Chapter 287 : trade
"Then," Eternal Day said with a light chuckle, opening the door and gesturing for her to step out, "welcome to Eternal Day."
Pakura strode through the doorway, only then realizing she was inside a spacious, enclosed building that looked like the base of some mysterious organization.
Clap.
Eternal Day snapped his fingers, and the surroundings suddenly lit up.
As far as the eye could see, there were clean, light beige walls and ubiquitous electric lights, making the entire space feel warm and bright.
"How is it? I spent a lot of effort to transform it like this. From now on, this will be the home of our organization's members!"
"Is this... underground?"
"That's right!" Eternal Day clasped his hands behind his back, tilted his head, and leaned in front of her to praise, "Little Pakura is so perceptive!"
"What kind of cringeworthy nickname is that?"
Pakura rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, finally gaining some understanding of her new boss's twisted sense of humor.
"What do I need to do now? Eternal Day isn't just going to feed me for free, is it?"
"Hmm, for now, Little Pakura can go help Nagato. But you'll need to conceal your identity; it would be very troublesome if Sunagakure found out."
Eternal Day clapped his hands, and a White Zetsu emerged from the corner, striking a funny pose and gesturing coolly to Pakura: "Hello!"
"This is Unit 333, a clone of the intelligence officer Zero White Zetsu. If you need anything, just have him send me a message."
"Is there no way to identify this guy?"
Even though Pakura was a seasoned warrior, she was still very concerned about certain issues of personal privacy.
With such a non-human, non-ghostly thing hidden in the shadows, if she didn't have any means of detection, she would inevitably feel uneasy.
"Of course there is."
Eternal Day handed Pakura a white ring and explained how to use the item.
"It contains Unit 333's biological tissue and Chakra. Within a one-hundred-meter radius, you can always sense where Unit 333 is."
"Although this idiot has been trained by me not to do anything perverted, its thought process is indeed a bit unusual."
"If it offends you, don't hesitate to just chop it up. I'll get you a new one then."
Pakura accepted reluctantly: "...Alright."
It was clear she disliked this method of communication. Eternal Day (Naraku) thought for a moment and decided to develop a portable communicator as soon as possible. That way, White Zetsu wouldn't need to follow organization members openly...
Land of Fire, Matsukata Family estate.
It was a night like water, with the full moon rising in the east. The bright moonlight poured down from the sky, dyeing the dry tree branches a silvery white.
Matsukata Seigou sat in the corridor at the edge of the courtyard, leisurely pouring himself a cup of sake, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of both sides.
After he finished the cup of sake, he put it down and reached for the sake pot to pour more, but his hand met empty air on the small table.
He immediately realized someone had gotten close to him.
—There were at least five Uchiha around here...!
Even though his heart was pounding, at this moment of life-or-death crisis, Matsukata Seigou's movements only stiffened for less than a second before returning to normal.
—Stay calm. Since he didn't kill me, he must want to negotiate.
He showed no change in expression and looked at the empty courtyard: "Esteemed sir, do you have an important matter you wish to discuss with me?"
"It's so much easier talking to smart people!"
"!"
The voice was extremely close. Matsukata Seigou used all his self-control not to overreact and lose his composure in front of the other party.
He slowly turned his head back, calmly observing the Masked Man in a black robe standing before him.
The person's build was clearly that of an adult male, and his voice, when he spoke just now, sounded young, most likely not over thirty.
However, Ninja always had many strange Ninjutsu to maintain their physical state, so perhaps this was an old monster.
Matsukata Seigou's mind raced, but his tone remained calm and steady: "Then I truly thank you for your praise."
"Heh heh," the young man chuckled, casually shaking the sake pot, which made no sound of liquid within. "You are indeed very bold... worthy of someone who dared to try to depose the Daimyo."
Matsukata Seigou did not deny it.
He knew that sophistry was meaningless in front of such a powerful individual. The other party could take his life as easily as picking something out of a pocket, and from all appearances, this was not someone who held noble titles in high regard.
"What do you wish to gain from me?"
"Just a barren and remote piece of land, and a population insignificant to the Land of Fire."
The other party placed the sake pot back on the table, his voice trailing off slightly, full of enticement and temptation: "Once you become the Daimyo, these things will be mere trifles, won't they?"
"You jest," Matsukata Seigou sighed softly, "The Matsukata Family is not yet fully prepared."
The young man's slender fingers caressed the sake pot, his fingertips slowly tracing the pot's rounded curve, elegantly captivating.
"Opportunity will not wait for you to arrange everything perfectly."
"Right now, you have a once-in-a-lifetime chance before you."
"If you seize it, Matsukata will replace Maruichi and become the master of the country. If you don't, then I will have no choice but to consider a different partner."
"However, by then, as a loyal ally, I cannot leave myself any hidden dangers."
Matsukata Seigou's fingers tightened slightly on the sake cup, trying his best to maintain an outward cordiality: "I'd like to hear more."
As the young man revealed several key pieces of information, Matsukata Seigou found it increasingly difficult to conceal his unease and terror.
—This fellow, he, how dare he do such a thing!?
—Doesn't he fear becoming a global enemy?
Years of experience in political maneuvering with the nobility were all useless at this moment.
Following the assassination attempt that destroyed half of the Matsukata mansion, he once again truly felt an easily overlooked, yet undeniably ironclad truth—power is the ultimate truth in the world.
Matsukata Seigou became even more resolute about a certain idea he had once entertained.
—Indeed, once the reverence for noble names and bloodlines is lost, Ninja become monsters...!
—The power of Chakra, it must be obtained...!
—Otherwise, even if the Matsukata Family breaks free from Maruichi's suppression, they will only become fish on this monster's cutting board!
After finishing the general plan, the young man clapped his hands on the table, excited like a naive child: "How about it? Isn't it worth taking a risk?"
"The Third Great Ninja War has ended. The other countries don't have the energy to interfere in the internal affairs of the Land of Fire. This is simply a godsend opportunity!"
"If you wait a few more years, and the other countries recover, it won't be so easy for you to make a move!"
Matsukata Seigou knew full well the cold and cruel heart hidden beneath the other party's enthusiastic and cheerful exterior. If he refused, he would most likely not live to see the dawn.
"It is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
He replied solemnly: "I agree."
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