221-225

*Chapter 221: I Won't Be So Merciful Next Time!*

"Kirabi-senpai?! Yūguruma-senpai?"

"Darui?"

Kirabi was startled at first. He had thought Darui had long perished in battle. But after the surprise, he felt joy. In the Hidden Cloud Village, few could earn Kirabi's admiration for their strength, especially among the younger generation. Darui was one of the exceptional ones among that select few.

This was someone who could one day shoulder the heavy responsibility of leading the Hidden Cloud!

"I'm just glad you're alive," Kirabi said as he patted Darui's shoulder in reassurance. Seeing Darui alive slightly improved his mood.

"I'm alright."

Darui, too, couldn’t hide his surprise. It wasn’t strange to see Kirabi here—he had already heard about Kirabi’s capture by Konoha—but he hadn't known that Yūguruma was also captured. Now it made sense why they had lost. With two Jinchūriki falling into Konoha's hands, what could the Cloud Shinobi possibly do against the monster known as Susano'o? He had witnessed that terrifying green Susano'o fight against the fully-transformed Two-Tails. Its sheer destructive power, capable of altering the landscape with each move, was truly a natural disaster.

That was a weapon on the same level as a tailed beast.

"Kirabi-senpai, did the village make a deal with Konoha? What's going on?" Darui asked, glancing around. After being released from their temporary prison, they were brought to a training ground where several Cloud Shinobi had gathered, including the veteran who had lost an arm and a leg and had been imprisoned next to him.

"They didn’t tell you?"

Kirabi blinked in confusion.

"The one who brought us out of the prison was Hatake Kakashi, the White Fang's son. He only said we’d be free soon but didn’t explain anything in detail." While speaking, Darui tried to mold his chakra. Although his restraints had been removed, the chakra-suppressing drugs hadn’t worn off completely.

Failing to mold chakra caused Darui to frown slightly.

He wasn’t planning anything reckless, but being unable to access his chakra made him feel helpless, like a fish on a chopping block, awaiting slaughter.

"Hatake Kakashi?" Kirabi muttered the name, not recognizing it and brushing it off. "But you're right. The village made a deal with Konoha. We're all part of that deal."

Kirabi's mood grew heavy as he said this. What kind of price had his brother paid to make Konoha let them go? His mind was filled with worry and frustration, but he couldn’t speak of it. Mentioning it would only cause psychological stress for everyone else, and he didn’t have solid proof—just his own suspicions.

"A deal?"

Darui wasn’t surprised by the answer.

Being a smart person, he quickly realized the problem: if it was a deal, both sides had to offer something of equal value, or at least something they deemed equal. But what could possibly be of equal worth to two perfect Jinchūriki?

His face grew darker as the thought crossed his mind, but when Kirabi motioned for him to stay quiet, he understood that some things shouldn’t be said aloud. He fell silent, trying to guess what kind of price the village had paid to strike this deal with Konoha.

All the captured Cloud Shinobi had gathered at the training ground. There were about a dozen Konoha shinobi standing guard, but that was just for show. Neither Kirabi nor Yūguruma could be handled by just a dozen people. However, if they dared to make a move now, it would only give Sougen an excuse to imprison them again.

"The people are all here, Lord Raikage, Tsuchidai."

"Is this everyone?"

"Yes. Every Cloud Shinobi captured since the war began is here. Don’t worry, I have no intention of keeping any of them. They’re of no value to me now. Keeping them only wastes food and manpower. Even if I wanted to use them as experimental subjects... well, I'm not interested in such inhumane forbidden jutsu at the moment. Besides, the shinobi world is never short of experimental material."

Not far from the training ground stood a tall observation tower.

Sougen stood atop the tower, his elbows resting on the cold wooden railing, looking down at the gathering of Cloud Shinobi below.

Next to him were the shadow clones of A, Tsuchidai, and C.

The negotiations had concluded, and they were swiftly moving into the exchange phase. The Fourth Raikage had personally come to retrieve his captured comrades, though due to the negotiating opponent being Uchiha Sougen, they hadn’t risked sending the real Raikage, only a shadow clone.

"Kirabi... Darui... and Yūguruma..." Tsuchidai, like Sougen, leaned on the railing, counting the names and number of Cloud Shinobi below. His expression eased slightly after doing so.

The number was greater than he had expected.

And most importantly, the key people Lord Raikage had named were all present. They didn’t seem to be in great shape, but at least they hadn’t been tortured. From the outside, they looked fine. As for any internal tampering by the Konoha shinobi... well, that was up to C to check.

With Sougen’s permission, C used his sensory jutsu.

In an instant, C felt an overwhelming sense of pressure from Sougen. It was different from the vast, boundless chakra of a tailed beast. Uchiha Sougen’s chakra wasn’t as massive as a tailed beast’s, but it felt like a volcano on the verge of eruption. The sheer aggression in his chakra frightened C so much that he immediately shifted his focus to the Cloud Shinobi below.

After a thorough check, C whispered, "Nothing serious."

That meant there were probably a lot of minor issues.

These were prisoners, not guests, after all. Fortunately, Konoha’s interrogators were highly skilled and didn’t resort to physical torture. They were more adept at extracting information directly from the prisoners' minds.

"When can we take them?"

A asked sternly.

"Anytime."

"Even now?"

"If Lord Raikage wishes to try our Konoha cuisine, you’re welcome to stay for lunch. I can have them prepare a feast."

"No need. I’m not in the mood to eat. I’m taking them now."

A immediately jumped down from the observation tower and headed straight for Kirabi. C followed closely, his eyes locking onto his friend Darui. If not for Raikage being present, he would have rushed over sooner.

With most people gone, the space on the narrow tower became much less crowded.

Sougen turned to the one Cloud shinobi who hadn’t left. "Tsuchidai, is there something you need?"

"Uchiha clan leader, you’re letting us go so easily... aren’t you worried we’ll go back on our word?" Tsuchidai asked, his face unreadable as he brazenly implied the possibility of betrayal. Standing behind Sougen, Uchiha Futaba's eyes flared red in anger, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword, ready to strike down the untrustworthy elder.

"Futaba."

Sougen called out calmly.

Uchiha Futaba reluctantly released her grip on the sword, her Sharingan fading back to its usual dark hue.

"I’m not sure why you’d ask such a thing, Tsuchidai. It doesn’t seem like the kind of question a smart man like you would ask, but since you did, let me be clear: going back on your word is something only the strong can do. The weak... they don’t get that luxury."

Sougen’s straightforward response left no room for doubt. To him, the Cloud was nothing more than a weakling now. If they dared to go back on their word, he wouldn’t hesitate to collect his debt by force. In the shinobi world, the will of the strong was the only law that mattered.

