221-225

*Chapter 221: Journey to the Land of Waves (Part II)*

Hattori had already recognized the masked young man from the Kirigakure Hunter-nin squad—it was Haku, Zabuza’s companion from the original story.

He was confident because of the young man’s attire, but mostly because the supposed “death” of Zabuza just now was nothing but a trick. On the surface, Momochi Zabuza appeared to have lost all signs of life—no breathing, not even a pulse, and his chakra had completely ceased, growing weaker by the second.

This seemed like death, but Hattori knew better.

He could clearly see that Zabuza’s HP bar was still intact—it hadn’t been depleted.

In other words, the man wasn’t dead at all.

Of course, this was what Hattori had been hoping for. His sword-wielding stance wasn’t to kill Zabuza; it was meant to draw Haku out.

However, Haku didn’t realize this. When Hattori asked him how he planned to repay him, he hesitated.

“Well… I’ll report to Lord Mizukage that it was you who helped me kill Momochi Zabuza, and then…”

“That’s irrelevant.”

Hattori cut him off before he could finish.

“Let’s be clear, Haku—I’m interested in you. You can take Zabuza, but in exchange, you will belong to me. In other words…”

At this point, Hattori swung his sword and pressed it against Zabuza’s neck, then turned his gaze back to Haku.

“Turn around and leave now, and I’ll sever his head, giving you true freedom.

“But if you choose to take him with you, then for the rest of your life, you will be under my command as my tool. Do you accept that?”

“…”

Haku was silent for a while before finally speaking softly.

“Why? You’re so strong that you can defeat Zabuza in an instant. To someone like you, I should be useless.”

“That’s for me to decide. You just need to answer whether you’re willing or not. I believe you’re a person who keeps their word.”

“…”

After hearing Hattori’s words and glancing at Zabuza, whose neck was held by Hattori’s blade, Haku performed the Body Flicker Technique.

“Swish!”

With a soft sound, he appeared in front of Hattori and knelt on one knee.

Seeing this, Hattori’s expression revealed that he had anticipated this outcome, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“So, you’ve made your choice. Don’t blame me for being underhanded, Haku. Someone like you, who despises killing, was never meant to follow Zabuza. Go ahead and take him.”

“Thank you… I’m deeply grateful.”

Seeing Hattori remove his sword from Zabuza’s neck, Haku bowed to him and quickly carried Zabuza away, disappearing with a “whoosh.”

Perhaps fearing Hattori would change his mind, he moved quickly, not even asking for the beheading sword Hattori held.

Hattori had been prepared to give it to him as a goodwill gesture if he had asked, but since Haku hadn’t, he wouldn’t offer it.

“Tch… That about wraps it up.”

Watching the now-empty spot where Zabuza and Haku had vanished, Hattori clicked his tongue and turned to Kakashi.

“All right, it’s over. Let’s go!”

“Mm!”

Kakashi nodded, signaling for Naruto and the others to continue escorting Tazuna, but he hung back a few steps to speak to Hattori, who was looking at a dictionary.

“That young man just now—he’s Zabuza’s companion, right?”

“Not exactly a companion. Zabuza just raised and trained him as a tool. But now, he’s mine.”

At this, Hattori looked over at Kakashi.

“What, you interested in him?”

“Well… in a way.”

Kakashi glanced up at the sky, then back at Hattori.

“I’m mainly curious what kind of person would make you—someone who supposedly despises Kirigakure—let Zabuza go.”

“Hate? There’s no such thing.” Hattori shook his head. “If I ever hold a grudge, I settle it right then and there; I don’t let it fester overnight.”

“Oh, really?” Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “Then what was it about you attacking me in broad daylight last time?”

“Tch… Probably because you’re annoying!”

Kakashi: “…”

Seriously? Who talks like that?

Damn it, trying to talk to this guy is impossible! If he wasn’t eager to learn more about the attackers, Kakashi would have turned around and left, never speaking to Hattori again.

Hattori seemed to sense his frustration and chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.

“Kakashi, this time, just relax. Treat this as a regular C-rank escort mission; leave everything else to me.”

“Leave it to you?”

Kakashi gave him a skeptical sidelong glance.

