely not proceed.
"Boss, should we go and see this so-called 'secret'?"
"Might as well go take a look. It doesn't seem to be far from here. After all, we'll need to recruit a lot of people in the future, and even the smallest mosquito leg is still meat."
Bug Man's view was also agreed upon by the other four.
Although the organization's salary was very good, since it had only been established for a few years, many areas required money.
Only with money could they recruit talent.
The talent specified above was not just ninjas, but talent across all fields.
Craftsmen, research, education, medicine, and so on.
They needed to complete this initial accumulation as quickly as possible, to firmly establish the basic framework of the organization, before it could develop at high speed.
Even a mosquito leg had to be thoroughly scraped. Not a single thread or needle could be missed.
◎
Inside the cave, the path was extremely bumpy and damp, and the air was filled with a dirty, foul smell.
This was the smell of poverty and death.
Bug Man and his four companions were very familiar with this smell; in the past, and even now in the Land of Rain, this smell was ubiquitous.
This was where the rogue ninjas' lair was located, and the 'secret' they wanted to trade with an unknown buyer was also here. The scroll said that this 'secret' was of great importance and could be sold for a very good price.
Naturally, Bug Man and his four companions were very interested in coming here to search for treasure.
They only hoped that this secret wouldn't disappoint them too much.
Because it was too dark inside the cave, Fire Man picked up a wooden stick and set it on fire to use as a torch for illumination.
Inside the cave were many food scraps and residues, suggesting that these rogue ninjas must have lived a very miserable and destitute life.
"Here?"
After dismantling all the traps on the way, Bug Man and his four companions arrived in front of a closed wooden door.
There was a sealed iron lock on it, and the lock itself was already rusty.
An indescribable stench, along with the smell of decay, came from inside.
This was the only place within the lair that could be used to hide the 'secret'.
Under the perception of the five of them, they didn't know what the 'secret' inside was, but behind the door, there were still quite a few living people.
The number was eight.
There were eight living people in the room inside.
Locked inside, they couldn't possibly be companions of those rogue ninjas. Captives?
Were they attacked and brought here by those rogue ninjas?
Bug Man was slightly troubled, but he still broke the lock on the door and opened it.
The light of the fire shone in, and there was also light in the room, very faint and flickering, indicating poor electrical conditions, but it was enough for Bug Man and his four companions to see the condition of these people.
They were emaciated, looking as if they had been abused for a long time.
There were men, women, old, and young, just like members of a large family.
Their lips were cracked, their faces pale, and the rogue ninjas had given them only the bare minimum of food and water.
They were all burdened with heavy ankle and wrist shackles.
Bug Man glanced at these eight people, finally fixing his gaze on a child only a few years old.
That bright glimmer of hope and longing was a testament to the persistence of life.
There was also a hint of tension and unease.
"Boss, they seem a bit different from ordinary people."
Fire Man whispered beside him.
"Even after being abused like this, provided with the bare minimum of water and food, their vitality is still extraordinary, and all of them have red hair..."
Bug Man narrowed his eyes, realizing that all eight of these people, regardless of gender, had incredibly vibrant red hair.
"Remnants of the Uzumaki clan..."
This must be the secret they could sell for money.
It was indeed an excellent 'treasure'.
Bug Man took a few steps forward, coming before these people.
An unbearable stench emanated from them, their faces were covered in dust, their wounds were infected and untreated, and cockroaches crawled on the nearby lunchboxes.
Here, they could only barely cling to life.
"How pathetic. The Uzumaki clan, once so glorious in the ninja world, has fallen to such a state."
Not only was their country destroyed, but their clansmen were scattered everywhere, wandering the ninja world, living precarious lives.
"Since you're alive, why didn't you seek help from Konoha? Instead, you were captured by rogue ninjas and live a life worse than underground rats?"
The Bug Man stroked the Uzumaki child's head and asked, puzzled.
The Uzumaki clan and Konoha have had an alliance since ancient times.
Even the Konoha jounin uniforms bear the Uzumaki clan's symbol, signifying the friendly relationship between them.
After losing their country, their first reaction should have been to seek refuge in Konoha, not to live like beggars, wandering across the ninja world.
"We sent out a distress signal… but they only took one person…"
A red-haired middle-aged man said, head bowed, his voice choked with sobs. The Bug Man's question seemed to have stirred up unpleasant memories from his past.
It had been less than ten years since the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed.
For this middle-aged man, it was a painful experience he had lived through.
Bearing the title of a subjugated nation's slave, wandering the ninja world, being ostracized and hunted.
And at that time, he clearly remembered that Konoha had offered no assistance whatsoever.
Whether before or after, the distress signals they sent out were like stones sinking into the sea; all they ever received was despair.
The thought of seeking help from Konoha must have faded long ago.
The Bug Man could only express his condolences for the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools.
Perhaps in the future, his former homeland, the Land of Rain, would also follow this path, becoming a sacrifice to the great nations.
At that time, the people of the Land of Rain would become like the current Uzumaki clansmen, rats hiding in the shadows, unable to see the light.
People would refer to the people of the Land of Rain as slaves of a fallen nation.
And the so-called alliance was nothing more than a piece of paper.
A worthless piece of paper, at that.
"I sympathize with your plight. The heartbreaking feeling of seeing one's homeland ravaged is the same for everyone."
The Bug Man spoke with deep emotion.
"Our organization is currently recruiting talented individuals. If you are willing to join, we will be companions from now on. We will provide you with a living environment, clean water and food, and security, but in return, you must offer your loyalty. If you do not agree, we will not trouble you; you may live your own lives."