How was the one-village system established? Because Senju Hashirama was strong enough. When even Uchiha Madara fell before him, the shinobi world had no choice but to submit. Those First Kage at the Five Kage Summit might have acted tough, but they only dared to because Hashirama was someone who valued rules.

If Madara had been the First Hokage, would anyone have dared to challenge him? Madara wasn’t one for negotiations; if you couldn’t beat him, you’d be wise to dig your own grave.

"But with someone like you in charge, I doubt Cloud would stoop to such behavior."

Sougen smiled at Tsuchidai.

"Of course not. We Cloud shinobi never go back on our word," Tsuchidai said, his expression righteous, as if the Cloud had never been involved in the Nine-Tails or Hyūga incidents.

"But some things can't be delivered immediately. We’ll need time to gather everything once we return."

Tsuchidai sounded sincere.

"I understand, I understand."

Sougen nodded, indicating he was fully aware of Cloud’s situation.

And it was true. For example, the Amber Purifying Pot was still in the Hidden Cloud Village. While the Cloud had shinobi capable of the Heavenly Transfer Jutsu, the problem was that Mabui, Raikage’s secretary, was on the front lines, making it impossible to instantly retrieve the pot from thousands of miles away.

"I'm not in a hurry. Just as long as it arrives on time."

Sougen remained the picture of patience.

"But..."

Tsuchidai’s brow furrowed. what he feared most was this kind of twist.

"However, as far as I know, Turtle Island is far out at sea, with no fixed location, constantly moving... It would be quite a hassle to find it. So, Tsuchidai, how about we find someone to lead the way now and bring Turtle Island into the Fire Country's waters?"

"Well..."

"I don't think that should be a problem. Surely, it’s not the case that only a specific person can find Turtle Island, and that person just happens to be in the Hidden Cloud Village? That would be too much of a coincidence, right? It can't possibly be that complicated, Tsuchidai. Don’t you agree? It definitely won’t be that difficult." Sougen was talking to himself, not giving Dai a chance to interrupt.

Listening to Sougen’s back-and-forth, Dai's face twitched slightly, and his brow furrowed even more.

After waiting for Sougen to finally pause, Dai sighed inwardly and, with great reluctance, said, "This matter still requires Lord Raikage's order. But since Lord Raikage is here, I don't think there will be any issue. Yes, definitely no problem. What do you think about Shi leading the way?" Seeing Sougen’s smile fading, Dai had no choice but to stop stalling and give a clear answer.

"Shi? The blond guy from earlier? No problem. Anyone who can accurately lead us to Turtle Island is fine."

Sougen's smile not only didn't disappear but grew even brighter.

Dai forced a bitter smile.

Turtle Island... Even though he seemed calm when persuading Lord A, the pain in his heart wasn't much less than Raikage’s. To hand over such a treasure—it was hard to swallow for the Cloud ninjas, who were used to getting without giving.

But right now, they were at a disadvantage, so they had no choice but to endure it!

From now on, Turtle Island would be marked as the Leaf’s, no longer the Cloud ninjas' treasure.

"Shi is a sensory ninja. He will lead your people to Turtle Island accurately. You can rest assured, Uchiha Clan leader. We’ve reached this point; I wouldn’t do anything stupid that harms both sides. Driving away the Rock ninjas is my top priority now."

"It better be! To be honest, I’ve had enough of this war. If possible, I’d rather never have to eat army rations again. So, Tsuchidai, don’t force me to return to the battlefield. Because if that happens... I won’t be as merciful as I am now!"

Sougen smiled, speaking in a soft, gentle voice, but his words made Dai's eye twitch.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 222: The Theft Case

All the captured Cloud Ninjas were handed back, including the two Jinchūriki. Not everyone was happy with this outcome, and some felt that letting them go was like "releasing a tiger back into the mountains." However, these dissenting opinions weren't enough to change the decision. Those who had concerns only voiced them in private—no one dared to speak out in front of Sōgen.

After releasing the prisoners, the Fourth Raikage immediately ordered his army to withdraw and return to the Land of Lightning. The army split into two groups, with one part led by Dodai and Killer Bee, traveling day and night to intercept the Iwa-nin who had not yet left the Land of Lightning.

The Fourth Raikage himself led the rear guard, clearly wary of a possible sneak attack from Konoha.

Sōgen paid no attention to these defensive maneuvers by the Cloud Ninjas. He had made his stance clear, and if Dodai was truly as smart as he seemed, there should be no disappointments. If, in the end, the Cloud Ninjas dared to pull any tricks, Sōgen was prepared to deal with the consequences they deserved.

War is a great catalyst.

Soldiers who have been to war are different from those who haven’t, and the same rule applies to ninjas. Even for Sōgen, the constant battles this year, along with his repeated use of the Mangekyō Sharingan, had only made him more proficient in mastering its power.

In addition to the various spoils he had collected on his journey—the Flame Fan, the Banana Palm Fan, and the Kusanagi Sword (Shisui's loot, though it passed through Sōgen’s hands)—the most important find was the Flame Fan. This fan, crafted from the branches of the God Tree, had shown him the correct path forward.

The Mangekyō Sharingan was not the peak.

After clearing away the fog, Sōgen saw an even higher summit ahead. The future wasn’t limited to what he currently possessed—he had a much broader horizon awaiting him.

After the Cloud Ninjas retreated, the Konoha ninjas didn’t leave the Land of Hot Water right away. Instead, they stayed behind to rest and recover in this country known for its hot springs. Unlike the Cloud Ninjas, who were rushing back to expel the Iwa-nin, Konoha’s forces had no such urgency.

While this campaign hadn’t lasted long compared to the previous Ninja Wars, which had spanned several years, the intensity of the battles was no less severe. Both Konoha and its allies from the Mist Village were exhausted.

This exhaustion was not only physical but also mental.

The Land of Hot Water was famous as a tourist destination, and soaking in hot springs was an excellent way to recover. But that wasn’t the only reason Konoha’s forces hadn’t withdrawn. The other reason was Turtle Island. Before leaving, the Cloud Ninjas had left behind a small team led by the Jōnin, C.

C's squad had one mission: help the Konoha ninjas locate Turtle Island and take control of it.

Before this important task was completed, the army couldn’t withdraw. If they failed to find Turtle Island and the Cloud Ninjas were playing tricks, the army was prepared to march north and attack the Land of Lightning. This decision wasn’t made by Sōgen alone but came from an order issued by the Hokage after consultation.

As a result, the Konoha ninjas remained in the Land of Hot Water and enjoyed its hot springs!

Leading the Konoha team to take over Turtle Island were Jiraiya and his deputy, Uchiha Shisui. The squad also included members from the Hyūga, Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Inuzuka clans, representing nearly all of Konoha’s major families.

This impressive lineup was largely due to the significance of the "Perfect Jinchūriki."