“In my eyes, you’re far more dangerous than Zabuza, with all your mysterious schemes. What are you really up to?”

“I already told you,” Hattori shrugged, feigning exasperation. “I just want to do a little business and earn a bit of pocket change!”

“Yeah, right. You think I’ll buy that?”

“Pfft, believe it or not!”

“…”

Damn it, there’s just no talking to this guy!

Fuming, Kakashi stormed off to catch up with Naruto and the others, leaving Hattori behind.

Hattori didn’t mind; he just shrugged, pulling out his dictionary and resuming his reading as he walked.

…

Before long, the group arrived in Tazuna’s hometown.

Unlike the prosperous towns of the Land of Fire, this village in the Land of Waves was bleak and desolate.

Shops on either side of the street were mostly empty, and the few passersby were dressed in tattered clothing with haggard expressions. It was clear no one’s clothes were intact; most were patched up.

Seeing this, Kakashi and the others finally understood why Tazuna had lied about the mission rank earlier.

Given the local economy, there was no way he could afford to pay for a B-rank mission.

Their faces grew somber, and at that moment, Sakura felt a slight tug at her clothing.

Looking down, she saw a little girl, about three or four years old, smiling sweetly at her, holding out her hands.

“Give me!”

Stunned at first, Sakura quickly reached into her bag and handed the girl a few candies.

Seeing the sweets, the little girl’s face lit up with joy, and she smiled at Sakura again.

“Thank you!”

Then she turned and ran off.

Watching this, the group’s expressions grew even more serious.

At that moment, Tazuna walked over to Hattori, bowing deeply before him.

“Sir, no matter what, please help the Land of Waves. I beg you!”

Chapter 222: Business is Business

Tazuna wasn’t a ninja, but he wasn’t a fool either.

Along the way, from listening to Hattori’s words, observing Kakashi and the others' attitude toward him, and especially witnessing Hattori’s swift defeat of Zabuza, Tazuna understood one thing. If anyone could help the Land of Waves, it would be Hattori!

So, when he knelt before someone like Hattori to ask for help, he didn’t feel embarrassed at all.

Seeing Tazuna’s actions, Hattori chuckled and helped him up with a smile.

“Mr. Tazuna, you're overthinking it. There’s no such thing as ‘helping’ here. I’m just doing regular business by buying dried seafood from the Land of Waves, and I’m only paying 80% of the market price. If anyone’s helping, it’s you who’s doing me a favor!”

Tazuna was moved by Hattori’s words. Biting his lip, he spoke with a slightly choked voice.

“We’ve suffered so much from Gato’s exploitation. Ever since he arrived, our country lost its courage and became even poorer. That you’re willing to buy our goods at 80% of the price makes you a benefactor to the Land of Waves. Thank you… and please be careful with Gato!”

“Huh?”

Hearing Tazuna’s final words of warning, Hattori’s eyes flickered with surprise before he smiled again.

“Thanks for the heads-up, but if anyone needs to be careful, it’s Gato, not me.

"Alright, Kakashi and the others can escort you back. I’m off to find a storefront to start business. After all, time is money!”

Hearing Hattori’s strong business tone, Tazuna laughed heartily.

“Haha, yes, time is money! I, Tazuna, swear on my life that you won’t lose a cent here. And I’ll help you find a storefront!”

With that, he raised his voice.

“Everyone listen up! This gentleman here is Lord Hattori from the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire. He’s buying our seafood at 80% of the market rate. He needs a storefront on this street—anyone willing to offer one?”

The street went silent for a moment, then buzzed with excitement.

“Tazuna? He’s back?”

“He just said someone’s buying our seafood at 80% market rate? Really?”

“It must be true. Tazuna’s a trustworthy man!”

“Yeah…”

Amid the chatter, a middle-aged man around Tazuna’s age pushed his way forward, beaming at Tazuna.

“Ah, Tazuna! Thank goodness you’re back alive. And did you say Lord Hattori needs a storefront? Is that true?”

“Of course!”

This time, before Tazuna could respond, Hattori cheerfully pulled out his wallet, took out twenty 10,000-ryo bills, and handed them to the man.

