blogombal Chapter 351 Investigation, or Just Slacking Off?
Chapter 351 Investigation, or Just Slacking Off?
Chapter 351 Investigation, or Just Slacking Off?
October of Konoha 48.
It has been almost three months since Operation Kannabi Bridge.
It has been about two months since Konoha and Iwagakure began peace talks.
Since their last encounter with Uchiha Madara, they have seemingly vanished without a trace.
Even though Taiyi had many shadow clones searching outside, they couldn't find any trace of them.
That's right, this is Taiichi's latest mission.
He was finally free from having to serve as Hiruzen Sarutobi's bodyguard all day long, standing in the corner of the office for the entire day.
His latest mission is to gather intelligence on Madara Uchiha and his subordinate forces.
Unfortunately, Ban hid himself too well, or perhaps he really did stop his activities altogether.
Even in the Land of Water and the Land of Rain, the two places where he was most likely to appear, there was no trace of their activities.
Time flies, and it's already April. Judging from the life force he sensed when fighting Madara before, Madara should have truly returned to the Pure Land by now.
In other words, those who will take action in the future will most likely be Obito Uchiha, using Madara Uchiha's name to intimidate people.
I wonder what Obito will become. Logically speaking, he shouldn't be as heartless as he was in the original story.
Considering that Uchiha's personality can easily change drastically after awakening their Sharingan, Taiichi himself was a little hesitant to believe it.
For now, all we can do is take it one step at a time and wait until we face Obito again.
Of course, during these past few months, Taiichi didn't just obediently follow Madara Uchiha's trail.
Even Jiraiya knew how to slack off during work hours. While investigating the Akatsuki, he wrote books and gathered materials, leading a very enjoyable life.
As Jiraiya's qualified successor, and with so many shadow clones at his disposal, Taiichi naturally wouldn't be content to stay put.
The Land of Earth.
This is the main location for Taiyi's activities recently. After all, Madara Uchiha's former base was here, and who knows if there are any other arrangements he made here.
Taiichi, using the alias Ryunosuke, walks through a dilapidated little town.
If you want to say that he is different now, you can only say that even if Nonou is in front of him, he will ignore her.
Standing at 1.9 meters tall, he's considered very tall even among ninjas, and with his impressive muscles, he looks like a ferocious human beast.
At this moment, he was carrying a mangled corpse, with blood gushing out of a fist-sized hole in the center of the corpse's chest.
As he walked, a constant dripping sound followed, yet no one dared to approach and stop him.
The reason is simple: it's just too terrifying to look at.
At this moment, Taiyi was frowning and looking disgusted as he stood in front of a dilapidated brick public toilet.
The putrid stench and the pungent smell of ammonia mixed together to create a highly aggressive "odor" that stubbornly penetrated the nostrils even from a distance of more than ten steps.
"Damn it! This godforsaken place again!"
He cursed under his breath, his rough voice filled with undisguised disgust.
He took a deep breath, but it was clearly a mistake; the smell almost made him faint.
"Cough cough! Damn it! Was the guy at the gold exchange who came up with this lousy idea brain-dead? He had to put the entrance in a latrine!"
Although it wasn't his first time here, the intoxicating aroma still made him unable to get used to it.
Without further hesitation, he endured the stench and strode inside.
It was midday, and several ordinary people were relieving themselves in the restroom. When they saw this burly man carrying a blood-dripping corpse and exuding a chilling aura walk in, they were terrified!
"what!"
"Murder!"
Exclamations and screams erupted instantly.
The people who were "doing business" didn't even have time to pull up their pants before they scrambled out of the room.
The people in front of the urinals were terrified, splattering urine everywhere and leaving messy marks on the floor and walls.
In just a few seconds, the previously crowded toilet was instantly emptied, leaving only Taiyi and the lingering smoke in the air.
An even more disgusting mixture of feces, urine, farts, and sweat.
"A bunch of useless trash!"
Taiyi grew even more irritated as he watched those fleeing figures.
He waved his hand vigorously in front of his nose, trying to dispel the nauseating smell, his brows furrowed in a frown.
He walked to the innermost sink, which looked rusty, and pressed his fingers rhythmically on a few specific spots of dirt.