Despite how easily the Eight-Tails and Two-Tails Jinchūriki were defeated by Sōgen and Shisui, people still valued the importance of Jinchūriki. While Shisui was sent by Sōgen, the others, including Jiraiya, were there to uncover the secret behind achieving the perfect Jinchūriki.

Especially Jiraiya.

Upon learning about Turtle Island, the Toad Sage, who had recently returned from Mount Myōboku feeling uncertain, immediately perked up. Naruto was the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and if the secret to becoming a perfect Jinchūriki really existed on Turtle Island, Naruto would definitely need it in the future!

...

"Done! Finally finished!"

Sōgen set down his pen and stretched as he stood up, loosening his stiff muscles. Just then, the door to his office opened, and Uchiha Futaba entered with a wooden tray. The delicious aroma of food filled the room.

His stomach growled.

Suddenly, he felt a wave of hunger hit him.

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Sōgen noticed that it was already noon. He sighed. When work gets busy, time really flies! Rubbing his brow, he asked, "What's for lunch today? That smell... is it pork soup?"

"It's stewed pork."

Futaba placed the tray on the table.

She lifted the lid, revealing a bowl of rice, a bowl of stewed pork, a plate of cucumber salad, and a steaming bowl of miso soup. The enticing aroma exploded in the room, making Sōgen’s mouth water instantly.

What followed was a ravenous feast.

In just one minute, the tray was empty, and Sōgen leaned back in his chair, patting his satisfied stomach.

"Futaba, anything interesting happen today?"

With work done, a full stomach, and no immediate need to train, Sōgen was too lazy to nap right after eating. Curious, he asked Futaba, who was cleaning up, if there was any news. As the commander-in-chief of the army, his days were filled with work, leaving him little time for gossip.

Now that the war had ended,

his workload had significantly decreased, giving him time to finally catch up on any juicy news.

"Nothing much, but I heard something odd from the corpse disposal team. It seems they’re investigating something, and if they can’t solve it, they might escalate the issue soon," Futaba said, piquing Sōgen’s curiosity.

"The corpse disposal team?"

Sōgen repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Futaba, are you sure it’s the corpse disposal team? What could have happened with them? Their job is just to handle bodies. Did the corpses start walking on their own?"

This corpse disposal team was exactly what its name implied—not an undercover group from the Anbu.

Their job was to collect bodies, preserve the intact ones, and piece together the incomplete ones. When they returned to Konoha, the bodies of Konoha ninjas would be buried in the village’s cemetery, while those of the Cloud Ninjas would be used as experimental materials for Konoha's research institutions, including the hospital.

Typically, their biggest issues were related to the large workload and unpleasant working conditions, not to mention the psychological strain of constantly dealing with corpses. Although many ninjas have taken lives, few are comfortable spending all day with the dead.

In short, the corpse disposal team was a low-profile group that rarely made the news.

"I’m not sure. I overheard some cooks talking about it. Apparently, a body went missing," Futaba replied.

"A body went missing?"

Sōgen’s eyes narrowed.

Interesting!

Most corpses don’t grow legs and walk away. If one did go missing, it likely meant theft. Was it an inside job, someone from the army, or an outsider? Too many possibilities, and without evidence, it was hard to pinpoint.

However,

Futaba was right. If the corpse disposal team couldn’t handle it, the issue would likely land on his desk. After all, ninja corpses held significant value. There was always a demand for them on the black market, where certain individuals or groups would pay large sums to acquire them. The remains of famous ninjas could go for millions, and even the bodies of average Chūnin could fetch tens of thousands.

If a Konoha ninja’s body were to end up in the wrong hands, it could lead to a significant leak of information—this was no small matter.

By afternoon,

the situation had escalated. After realizing they couldn’t find the missing body, the corpse disposal team conducted an internal investigation, but it yielded no results. Lacking the authority to investigate outside their own group and with word spreading beyond the team, they couldn’t cover it up.

"...So, your investigation turned up nothing? You’ve ruled out any internal involvement from your team?" Sōgen asked, reviewing the report in his hand. Shaking his head, he added, "No other leads? Not a single clue?"

He stared at the middle-aged head of the corpse disposal team, a man in his forties, who was a regular ninja of Konoha. Though his combat skills were unremarkable, he was particularly skilled in stitching and preserving corpses—a talent that had earned him the rank of special Jōnin.

"Um... Hokage’s assistant, sir... we... well, we’re really only good at handling corpses... we’re not exactly skilled at investigations..." stammered the team leader, clearly intimidated by Sōgen’s presence.

Had he been younger or even more timid, he might have wet himself on the spot.

"I see."

Sōgen sat back in his chair.

He could tell that the head of the corpse disposal unit wasn’t one of those sharp-minded, clever people. He was a typical technical expert, someone who got to this position purely through his skills. It also helped that working in the corpse disposal unit wasn’t exactly a sought-after, competitive role, so there was no one vying for the position. This allowed such a technically skilled yet simple man to become the leader.

“I thought it was a small matter… didn’t expect it to be such a big deal.”

Sougen felt a bit troubled.

A considerable number of corpses had been stolen—nearly a hundred. This was because most of the bodies, after being processed, were sealed in scrolls. Doing so saved a lot of storage space and prevented the bodies from decaying for a long time.

However, this also made things easier for the thieves. With little effort, they managed to steal almost a hundred corpses, most of which were Jōnin-level. Among them were both Kumo-nin and Konoha-nin bodies. The thieves only took a few scrolls but made off with so many corpses.

The only small comfort was that none of the stolen bodies belonged to clans like Uchiha or Hyūga.

Not only the Uchiha and Hyūga, but also the Ino-Shika-Chō and the *** clan all had their own ways of handling their members' bodies. The only bodies left for the corpse disposal unit to deal with were those from smaller clans or ordinary civilian ninjas.

The reason for this was simple: to prevent the leakage of bloodlines or secret techniques.

“This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated. We can't just brush it off when so many Jōnin-level corpses have gone missing,” Sougen said. Even though the stolen bodies were all from civilian ninjas, the sheer number of them, and the fact they were Jōnin, meant that not taking this seriously could lead to big trouble.

Moreover, Sougen himself didn’t intend to deal with this casually.

“Futaba, go get Shisui... Tch! Almost forgot, Shisui’s off on Turtle Island...” Sougen slapped his forehead. With such a useful asset like Shisui unavailable, he had no choice but to rely on someone else.

“Let me think... right, Kakashi. Go get Hatake Kakashi for me.”

After a brief moment of thought, Sougen remembered another useful asset. “Also, bring Itachi and Kimimaro. This situation might not be so simple.” Stealing so many bodies… Sougen doubted it was an inside job. Of course, if Orochimaru hadn’t defected, that would be another story!

But as far as he knew, no one in the village was conducting secret forbidden jutsu research like Orochimaru. So, if the theft wasn’t for research purposes, then perhaps it was for profit... though that seemed unlikely. This kind of thing was too taboo. Desecrating the bodies of comrades would get you sentenced to death if caught!