“Given the state of the economy in the Land of Waves, I think 200,000 ryo is a fair price for a storefront. What do you say?”

“Uh…”

Staring at the money in Hattori’s hand, the middle-aged man’s eyes widened. He swallowed hard, then nodded.

“Yes… yes, that’s fair! You’re absolutely right!”

As he reached out with trembling hands to take the money, Tazuna angrily shoved him aside.

“Puxiu, what are you doing? That rundown store of yours is worth 200,000 ryo? Even the best storefront on this street isn’t worth that much!

"Lord Hattori is already helping us by buying our goods at 80% of market value. You should give him the store for free!”

Puxiu’s face flushed bright red as Tazuna berated him.

Seeing this, Hattori couldn’t help but chuckle.

What a bunch of honest folks!

He stopped Tazuna and patted him on the shoulder.

“Alright, Tazuna, let’s not talk about giving it for free. Business is business; there’s no such thing as a ‘favor.’ I’m buying Mr. Puxiu’s store because I believe it’s worth the price.”

Turning to Puxiu, Hattori continued.

“And Mr. Puxiu is selling me his store because he’s satisfied with my offer, not because I forced him, right, Mr. Puxiu?”

“N-no, no, no…” Puxiu stammered, waving his hands in embarrassment.

“Lord Hattori, I’m so sorry. I was just being greedy. Tazuna is right. My store isn’t worth 200,000 ryo, or even 2,000! I’ll give it to you for free…”

“Sorry, but I don’t take things for free.”

Before Puxiu could finish, Hattori gently pushed the money into his hands.

“If you think it’s too much, consider the extra as payment for helping me with the seafood collection. After all, I can’t handle it all alone!”

“Uh… alright!” Puxiu’s face turned red with excitement as he nodded vigorously.

“Leave it to me! I’ll do it flawlessly and make sure you’re satisfied.”

“Good!”

Hattori nodded with a smile, gesturing toward Puxiu.

“Let’s head to your store. I’ll write out the seafood prices. You have a board, right?”

“Yes… yes, sir! Right this way!”

Noticing Puxiu now addressing him as “sir,” Hattori didn’t comment, simply following him to the store.

The crowd, having overheard their conversation, eagerly followed along, filled with both hope and anxiety.

After about ten minutes, under the gaze of hundreds, Puxiu emerged from the store with a large board.

Thud!

Puxiu placed the board at the store’s entrance, revealing the prices written on it.

*[Purchasing Prices:]*

- *Dried Kelp:* 40 ryo/lb

- *Dried Seaweed:* 60 ryo/lb

- *Dried Shrimp, Small Fish:* 80 ryo/lb

- *Salted Fish:* 110 ryo/lb

The prices were nothing special and even a bit low. If Hattori offered these rates in the Hidden Leaf Village, he’d get no customers.

But this was the Land of Waves.

Seeing the prices and Puxiu’s confirmation, the crowd erupted in cheers.

“Great! We’re saved! I’m going home to get my dried goods!”

“I have some too! I’ll go get them!”

“Damn, I don’t have any at home. But that’s fine—I’ll go fishing right now, and bring my son. We’ll have goods ready by tomorrow to sell to Lord Hattori!”

“Yes, let’s go together…”

Watching the jubilant crowd, Tazuna’s eyes filled with tears, and he kept muttering two words.

“Thank you… thank you… thank you…”

*Chapter 223: Striking with Force*

In just an hour, business at Hattori’s shop exploded. Crowds rushed to deliver seafood goods, swarming Puxiu’s store until it was packed to the brim.

Seeing the situation, Hattori slapped his thigh and decided to buy out several neighboring shops. He then hired about a dozen people to help with purchasing the seafood, slightly easing the burden caused by the endless line of deliveries.

However, it was only a slight relief—people from almost the entire town showed up. Hattori had no other option but to hire even more workers and set up two shifts to keep the purchasing process going around the clock.

Hattori himself stayed busy, heading to the warehouse daily to seal up boxes of seafood in scrolls, preparing to haul them to the Land of Wind for a hefty profit.