A slight grinding sound rang out, and the seemingly solid tiled wall behind the sink silently slid inward, revealing a much cleaner and tidier passage.
Taiyi cursed again.
He was probably dissatisfied with the fact that the entrance to this "clean" passage still required passing through a toilet, and then he carried the corpse inside without hesitation.
The passage was short and soon led to a relatively spacious underground space.
The lighting was dim, with a faint oil lamp burning on the wall, and the air was filled with the smells of dust, preservatives, and paper.
This toilet is a whole level better than the one above, but it's still oppressive.
Sometimes he wondered if the real estate agency's boss didn't want to spend more money but still wanted people to feel that the environment was nice, which was why they put the entrance in the public restroom.
After all, compared to public restrooms, this kind of environment seems relatively high-end.
Taiichi shook his head to banish these random thoughts and refocused his attention on the hall.
Behind several long tables sat several simply dressed, sharp-looking clerks, processing documents or wiping weapons.
In a corner, a few ninjas sat sparsely, waiting for a trade or to accept a mission. They were all silent and wary.
When Taiyi's imposing figure appeared at the entrance of the passage, casually carrying a blood-soaked corpse on his shoulder, the entire base seemed to be put on pause.
The clerks, who had been busy with their heads down, stood up almost reflexively.
The ninjas in the corner tensed up instantly, their hands, which had been resting on the table, quietly sliding towards the hidden weapon hilts, their eyes filled with apprehension and a hint of fear.
Ryunosuke!
It's no wonder the people here are so terrified; his record is simply too glorious.
With 22 tasks completed in three months, averaging one every four days, this set a new record for the fastest completion of the exchange since its inception.
More importantly, there's his volatile temper and his tendency to lash out at people.
It has long been a nightmare that everyone in this area knows about.
Looking at this group of trembling fellows, Taiyi sighed, "Evil people will always have their own evil people to deal with them."
Thinking back to when he first became a bounty hunter under the alias Ryunosuke, he realized that things were quite similar then and now.
Time flew back to when he had just completed his first bounty mission and was bringing the corpse to hand over the mission.
He glanced around with disgust, making no attempt to hide his contempt for his colleagues who lurked in the shadows, watching their prey like vultures.
He walked straight to the bar and casually threw the blood-dripping sack on the ground.
"Thump!"
The dull thud made the thin bartender tremble as he wiped the glasses behind the bar.
"Task completed, ID: Dingchou 234".
Taiyi's tone was harsh, devoid of any politeness, as if he were issuing an order.
The bartender shakily pulled out a greasy booklet, checked it, nodded quickly, and pointed to the tavern's kitchen: "Come in—the usual."
Taiyi bent down, picked up the sack, and turned to walk towards the back kitchen passage.
His movements carried a rugged sense of power, each step causing a slight tremor in the ground.
Just as he was about to step through the curtained doorway to the kitchen, a sarcastic voice rang out from the shadows in the corner: "Oh ho, so we have a newcomer? Here to bring warmth to everyone today? Tsk tsk, the smell is really strong."
The speaker was a guy leaning against the corner of the wall, wearing a headband made of a rogue ninja from Kirigakure at an angle.
His eyes were sinister, and a malicious sneer played at the corners of his mouth.
Two other accomplices with equally hostile expressions sat beside him. All three emanated bloodlust and chakra fluctuations, clearly seasoned veterans.
The remaining gazes in the hall immediately became interested, and an atmosphere of watching a good show spread.
Newcomers, especially those who seem to only possess brute strength, are often "taken care of" by veterans in the world of ninjas.
Everyone knows the rules of the gold exchange: they only recognize corpses, not people. Whoever hands over the corpse to the counter gets the reward.
The process was full of "unexpected" and "surprising" moments.
Taiyi stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around.
His broad back looked like an iron tower in the dim light.
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; the only sound was his heavy breathing.
"What? Have you lost your tongue? Or are you intimidated by my reputation?"
The rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist Village sneered, stood up, cracked his knuckles, deliberately making a "crack" sound as he approached Taiyi step by step.
"I heard you've only been on this assignment for two days?"
You're pretty capable, kid.
Let us guys take a look. Is what you've got in this bag the real thing, or just some random scarecrow?