All things considered, it was most likely an outsider’s doing!

But speaking of which—

“Didn’t you have any security measures in place? How could someone steal so many bodies so easily?” Sougen asked the head of the corpse disposal unit once Futaba had left.

“Uh... well... it’s just that nothing like this had ever happened before… we never thought anyone would steal bodies. Plus, this is the military, so we didn’t think anyone would dare sneak in to steal anything...”

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 223: Sasori*

They didn’t expect something like this to happen. If you really want to hold someone accountable, there’s definitely a problem here, because no one prepared for this scenario since it had never happened before. Being so careless and unprepared is quite inexcusable. However, on the other hand, the corpse disposal unit's workspace is within the military base, which is guarded by thousands of Leaf Ninja and allied Mist Ninja, forming an almost impenetrable defense. So, it’s not unreasonable to think no extra precautions were needed—unless something like this happens, of course.

Because of this, it’s more likely that an insider committed the act. It's much harder for an outsider to infiltrate the base without being detected. However, Sōgen still believed that, despite the odds, it was more likely that the theft was carried out by an outsider rather than someone from within.

"…That’s the situation in a nutshell. Kakashi, your task is to investigate and identify the thief. If it turns out to be an insider, I give you full authority to arrest the suspect. If it’s an external infiltrator, investigate their identity and how they managed to get in. Of course, if you can arrest them directly, that would be ideal."

Sōgen explained everything thoroughly, entrusting the heavy responsibility to Kakashi.

But—

Beneath Kakashi’s mask, his face showed a deep sense of frustration. "This... isn’t going to be easy!" With his intelligence, it was clear to him how difficult this mission would be. If it were an inside job, that would be easier to handle. Despite the large army, a search could be conducted quickly.

The real worry was if it was an outside infiltrator.

Someone who could sneak past all those soldiers and steal the most valuable scrolls from the corpse disposal unit wasn’t just any weakling.

"I trust your abilities," Sōgen said with a smile.

“The problem is, I really don’t like this troublesome task!” Kakashi complained inwardly, sighing as he nodded. "I’ll do my best. Also… are these two my subordinates?" He turned his gaze downwards to notice two young kids.

"That’s right. Uchiha Itachi and Kaguya Kimimaro will be assisting you."

"…Can’t I have someone a bit older?"

Kakashi’s face fell.

He had heard of Itachi and Kimimaro before. They were the youngest in the military, yet both had played vital roles during the war, proving their strength beyond doubt. However, this mission seemed to be more about investigation, especially in the early stages when combat wouldn’t likely be needed.

Instead of powerful fighters, Kakashi would have preferred a sensory ninja with tracking abilities to assist in the investigation.

The two kids, meanwhile, reacted differently. Uchiha Itachi kept a straight face, revealing nothing, while Kimimaro, clearly upset at being looked down on, showed a slight scowl. Still, after glancing at Sōgen, seated behind the desk, he restrained himself from any outburst.

“Nope,” Sōgen replied firmly, then added, “Don’t worry, Kakashi. Itachi’s a genius. His intelligence won’t disappoint you. Enough talk—get to work! I don’t want this dragging on too long. Get me results quickly.”

"Yes, Assistant Hokage."

Kakashi sighed inwardly again.

He hated vague instructions like "quickly," "in the short term," or "don’t keep me waiting." What did "quickly" mean? How short was "the short term"? The only answer would probably be, "as quick as possible." As short as possible. And the result? A mountain of pressure weighing down on his shoulders, making even breathing feel like a chore.

As expected, being a boss meant being unreasonable.

It had nothing to do with age at all!

…

After leaving Sōgen’s office, Kakashi paused at the steps, ignoring Itachi and Kimimaro for a moment, and instead turning to a middle-aged man in his forties. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re Squad Leader Takano?”

"Yes, yes, I’m Takano."

Takano answered politely.

This man was indeed a very honest person. When Sōgen instructed him to fully cooperate with Kakashi's investigation, he genuinely treated Kakashi as his superior, showing no signs of looking down on him—or Itachi and Kimimaro—despite their youth. In fact, Kakashi, Itachi, and Kimimaro combined weren’t even as old as Takano alone.

"Don’t be nervous, Squad Leader Takano. I just have a few questions. We can talk as we walk. The Assistant Hokage is waiting for our report."

"What do you need to know? Just ask! I’ll tell you everything I know."

The honest Takano followed closely behind Kakashi like a shadow, his attitude as genuine as ever.

“First question—I heard you’ve already conducted an internal investigation within the corpse disposal unit, right? How did you rule out your own people as suspects?” Kakashi asked while walking briskly toward the unit’s location. He could tell Takano was truly an honest person, unlikely to be hiding anything or playing both sides.

Of course, they couldn’t completely rule out the possibility that someone was pretending to be innocent, but it seemed unlikely.

"We searched everyone and their belongings. Plus, each person accounted for their whereabouts last night. After cross-verifying everything, we’re sure no one acted alone, and all personal scrolls were inspected with nothing unusual found. Oh, and none of the corpse disposal unit members know summoning jutsu."

"Interesting!"

Kakashi blinked. Squad Leader Takano might look simple, but his investigative skills weren’t bad. He’d even considered the possibility that stolen items could have been hidden using summoning creatures. This made it unlikely that the theft was carried out by someone from the unit—unless they were all in on it together.

"Second question—do you have any suspects?"

"Suspects?" Takano looked puzzled.

"Have you made any enemies? Or noticed anyone suspicious hanging around your work area recently? Someone who entered under the pretext of work or some other excuse? Or someone who might be experimenting with forbidden jutsu? And is there anyone familiar to you who’s in desperate need of money?"

Takano pondered this for a long time, and just as they approached the corpse disposal unit, the middle-aged man replied uncertainly, “No one I know is short on money, and none of us are skilled enough to experiment with forbidden jutsu. Our job involves handling dead bodies every day—there’s no way a corpse could hold a grudge against us… that’d be ridiculous!”

“But, a couple of days ago, a young man came by with a body. He said it was a friend of his, and he was planning to bury him in his village. After thinking it over, he decided it was better to let us handle it. You know, his corpse-handling skills were quite impressive. The body didn’t even need any additional work—it was ready for burial right away. That’s not easy!”

“What was his name? Do you remember what he looked like?”

Kakashi cut off Takano’s rambling. He had no interest in learning how to handle corpses—he was more concerned about the young man.

"I think… Oh, what was it again?"

Takano frowned, trying to recall the name that was on the tip of his tongue. "I think it was Sasori—yeah, Sasori. He had short black hair, black eyes, and his features were pretty average. He looked like he was in his twenties and was wearing a standard Leaf Chunin uniform."