“Although it doesn’t beat the profits of the reincarnation puppets, it’s still a sustainable business. Slow and steady wins the race!”

With that thought, Hattori sped up his pace, sealing nearly a hundred boxes of seafood in a single scroll, which he then wrapped up and hooked onto his belt.

"All set!"

Just as he spread out another scroll to continue, a young man rushed in, flustered.

“Master Hattori… something terrible has happened! Gato came with his men; they wrecked your shop and took Puxiu!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Hattori’s mouth curled into a smile. “He finally showed up!”

As it turns out, Hattori’s seafood business was not merely for profit but was also bait for Gato! Gato, a shipping magnate with a monopoly over the nearby sea routes, had tried everything to keep control over the Land of Waves, even sending hitmen to kill Tazuna.

For Gato, Hattori’s massive seafood purchases were a direct threat to his monopoly, like “sucking his blood.” Little did Gato know, Hattori wasn’t just looking to siphon profits—he aimed to devour Gato whole!

Upon hearing the news of Gato’s arrival, Hattori could barely contain his excitement. He managed to suppress his laughter and spoke with calm resolve.

“Puxiu is my hired hand; I can’t just leave him to suffer. Let’s go have a chat with Gato!”

“Yes, Master Hattori!”

The young man’s face filled with gratitude as he led Hattori out to the street.

Soon, they arrived on the main street, only to find it completely barricaded. Gato’s lackeys, armed with various weapons, had blocked it off. Under their intimidating glares, bystanders stood trembling, too afraid to resist.

In the center of the street, Puxiu lay battered and bound, barely clinging to life. Nearby, Gato, surrounded by hundreds of thugs, sneered and boasted.

“See that? This is what happens when you go against me. Around here, only I, Gato—”

“Shwhp!”

Hattori wasted no words, shoving his way through the crowd and flinging a shuriken straight into Gato’s mouth, shutting him up.

“Aaagh…”

Gato screamed, spitting out blood and yanking the shuriken from his mouth. Pointing a trembling finger at Hattori, he yelled through gritted teeth.

“Kill… kill him…”

Following his order, Gato’s lackeys raised their weapons and charged at Hattori, laughing maniacally.

“Haha, I’ll rip his guts out!”

“I’ll gouge out his eyes!”

“I’ll chop off his hands and feet!”

As the gang discussed how they would finish him off, Hattori couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“I don’t know where you all get your confidence, but whatever… getting my hands dirty with you is beneath me. Let’s let the puppets handle it!”

With that, Hattori pulled out a small scroll, unfurling it with a flick of his wrist.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!”

In four bursts, four water-blue sword-wielding puppet warriors emerged from clouds of white smoke. These were no ordinary puppets; they were Water Cannon Puppets Hattori had imbued with life!

With a command, the four puppets opened their mouths, unleashing a barrage of deadly water cannon shots on Gato’s men.

“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!”

In the rapid spray of water shots, blood erupted among the mob. Some were torn apart, with broken bodies and scattered innards splattering across the ground, moaning in agony.

“Aah… Ugh…”

“I don’t want to die; save me!”

“Spare us… I surrender…”

Within a minute, the Water Cannon Puppets had utterly defeated Gato’s ragtag army, leaving them begging for mercy.

The local fishermen, who had previously feared Gato’s men, now looked on in awe. They could hardly believe that this seemingly friendly “Master Hattori” was so powerful that he could vanquish hundreds of Gato’s men with just a few puppets.

Finally, one person, braving his fear, stepped forward and knelt before Hattori.

“Master Hattori, please don’t spare them!”

As one person knelt, another followed, and soon a crowd was pleading with Hattori.

“These scoundrels can’t be trusted. They mustn’t be spared!”

“My son was killed by them; please, Master Hattori, avenge him!”

“And my father, Master Hattori…”

Hattori hesitated for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“Haha, alright, everyone, calm down! I’m a man of my word. I said I’d kill them all, and that’s exactly what I’ll do. You have nothing to worry about!”

At his words, the crowd cheered while Gato’s remaining lackeys looked on in despair. It was too late; having crossed paths with Hattori, their fate was sealed.