These people's faces showed hesitation, a mix of worry and hope.
Their nerves were already fragile; if they were given hope only to face despair again, they would surely commit suicide.
The Bug Man smiled and said, "Our leader has said that he will not save those who only pray for manna from heaven. There are no free lunches in this world. By doing good deeds while gaining greater benefits, we are more motivated to do good."
And the benefits the Uzumaki clan could offer were undoubtedly their bloodline and their rich store of sealing jutsu.
Even though their country was destroyed, they would eventually prove to be of great use one day.
"Whether you live like a human or like a dog, there's no need to feel ashamed. What matters is the future; as long as a person is still alive, there's a possibility to change their fate. Anyway, your country is already gone, and you only have a worthless life left. What more is there to lose? Who among us wasn't once a homeless dog?"
The Bug Man sighed with emotion.
Because of the war, his family was shattered, and he then lived by robbing and killing. Later, he was captured and used as a tragic experimental subject. That period of his life was terrifying to recall, making cold sweat break out on his back.
Fortunately, after the storm comes the rainbow. He had gained perspective on many things and was no longer as naive as before.
The world was simply like this.
He hoped these Uzumaki survivors would make a choice they wouldn't regret.
The important thing was to trick them into joining the organization first.
Then, money, women, mansions, and everything else would follow.
This was the Bug Man's principle for doing good deeds.
◎
Shiraishi's daily job was to arrive at the Ninja Academy before three o'clock to assist Tsunade in teaching medical ninjutsu knowledge to the experimental class students.
Besides that, he was occasionally dragged to the hospital to do manual labor.
Most of his time was spent holed up in the laboratory, quietly conducting research.
Of course, at school, a troublesome kid named Uchiha Obito would occasionally come to bother him.
Today's brats were truly scary; they knew how to be jealous at only five or six years old.
The key was that he hadn't done anything to the girl named Rin, only taught her some medical knowledge after school every day.
In many aspects, the ninja world could not be inferred using common sense.
The more one inferred, the more absurd the answers became.
For example… the white humanoid creature currently lying on his experimental table.
It was an unidentified individual captured earlier by the Bug Man and his team. While monitoring 'Akatsuki,' they discovered it, crushed it, and sent it to him.
After that, Shiraishi became very interested in this white creature with a simple life structure.
However, after dissecting the entire corpse and revealing its secrets, he got an even more baffling answer.
The energy extracted from this creature could revive a withered branch, making it sprout new leaves.
Wood Release?
And it also had a chakra signature that was similar yet not quite like a Tailed Beast's.
What exactly was the origin of this creature?
A combination of Tailed Beast and Wood Release?
So weak.
According to the Bug Man, this creature's combat power was extremely weak; he could easily deal with it with one hand and one move, not even needing ninjutsu.
"It seems Akatsuki has a problem."
Although this creature's strength was weak, the secrets within it shocked Shiraishi.
Wood Release and Tailed Beasts, both possess extremely remarkable legends.
The former is the power of the God of Shinobi who brought peace to a chaotic world.
The latter are chakra monsters that have existed since ancient times, immortal beings that no human power can contend with.
Shiraishi believed that anything connected to these two must be of great significance.
Who was behind the white creature?
Why were they monitoring Akatsuki?
Was this creature truly created using Wood Release and Tailed Beast power?
If so, where did the Wood Release come from?
After the death of the First Hokage, Wood Release, which could suppress Tailed Beast power, had disappeared from the ninja world, becoming a legend.
Shiraishi thought of a very strong possibility.
Konoha's higher-ups!
They were secretly researching the revival of Wood Release.
Just like him, extracting hidden cells from a corpse wouldn't be difficult for Konoha.
Because only those few individuals could access the First Hokage's corpse.
Extracting cells containing Wood Release power from the First Hokage's corpse, then experimenting on human bodies to mass-produce Wood Release ninjas.
And this creature before him was the result of their research.
Then the question arises, why send it to monitor Akatsuki?
An organization of only eight or nine people, all of them undeveloped teenagers. If they truly felt threatened, they could simply send the Anbu to eliminate them directly.
There was no need for such painstaking monitoring.
Shiraishi got a headache; many parts were contradictory, but based on the information he had, this was the most reasonable inference.
What exactly were Konoha's higher-ups plotting?
Just as Shiraishi was racking his brain over what Konoha's higher-ups were doing, the soil on the floor loosened, and the head of a mud golem made of yellowish-brown mud emerged from the ground, its hollow black eyes staring at Shiraishi.
A scroll appeared from within the mud and was placed on the ground, after which it continued its role as a perfect communication tool, submerging back into the earth.
Shiraishi didn't pay attention to his 'foolish son's' unannounced departure; he temporarily had no high hopes for its intelligence.
He unsealed the scroll with a jutsu, and as expected, it was a scroll sent by the Bug Man and his team.
The content of the scroll was extremely simple. Shiraishi glanced at it and understood the general meaning.
"The Uzumaki clan? I thought everyone from that clan had died."
Shiraishi pondered for a moment, then immediately took out a blank scroll, wrote a few sentences on it, rolled it up, and sealed it with a jutsu.
"Give this scroll to them."
He said this to the mud golem underground.
The mud golem reappeared on the surface, and its hollow eyes seemed to show a hint of human-like resentment.
Despite this, it very obediently accepted the task Shiraishi entrusted to it.
At only half a year old, it had single-handedly accomplished the feat of traversing half the ninja world.
Undoubtedly, it was a perfect tool, just as Shiraishi had envisioned.