"Sasori?"

Kakashi frowned. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

But he pushed the thought aside for now, as they had reached their destination.

The corpse disposal unit was located in the southwestern corner of town. Originally, it had been a small temple. When the war broke out, the monks fled with all the temple's valuables. Now, they were probably hiding somewhere in the Land of Fire. The temple, now abandoned, was repurposed by the Leaf Ninja, first as a storage for bodies, and eventually as the permanent location for the corpse disposal unit.

---

Kakashi stood at the entrance of the temple but didn’t step inside.

He turned to look at Itachi and Kimimaro, who had followed him. He thought these two youngsters might rebel against him after his earlier disdain, but they had behaved quite obediently so far. “Itachi, Kimimaro, I have a mission for you!”

“Is it to investigate this guy named Sasori?” Uchiha Itachi asked.

"A bit clever," Kakashi thought to himself, "but nothing particularly outstanding for now." Out loud, he said, “That’s right. This guy named Sasori seems suspicious. Whether he’s the culprit or not, we need to investigate.”

“Itachi, do you know which unit this Sasori belongs to?” Itachi asked Captain Takano, who was nearby.

"Uh..." Captain Takano looked troubled. He hesitated for a few seconds before responding, "I’m not sure. I didn’t think much of it at the time. I just asked for his name and had him sign a document. Could that young man named Sasori really be the culprit?”

“Not certain yet,” Kakashi said casually, watching Itachi to see how this young genius—praised by the Hokage's advisor—would handle the situation. It would be difficult to find someone in this army of thousands without knowing which unit Sasori belonged to. “Itachi, you can go…”

“Kakashi-senpai, Kimimaro and I will head to the logistics office. We’ll be back soon.”

“Alright, be quick. I’ll wait here for you.” Before Kakashi could remind him, Itachi had already thought of the most logical place to search. Instead of running around aimlessly, they’d head to the logistics office, where they could easily check the list of names to find out which unit Sasori belonged to.

Anyone could figure out how to handle this if they thought carefully about it. The key was in how quickly one could react, and for a boy his age, Itachi was impressively sharp. Itachi and Kimimaro left, quickly disappearing from Kakashi’s sight.

Then, Kakashi bit his thumb and formed hand seals. “Summoning Jutsu!”

With a puff of smoke, Pakkun, his mini-ninken, appeared. Wearing a forehead protector and a blue vest, Pakkun jumped onto Kakashi’s shoulder and asked, “Kakashi, what’s going on now? Isn’t the war over? And what’s that smell? It reeks of corpses! Why is it so bad here?”

Pakkun scrunched his face in discomfort, even gagging a little.

“Something’s come up. Pakkun, can you sniff around and tell if there’s any scent here other than the stench of the corpses?”

“Huh? You want me to work in this stinky place? Kakashi, this is abuse. You’re abusing your summon!” Pakkun grumbled, his face full of reluctance.

Kakashi scratched his head. This was going to be tricky.

“Pakkun, next time you can choose the shampoo for your bath,” Kakashi offered, using a bit of bribery to coax him.

“Hmph... Fine. If it’s all up to me, I’ll do it. But don’t forget your promise!” Swayed by the offer, Pakkun sniffed the air, his dog-like face scrunching up in exaggerated disgust. “Other than the smell of corpses, it’s just human scent. Nothing unusual. Are you looking for something specific, Kakashi?”

Kakashi wasn’t disappointed by the result. He turned to Captain Takano. “Give me that signed document.”

“Signed document?” Captain Takano had been curiously watching the talking dog and took a few seconds to catch on. “You mean the one signed by that young man named Sasori? I’ll go get it.” The somewhat slow man rushed into the temple, with Kakashi following behind.

The temple wasn’t large. Kakashi jumped up to the roof and looked around but didn’t notice anything unusual. By this time, Captain Takano had hurried back with the document.

“This is the document,” he said, handing it to Kakashi, who had just leaped down from the roof.

Kakashi took it and glanced at it. It was a simple contract, authorizing the corpse-handling team to deal with bodies. At the bottom was the signature, “Sasori.”

“Pakkun, can you pick up the scent from this?” Kakashi held the document up to Pakkun’s nose.

(End of chapter)

Chapter 224: No Such Person Found

“A strange smell,” someone remarked.

“Strange?” another asked.

“Hard to explain...,” Pakkun, perched on Kakashi's shoulder, scratched his head with a paw, looking puzzled. “I've never smelled anything like it before. It's so odd... The scent of a person is very faint.”

Kakashi was stunned by the odd description. What did that even mean, “the scent of a person is faint”? It was such a peculiar thing to say, but interesting nonetheless.

“Could it be that the young man isn't human?” the leader of the corpse disposal unit standing nearby exclaimed in shock.

“No, it's not that simple. There's still a trace of human scent, but it's just very faint, like... I don’t know how to describe it,” Pakkun muttered, clearly frustrated. The task of sniffing out scents today was unusually difficult. Putting up with the overwhelming stench of corpses just to maintain some control over his shampoo choices was bad enough, but now the smell he was supposed to identify was so bizarre that he had no idea how to describe it. This kind of scent was new to him.

“Besides the faint human scent, there's also a mix of metal and wood. These smells together... they feel somewhat familiar,” Pakkun added.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Metal? Wood? Something in his mind stirred at the mention of those materials, but with so little information, it was impossible to make any solid conclusions about who this "Sasori" person might be. They were still just a suspect, with no concrete evidence linking them to the crime.

“Captain Takano, where are you storing the bodies? Please take me to see them,” Kakashi requested.

“This way,” Takano led them to the temple’s library. The temple wasn’t large enough to have a dedicated building for storing scripture, and there weren’t enough books to fill the space, so a good portion of the small library remained empty.

“This is the temple’s library. All the scrolls containing the sealed bodies are kept here.”

On the left side of the room were stacks of scripture, while the right side held piles of scrolls—well over a hundred. Contrary to popular belief, scrolls didn’t have unlimited storage capacity. In most cases, a single scroll could only seal about ten bodies at most.

The recent battle had left thousands of Konoha ninja dead, so it made sense that hundreds of scrolls were required.

As for scrolls with much larger storage capacities, they were incredibly rare. The process of making them was similar to creating explosive tags, which required mastery of Fire Release. Likewise, making scrolls required proficiency in sealing techniques.

Compared to Fire Release, mastering sealing techniques was far more difficult.

This naturally led to scrolls having a high labor cost, and scrolls with huge capacities were especially expensive. Unless you were someone wealthy—like the future owner of Konoha's biggest tool shop, a legendary kunoichi who could summon entire oceans and ships—it was nearly impossible to afford such scrolls. And even then, scrolls with immense capacity weren’t available for general sale; they had to be custom-made or crafted by oneself.

“How many scrolls have been stolen?” Kakashi asked, looking at the pile of identical scrolls on the shelves.