Five minutes later, only Gato, terrified and crumpled on the ground, remained alive. The rest of his men lay dead in the street, their blood painting the cobblestones red, the air thick with the stench of blood.

Frowning at the mess, Hattori stepped forward to untie Puxiu, healing him with a quick spell. Once finished, he grabbed the trembling Gato by the collar and turned to the crowd.

“What are you all standing around for? Time is money! Clean up the bodies, wash down the street, and let’s get back to business!”

“…”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 224: Hattori’s Gains*

While everyone was busy cleaning the streets, Hattori dragged Gato into an empty alley, gripping his head firmly.

“Ugh…”

Gato managed only a stifled groan before his eyes rolled back and foam trickled from his mouth.

With a knowing expression, Hattori smirked.

“So that’s how it is… This guy is truly cunning. If it weren’t for my Rinnegan’s memory search function, getting his money wouldn’t have been easy.”

He glanced at the now brain-dead Gato.

For this kind of scum, even killing him seemed a waste of effort, so Hattori simply kicked him out of the alley.

The fishermen of the Land of Waves, who were cleaning the street nearby, froze upon seeing Gato thrown out, then immediately seethed with rage.

“It’s Gato, that bastard! So he’s here!”

“Let me kill him!”

“No, let me do it. We can’t let him die so easily. My brother’s revenge must be paid in full!”

“Exactly! My brother and father’s blood feud as well…”

Seeing Gato surrounded by the furious fishermen, Hattori already knew his fate.

“You reap what you sow. When you live a life of crime, you’re bound to pay the price. Gato… he’s done for!”

At that, Hattori let out a grin and shrugged.

“But in this world, strength still dictates everything. Now, time to claim my spoils of war!”

With that, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and vanished in a flash.

…

Gato’s treasure wasn’t hidden in the Land of Waves. That was just one of the many locations he used to hoard his wealth.

The real stash was hidden on a small, secluded island near the Land of Water, known only to him.

After retrieving Gato’s memories, Hattori rode a giant-winged dragonfly, spending a full day traveling to the island. Then he spent half a day sealing all the treasures into a scroll and pocketing it.

The haul surpassed Hattori’s wildest expectations.

In the original story, Gato was considered “one of the world’s richest tycoons.”

His wealth included hundreds of billions in various currencies, and the rare jewels piled like mountains, estimated to be worth at least a trillion.

Now, all of that belonged to Hattori.

“A horse can’t fatten without night grazing; a man can’t get rich without windfall wealth. The ancestors were right, ha-ha!”

With a grin of satisfaction, Hattori summoned the giant-winged dragonfly again and returned to the Land of Waves.

After receiving such a massive fortune, Hattori was in excellent spirits, and his smile didn’t leave his face upon returning to the village.

Noticing this, Kakashi quietly approached him.

“Where have you been these past two days? Don’t tell me you went to grab Gato’s fortune?”

“Oh, Kakashi, you’re pretty sharp!” Hattori laughed, playfully ruffling Kakashi’s hair.

Slap!

Kakashi slapped his hand away, giving him a glare.

“Now I understand. You came after Gato from the start, didn’t you? Seems like you’re the big winner here!”

“Oh, I just made a little extra cash!”

Hattori raised an eyebrow at Kakashi.

“Why don’t you guess? Guess right, and it’s all yours. Guess wrong, and I’ll split half with you. How about that?”

“You’re suddenly so generous?” Kakashi seemed intrigued. “In that case, let’s say I guessed wrong!”

“Alright then!”

With that, Hattori fished two 50-ryo coins from his pocket and handed one to Kakashi.

“Here… half of what’s in my pocket!”

Kakashi: “…”

Just 50 ryo?

He stared blankly at the coin Hattori handed over, then wordlessly slipped it into his pocket.

Hattori: “(ω`)”

You’re really keeping the 50 ryo?

What a rip-off!

Seeing Hattori’s expression of regret, Kakashi’s lips curled up slightly as he continued.

“Since Gato is dead, his contract is void, and Tazuna is safe. I plan to take Naruto and the others back. What about you?”

“I’ll stick around for a while!”

Hattori nodded in greeting to a fisherman nearby before looking back at Kakashi.