“Twelve scrolls are missing. They contained a total of 117 bodies—43 jōnin and 74 special jōnin.”

“Twelve scrolls,” Kakashi repeated, thinking for a few moments. He had a theory. The thief likely worked alone, because scrolls couldn’t be sealed into other scrolls. They had to be carried, and a person could realistically only carry about a dozen. Any more, and they wouldn’t have room for them.

Because of this, the thief only took the most valuable ones.

“Kakashi,” Pakkun, still on his shoulder, raised a paw and tapped him. “I smell the same scent here.”

“The same scent as on the signature?” Kakashi asked.

“Exactly.”

Kakashi immediately turned to Takano. “Captain Takano, has anyone named Sasori been here?”

“No, this is where we store the scrolls. It’s not open to the public. Unless there’s an order from the Hokage’s advisors, no one except members of the corpse disposal unit can come here,” Takano replied, shaking his head.

Then it hit him.

An outsider’s scent in the restricted area meant only one thing: there had been an intrusion.

“The scent here is stronger than on the paper. Whoever left it hasn’t been gone for more than twelve hours,” Pakkun added.

Twelve hours? That wasn’t critical information. Takano had said that he had checked the scrolls at 11 PM the previous night, and all were accounted for. But by morning, they were gone. The theft had clearly happened overnight, and it was now around noon.

What mattered more was what Pakkun had said next: the scent in the library was clearer than the one on the documents. “Pakkun, can you try tracking it?” Kakashi asked. If the scent here was stronger, there was a chance Pakkun could track the intruder.

“I’m not sure, but... it didn’t rain last night, so I’ll give it a try.”

Pakkun jumped from Kakashi’s shoulder and sniffed the air carefully before suddenly darting off like a rabbit. Kakashi immediately followed, while Takano hesitated for a couple of seconds before chasing after them. But by the time he reached the western wall, Kakashi was already leaping over it, leaving Takano behind.

Standing on the wall, Takano hesitated, unsure if he should follow. But when he climbed over, Kakashi was already out of sight.

“Captain Takano?” A voice called from below.

Snapping out of his daze, Takano looked down to see Uchiha Itachi and Kaguya Kimimaro.

“It’s you, Itachi. You’re back so quickly!” Takano greeted.

“Captain Takano, where did Kakashi-senpai go?” Itachi asked, noticing Kakashi’s absence.

“Well... it’s a bit complicated...” Takano launched into a somewhat long-winded explanation of what had just happened. Fortunately, Itachi was patient, and Kimimaro wasn’t the impulsive type, so they both listened carefully.

“So, Kakashi-senpai has found a trail of this Sasori person and has gone to track them down?” Itachi summarized.

“That’s right,” Takano confirmed.

Takano nodded.

He looked down at the two little kids standing in front of him, both with stiff expressions, and hesitantly asked, "So, Itachi, did you find any trace of this Sasori guy?"

"There's no one by that name in the army."

As Uchiha Itachi spoke, he leaped onto the wall, scanning the horizon. Although he couldn't see any sign of Kakashi, this small challenge wasn't enough to stop him. He bit his thumb, formed seals, and used the Summoning Technique to call forth Shisui's trained crows.

These crows couldn’t speak, but they were incredibly sharp and could even be used to channel visual prowess, acting as bridges for casting genjutsu. After receiving orders, the crows soared into the sky, looking down from above as they searched for a white-haired man with a mask, likely accompanied by a small dog.

"No such person?"

Hearing Itachi’s response, Takano was stunned for several seconds before realizing what that meant. There really was no such person in the army, meaning that the young man claiming to be Sasori probably wasn't a Konoha ninja.

"So... I was tricked?"

Takano muttered under his breath, an extreme sense of guilt flashing across his face as he recalled his encounter with the young man. It seemed like he had foolishly let slip a lot of information.

"Caw—Caw—"

The crows let out hoarse cries in the sky.

Standing on the wall, Uchiha Itachi’s expression became serious as he shouted, "We’ve found Kakashi. Kimimaro, let's go."

Before leaving, Itachi glanced back at Takano, who was drowning in guilt. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Captain Takano. From the looks of it, the other party had planned this very carefully. It would’ve been difficult for anyone to be on guard in advance without knowing the situation."

With those words, Uchiha Itachi dashed westward, with Kimimaro following closely behind. The crows flew swiftly overhead, guiding them. It didn’t take long for them to find Kakashi, thanks to the crows.

Unlike Itachi and Kimimaro, who were focused on their journey, Kakashi and Pakkun's tracking was a stop-and-go process. Even though it hadn’t rained the previous night, and the scent in the air hadn’t been washed away, Pakkun still needed to pause occasionally to confirm the direction.

"Kakashi-senpai, we’re back."

"Any findings?"

Kakashi glanced back at the two.

"No trace of the person."

"No trace?"

"Yes, there's no one named Sasori on the roster. We even checked the list of the fallen, and there's no one by that name. At first, I suspected it was an alias, but when the clan leader heard the name Sasori, he said if it wasn’t an alias, then the culprit might be a rogue ninja from Sunagakure."

"Ah... that puppet master genius from Sunagakure, Sasori of the Red Sand."

Kakashi suddenly remembered.

He was quite famous. Originally a rising star from Sunagakure, Sasori was expected to be a key figure, but shortly after the death of the Third Kazekage, the Third Great Ninja War broke out. Instead of being Sunagakure’s secret weapon, Sasori was declared a rogue ninja.

Back then, many people in Konoha were pleased with the news. One less troublesome enemy was definitely a good thing.

"Sasori of the Red Sand... a puppet master? No wonder I smelled metal and wood—it must’ve been puppets!" Pakkun suddenly realized. Despite his small size, he was actually quite old, having accompanied Konoha's White Fang on missions before Sakumo's death, including encounters with Sunagakure's puppet masters. Those two puppet masters were formidable, though no match for the White Fang in the end.

"But why would a puppet master steal bodies?"

Even after realizing the true identity of the thief, Pakkun was left with more questions. From what he knew, puppet masters used puppets made of wood and steel. What could Sasori want with corpses? Was he trying to sell them for money? Something didn’t add up.

Pakkun wasn’t the only one puzzled—Kakashi was also completely baffled.

Even after figuring out the identity of the thief, it didn’t lead to any epiphanies. Instead, it made things more confusing. Why would Sasori of the Red Sand resort to such sneaky behavior? It didn’t make any sense.

"The clan leader gave an explanation."

Uchiha Itachi suddenly spoke, causing Kakashi to halt in his tracks. Pakkun also stopped and turned to look at him.

"Before I left, the clan leader told me that if the thief is really Sasori, we should be cautious of his puppets. Sasori doesn't just use the typical wooden and steel puppets we’re familiar with; he’s mastered a technique known as 'human puppets'." Without waiting for Kakashi to ask, Itachi quickly relayed everything the clan leader had said.

"Human puppets?"

Hearing this unfamiliar term and thinking about the stolen bodies, a chilling thought crossed Kakashi's mind. "Could it be that these 'human puppets' are made from ninja corpses?"

"That’s exactly what the clan leader said. Sasori’s human puppets retain the chakra pathways of the ninja and can use the jutsu and kekkei genkai they had in life. He also said..." Itachi swallowed, trying to maintain his composure despite the shocking nature of the information.

"He also said that the Third Kazekage was likely turned into one of Sasori’s human puppets. If we do encounter Sasori, we need to be cautious of the Third Kazekage’s Iron Sand technique. The clan leader also told me to let you know, Kakashi-senpai, that we don’t need to fight Sasori to the death. If we can’t win, we’re allowed to retreat at any time."

Kakashi was stunned.

The Third Kazekage... turned into a human puppet?

That’s earth-shattering news. The disappearance of the Third Kazekage had sparked suspicion that Konoha was responsible, leading to the outbreak of the Third Great Ninja War. Regardless of the deeper reasons behind the war, it was common knowledge that the Kazekage’s disappearance was the trigger.

But even after the war ended, no one had ever found the missing Kazekage. It became one of the most famous unsolved cases in the ninja world. It was said that Sunagakure still hadn’t given up on searching for their strongest Kazekage to date.

If the Hokage’s advisor’s information is correct,

then the disappearance of the Third Kazekage was an inside job by Sunagakure itself? And yet, they pinned the blame on Konoha, sparking a war that led to countless Konoha ninja deaths, including Kakashi's teammates, Uchiha Obito and Nohara Rin.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 225: The Researcher*

A cold wind blew through the forest, making a "woo-woo" sound that resembled someone crying softly. The withered branches swayed gently, and a couple of stubborn, dried leaves still clung to the tree, refusing to fall. Kakashi stood under the tree like a statue, lost in thought for a while before finally shaking off the inexplicable melancholy.

He shook his head vigorously, burying the memories that had suddenly resurfaced deep in his heart.

"How on earth did the Hokage’s assistant discover such a secret...?" Kakashi muttered with a sigh.

"If you're curious, Kakashi-senpai, you could ask the clan leader directly. If he's in a good mood, he might explain it to you. But please, keep this matter confidential. The clan leader doesn't want too many people knowing about it, and he especially doesn’t want anyone to find out that the information came from him."

Kakashi stiffened slightly and cleared his throat. "No, no need. I was just asking out of curiosity. The death of the Third Kazekage doesn't really concern me. I’m well-versed in confidentiality and wouldn’t leak any sensitive information... But if the Hokage assistant’s intel is accurate, the target we’re pursuing this time is quite a formidable one!"

The "Red Sand Sasori"—a former genius puppeteer from the Hidden Sand Village.

Kakashi couldn’t help but feel that neither he, Itachi Uchiha, nor Kimimaro Kaguya could confidently handle such an opponent. However, retreating out of fear was not an option.

"Pakkun, keep tracking."

"Huh? Are you sure, Kakashi? Shouldn't we call for some reinforcements?" Pakkun asked, concerned. He had overheard the earlier conversation, and it seemed reckless not to bring more help when chasing such a dangerous enemy.

"No need. The Hokage’s assistant has already given us permission to retreat if things go south. We’ll assess the situation first, and if we can't handle it, we’ll withdraw."

Kakashi glanced at Itachi Uchiha, who lived up to his reputation as the Uchiha clan’s genius. Not only was he sharp and skilled, but his ability to remain composed and emotionless was truly astounding. When Kakashi was Itachi’s age, he certainly wasn’t this mature.

"But..." Pakkun started to say.

"No buts. Let’s go, Pakkun!" Kakashi urged.

Pakkun’s suggestion wasn't wrong. Reinforcements would have made sense when facing such a ruthless enemy like the Red Sand Sasori. However, Itachi's earlier statement had shut down that option. The Hokage assistant's insistence on confidentiality not only implied secrecy but also that this mission was restricted to the three of them. No one else was to get involved.

Kakashi deduced that even if they failed, bringing in a fourth person was out of the question. He didn’t understand why the Hokage’s assistant would make such a decision, but orders were orders.

So, Pakkun's reasonable request couldn’t be fulfilled.

Kakashi could only steel himself and continue with the mission.

Pakkun, though intelligent and able to speak, wasn’t human. Without Kakashi explaining the complexities of the situation, he couldn’t grasp the nuances. But seeing Kakashi’s determination, Pakkun resigned himself to continue tracking the faint scent lingering in the air.

---

Outside, Uchiha Futaba stood at the door, turning away anyone who came by. She told them that the clan leader had a headache and was resting, making it inconvenient for visitors. Unless it was an urgent matter, they’d have to wait until tomorrow. Hearing this, everyone agreed to wait. After all, the war was over; what could possibly be that urgent?

Inside the office, Sōgen sat in his chair, deep in thought.

The headache was, of course, just an excuse. His body was perfectly fine. Although his training in Yin-Yang Release hadn’t shown obvious results yet, he could feel his life force growing bit by bit. While he wasn’t at the self-healing level of Hashirama Senju, he had reached a point where illness was nearly impossible.

He was currently contemplating the issue of the Red Sand Sasori.

Initially, he hadn’t paid much attention to the theft case involving the body-handling division, but Kakashi’s investigation had led to an unexpected revelation. The name "Sasori" wasn’t common in the ninja world, especially in the Land of Fire. The connection between the name and the theft of ninja bodies had triggered Sōgen’s instinct, reminding him of the infamous Red Sand Sasori. His intuition told him that this case was likely linked to that genius puppeteer from the Hidden Sand Village.

To be honest, Sōgen hadn’t originally cared much about this puppeteer. While human puppets were formidable, they couldn’t rival the bloodline abilities passed down from the Sage of Six Paths. This was a world where bloodlines reigned supreme, and the Sharingan was king!

The Red Sand Sasori was a genius, no doubt. But his talents weren’t enough to overturn the fundamental truths of the ninja world.

However, Sōgen remembered something—an item from his previous spoils of war, one he had yet to use. That item was sealed inside a small, red-bordered scroll sitting on his desk.

Inside was the corpse of a White Zetsu.

During the war with the Hidden Mist, he had captured a White Zetsu’s body, but he hadn’t found any practical use for it yet. His initial thought was to use it to prevent the Uchiha clan’s Mangekyō Sharingan users from going blind, a brilliant idea in theory.

The problem was that turning this idea into reality was exceedingly difficult.

Sōgen wasn’t skilled in biological research, and he had no idea how to utilize the White Zetsu’s body to unlock its immense potential. For now, it remained an untapped treasure. After all, in the ninja world, truly talented researchers were as rare as phoenix feathers.