“Even though Gato is dead, the Land of Waves needs the bridge to improve things here. I plan to use some of the money I took from Gato to help Tazuna with the bridge!”

“…”

Kakashi gave him an unexpected look, almost as if he was seeing him for the first time, then nodded after a pause.

“Alright, I still have some things to teach Naruto and the others. I’ll stay for now. If you need anything, I’ll help. Well then… see you around!”

He tucked one hand in his pocket and, with his other, held that well-worn copy of Icha Icha Paradise, reading as he walked away.

Watching him go, Hattori chuckled.

“What a stubborn guy. Time to find Tazuna and discuss the bridge!”

With that, he took out his pocket dictionary and wandered off to find Tazuna, studying along the way.

Tazuna was both surprised and thrilled by Hattori’s offer to fund the bridge but also seemed a bit uneasy.

Sensing his worry, Hattori chuckled and waved it off.

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of controlling the Land of Waves. Think of this as me just acting on a whim.

If you want to repay me, name the bridge after me once it’s built!”

“Of… of course!”

Tazuna, excited, stood up and patted his chest in assurance.

“When the bridge is complete, I’ll name it after you, sir! It’ll be called the Land of Waves Hero Hattori Bridge. How does that sound?”

“Sounds good, but let’s skip the ‘hero.’ Just call it Hattori Bridge. Now…”

With that, Hattori took out a scroll and unsealed it on the spot.

Boom!

With a loud explosion, a massive block, over three meters wide and two meters tall and made entirely of bills, appeared before Tazuna, leaving him dumbfounded.

“This… this is…”

“This is my first contribution to the bridge fund—ten billion ryo!”

Hattori clapped Tazuna’s shoulder and grinned.

“Use it to buy materials and hire craftsmen. Make this bridge beautiful, and don’t disappoint me!”

“Of… of course!”

Tazuna nodded emphatically.

“Rest assured, sir! I swear on my life, I’ll make Hattori Bridge stunning!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 225: Studying Forbidden Techniques

After arriving in the Land of Waves, Hattori mainly did three things:

1. Purchasing seafood at fair prices,

2. Destroying the Gato Company,

3. Using part of the money he looted from Gato to help build a bridge.

But just these three actions quickly made him the most respected person in the Land of Waves.

Nowadays, even when he walked down the street, adults and children alike would greet him with respectful bows.

This made Naruto incredibly envious.

“Lord Hattori, I wish that one day I could be recognized by everyone like you!”

“Haha, then you’ve got to work hard!”

Hattori laughed heartily and ruffled Naruto’s blond hair.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I believe you’ll reach my level one day. Keep at it!”

“Uh…”

Hearing this, Naruto scratched his head, a hint of confusion crossing his face.

“I know you’re encouraging me, but why do your words sound a bit strange? Or am I just overthinking it?”

“Yep, you’re overthinking it!”

Seeing Naruto’s puzzled expression, Hattori nodded firmly and waved him off.

“Don’t mind the details, just focus on training hard, and make sure not to lose to Sasuke!”

“Sasuke?”

At the mention of Sasuke, Naruto’s energy surged, and he nodded immediately.

“Alright, I’m going right now! I won’t lose to that arrogant guy!”

With that, he rushed off excitedly to train.

Seeing this, Kakashi, who was nearby, sighed helplessly.

“Do you really need to keep using Sasuke to provoke him?”

“Of course. It’s the most effective method!”

Hattori nodded and looked at Kakashi.

“The bridge’s completion might take some time. Are you planning to stay here the whole time?”

“Hmm… I’ll stay for a few more days.”

Kakashi glanced at Naruto, who had already disappeared from sight, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

“I plan to leave once Naruto and the others master the chakra control for tree climbing. That way, our journey back will be faster. What about you?”

“I’m waiting for someone.”

“Waiting for someone?” Kakashi seemed to realize something. “Is it that boy from before? Are you sure he’ll come?”

“Yes.”

Hattori nodded with a grin.

“If he shows up, it proves he’s worth waiting for. If he doesn’t, it’ll still be worth spending a few days to see through someone’s character.”

“…”

Hearing this, Kakashi was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

“What’s so special about that boy that makes you value him so much?”