While there were countless powerful fighters in the ninja world, researchers were a rare breed.

In the fifty-year history of the five great ninja villages, only a handful of individuals could be called true researchers: the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, the Second Kazekage Shamon, the Second Tsuchikage Mū, one of the Legendary Sannin Orochimaru, and the genius puppeteer from the Hidden Sand, the Red Sand Sasori. Even counting the deceased, the number didn’t exceed ten.

Since Orochimaru’s defection, Konohagakure had experienced a decline in talented researchers. The few capable ones were tightly controlled by the Fifth Hokage, and Sōgen had no intention of sharing the White Zetsu’s secret with the entire village.

Thus, he was left pondering how to make use of the White Zetsu’s body, even considering collaborating with Orochimaru.

But today, Sōgen had a realization: the Red Sand Sasori was likely a genius researcher on par with Orochimaru. While Orochimaru sought immortality, the Sasori pursued eternity. Both had achieved a degree of success. If not for his defeat at the hands of Chiyo, the Sasori wouldn’t have been so easy to kill.

Moreover, considering the Sasori’s puppet-making skills—having even transformed his own body, leaving only a "core" of flesh—this technology, in some ways, surpassed Orochimaru’s body-hopping technique.

Orochimaru’s technique required finding new bodies to host his soul, while the Sasori had directly modified his own body. Whether it truly granted eternity was uncertain, but the biological expertise behind it was undeniable!

"I wonder if the Red Sand Sasori has joined the Akatsuki by this point..." Sōgen thought.

He played with the scroll in his hand for a moment before making a decision. Whether or not the Sasori had joined the Akatsuki, Sōgen had set his sights on this brilliant researcher. If he wanted to fully utilize the White Zetsu’s body, he would need the efforts of top-tier researchers.

And instead of wasting time with third-rate talents, it was worth seeing if he could control this top-tier researcher.

He had thought about similar ideas before. He once considered capturing Hiruko, another rogue ninja like Orochimaru. In order to catch up to the legendary Sannin, who were his classmates, he researched forbidden techniques, such as the Ghost Bud Luo technique, which was also a kind of biological modification technology. However, after being discovered, he had no choice but to defect from Konoha...

It always seemed like these top researchers were either Kages or rogue ninjas.

But thinking about it more carefully, it wasn't surprising. Human experimentation, such a taboo activity, was nothing under the will of the Kages in each village. As for Orochimaru and Hiruko, they weren’t Kages and couldn’t bear the backlash from being exposed for human experimentation, so they had to flee and become rogue ninjas...

But that's getting off-topic. Back to the main point.

It’s not that Sougen didn’t want to capture these top-tier researchers and make them work for him.

The problem was that these rogue ninjas were elusive and hard to track down. For example, he had once sent someone to contact Orochimaru in an attempt to team up and eliminate the Third Hokage. But the Uchiha he sent, Akitaro, came back empty-handed. If it weren't for the lucky capture of Biwa Jūzō, that old man Sarutobi Hiruzen might still be alive!

"What a pity Shisui isn’t here!"

Sougen sighed regretfully.

If Shisui were here, he would have simply entrusted the mission to him. Kotoamatsukami was such a useful ability—there was no better method for manipulating people's minds! There really was nothing more effective than Kotoamatsukami.

But no matter,

Shisui was bound to return sooner or later. Kotoamatsukami could always be saved as the ultimate trump card, something to use as a last resort. Until then, he could try to handle things on his own for a while. After all, his own genjutsu skills weren’t bad either!

"Futaba, I’m going to sleep for a bit. Make sure no one disturbs me."

Sougen called out.

"Yes, Clan Leader!"

A young woman’s clear voice responded energetically from outside the door.

Sougen tucked the scroll away safely, stood up from his chair, and walked over to the window. He opened it and took a look outside. There were quite a few people around! But honestly, the guards weren’t that strict. After the war ended, most people had let their guard down, thinking there was no way an enemy could infiltrate. Besides, with his own abilities as the Hokage’s advisor, there wasn’t anyone in the ninja world who could harm him.

Sougen had no intention of correcting this assumption!

Sure, it was better to be cautious, but there was no need to stay on edge 24/7. He himself couldn’t stand the constant paranoia of the people around him—every slight disturbance making them think someone was trying to assassinate the Clan Leader...

Earth Release: Subterranean Voyage

Without making a sound, Sougen silently flipped out of the window, landing as quietly as a cat. As he descended through the air, he had already finished weaving signs, and as soon as he hit the ground, he disappeared into the earth like a fish entering water. The soil on the ground rippled briefly, but soon settled back to normal.

The ninja guards standing at the gate had no idea that the Hokage's advisor had just slipped out right beneath their feet.

Underground,

Sougen moved through the earth as smoothly as a fish swimming through water, diving deep below the surface. This masterful Earth Release technique was the result of his extensive research on the Banana Palm Fan. Previously, of the five chakra natures, he had been most skilled in Fire Release, while his proficiency in the others was pretty uneven—honestly, not very impressive.

But now,

His mastery of Wind, Water, Lightning, and Earth chakra natures had reached a solid, respectable level. Although still not as advanced as his Fire Release, with time, it wouldn't be hard for him to achieve the same level of proficiency as Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had mastered all five chakra natures.

What he needed most right now was time.

The Flame Fan, the Banana Palm Fan, and soon the Amber Purifying Pot would be in his possession. He needed time to fully absorb the benefits of these treasures. It had taken him over two years to fully understand the mysteries of Samehada, and the secrets contained in the Flame Fan, a branch of the God Tree, far surpassed that.

Utilizing Earth Release, Sougen quickly left the Konoha army’s camp. Once he was far enough away, he resurfaced, standing back on solid ground.

"Now, let’s see which way Kakashi and the others went?"

Sougen summoned Samehada.

He didn’t know any tracking techniques himself, but he had other means to trace Kakashi’s group. Samehada, as a living weapon, could not only absorb chakra and replenish its wielder’s chakra, but it also had an incredibly sharp sense of smell. While it wasn’t as specialized as a ninja hound in tracking,

Kakashi’s team hadn’t left long ago, and the residual scent they left behind was still quite distinct. Samehada extended its body, writhing as it made a sniffing motion in the air, then pointed Sougen in the right direction.

"Kakashi, don’t let me down!"

Sougen muttered to himself.

He wasn’t sure if Kakashi and his team would catch up to the Red Sand Sasori, but since Kakashi had taken the initiative to pursue him, there must have been some kind of lead. Sougen was betting on Kakashi finding and catching up to the Sasori. Whether they could defeat him wasn’t important.

After all, Sougen was already prepared to step in himself if necessary.

The biggest question right now was whether they could find the Red Sand Sasori at all!

(End of Chapter)