“Nothing special.”

Hattori shook his head with a slight smile.

“Just a good-looking young man. I’m thinking of taking him back to be the store’s poster boy.”

Kakashi: “…”

A good-looking boy? A poster boy?

What kind of nonsense is this!

Hearing Hattori’s explanation, Kakashi shook his head with a helpless expression and chose not to respond. Instead, he took out his copy of Icha Icha Paradise and started reading.

Seeing this, Hattori smiled again and pulled out his pocket dictionary, flipping through it.

For a while, the area fell silent. Apart from the sound of wind rustling the leaves, only the faint sound of pages turning could be heard.

No one knew how much time had passed, but when Hattori finished reviewing the dictionary, a familiar notification appeared before his eyes.

[Skill Unlocked: Advanced Text Comprehension. You have mastered the written language of the ninja world.]

[Note: In terms of literacy, you have surpassed 99.999% of all ninjas. Congratulations!]

Finally, advanced level!

Seeing this notification, Hattori stood up abruptly and gave Kakashi, who looked puzzled, a nod.

“Enjoy yourself; I’m going back to get some sleep. Bye!”

Before Kakashi could respond, Hattori used the Body Flicker Technique, disappearing with a “whoosh.”

Watching this, Kakashi blinked, bewildered.

“He’s just going to sleep—does he really need to move so fast?”

Kakashi had no idea that Hattori wasn’t going back to sleep but to study the forbidden jutsu scrolls!

Returning to his residence, Hattori immediately pulled out three scrolls and opened them eagerly.

Unlike before, when the text was incomprehensible, this time, he could easily understand the contents of all three scrolls.

After reading through each scroll, familiar notifications appeared in his vision.

[Forbidden Jutsu Unlocked: Impure World Reincarnation]

[Impure World Reincarnation: A jutsu that summons the soul of the deceased from the afterlife, using a living person's soul as a sacrifice and their body as a vessel.]

[Note: The DNA of the deceased is required as a medium. Be careful, or you might face big trouble.]

…

[Forbidden Jutsu Unlocked: Multiplying Explosive Tags]

[Multiplying Explosive Tags: Starts with a single explosive tag and continues summoning billions more in an infinite loop, triggering continuous explosions.]

[Note: Don’t lose control, or you might die!]

“…”

After reading the introductions, especially the one for Multiplying Explosive Tags, Hattori fell silent.

After a long pause, he sighed.

“Sigh… I thought I was invincible in this world, but it seems I must continue to respect its dangers.”

The scene that left the deepest impression on Hattori from Naruto was Konan’s use of 600 billion paper bombs disguised as a sea, forcing Obito to sacrifice a Sharingan and use Izanagi to survive.

The Multiplying Explosive Tags created by the Second Hokage could summon 1 trillion explosive tags, 400 billion more than Konan’s.

Hattori realized that if he lost control, he might face a fate worse than Obito’s.

He quickly made a decision.

“This jutsu must not be used lightly, and certainly not by me directly. It should only be used by someone controlled by the Impure World Reincarnation. After all, that was the Second Hokage’s original intent!”

With this thought, Hattori began to plan how to obtain the upgraded version of the Impure World Reincarnation from Orochimaru.

Trading wasn’t an option. Orochimaru was not a reliable partner, something Rasa had proven with his life.

The best strategy would be to feign a trade, only to betray Orochimaru when he was vulnerable, much like Sasuke had done. Although risky, it had worked.

Hattori figured he could pull off the same tactic.

“When Orochimaru makes a move during the Chunin Exams, I’ll seize the chance to double-cross him and get the complete Impure World Reincarnation technique. Heh!”

With this plan in mind, Hattori couldn’t help but grin.

He tossed the scrolls for Impure World Reincarnation and Multiplying Explosive Tags into the fire pit, keeping only the Flying Thunder God scroll.

Of the three scrolls, this was the only one he hadn’t yet unlocked. He figured he’d need to read it a few more times.

Just as he prepared to study it in detail, a voice called out from outside the door.

“Lord Hattori, as per our agreement, I have come to see you!”

(End of Chapter)