If it's counterfeit, and they try to deceive the exchange, that would break the rules.
He walked to within five steps of Taiyi, his eyes greedily fixed on the blood-dripping sack, one hand already stealthily reaching for the kunai at his waist.
His two companions also stood up in unison, subtly forming a pincer movement.
In their view, although the newcomer was bigger, he didn't say a word when provoked, which was obviously a coward who was all bark and no bite.
This is a good opportunity to "teach" him a lesson and, incidentally, steal the bounty he worked so hard for.
They've done this kind of thing countless times.
Just as the rogue ninja from Kirigakure was about to touch the kunai handle, preparing to launch a sneak attack or forcibly seize it, a sudden change occurred!
One second it seemed like a sluggish and clumsy giant back, the next it burst forth with a terrifying speed that took your breath away!
That kind of speed, calling it a blink of an eye is more like teleportation!
It was as if a muffled thunderclap had exploded on the spot!
Taiyi didn't turn around, nor did he even make any fancy fighting stance.
He merely tilted his right shoulder back very slightly, and then, without warning, his muscular, veiny right arm, like a ballista that had been compressed to its limit and suddenly launched, slammed backward with a piercing shriek that tore through the air!
The movements were extremely fast, extremely concise, and extremely brutal!
His self-mark pointed directly at the chest of the rogue ninja from Kirigakure behind him!
puff!
A sickeningly loud thud, as if flesh and bone were instantly pierced, replaced all the expected clang of metal or explosion of ninjutsu.
Time seemed to stand still.
The air in the tavern froze completely. The mockery, ridicule, and anticipation on the faces of all the onlookers instantly vanished, replaced by boundless horror and disbelief.
The expression on the face of the rogue ninja from Kirigakure, who had been smugly sneering and preparing to strike just a second ago, froze completely.
He lowered his head, staring blankly at the huge, gruesome blood hole in his chest.
Taiyi's elbow had already been withdrawn, leaving only an empty hole. Through the hole, one could even see the pale, desperate face of his companion behind him.
He didn't even see how the other party made the move; the excruciating pain and icy cold instantly engulfed all his consciousness.
Crimson blood gushed out like a floodgate opening.
"Well----"
The rogue ninja from Kirigakure let out a whistling sound, and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed and went out.
pat.
The kunai in his hand fell limply to the ground.
Taiyi slowly turned around. His face, which was full of hostility, was completely calm, showing only a kind of "relief" (pretended) that was finally released after being suppressed.
He first glanced at the corpse on the ground that he had killed with a single punch, then swept his gaze over his two accomplices who stood frozen in place as if petrified.
The two men trembled violently as they met Taiyi's emotionless eyes, which seemed to be looking at lifeless objects. A chill ran from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.
They didn't even dare to draw their weapons, their breathing almost stopped, fearing that the slightest movement would provoke a thunderous strike from that god of death.
Taiichi's gaze finally settled on the fresh corpse on the ground.
"Tsk, troublesome."
He muttered something in extreme displeasure, his voice still hoarse and low, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.
He bent down, grabbed the ankle of the rogue ninja corpse from Kirigakure with one hand, dragged it up like a dead dog, and then slammed it, along with the sack that originally contained the target's corpse, onto the greasy, dirty wooden counter!
Bang.
The loud noise made the cheap wine glasses on the counter jump.
The entire counter groaned and shook a few times, instantly becoming soaked in thick blood and filth.
"This guy,"
Taiichi pointed at the corpse of the rogue ninja from Kirigakure that he had personally killed, his voice suddenly rising, filled with suppressed rage and catharsis.
"He's definitely got a bounty too! I'll cash it all in for him!"
Damn it, I've been holding back for so long! He kept grumbling the whole way.
If I wasn't afraid you bastard wouldn't take the bait, I would have punched you to your great-grandmother long ago. Who the hell has the audacity to bastard like that!
He cursed and swore as he slammed his finger on the counter, spitting almost onto the face of the terrified bartender.
His vulgar, vicious curses, like his earth-shattering elbow strike, slammed into the hearts of every witness.
Entrapment!
Everyone suddenly realized what was happening, and a chill ran down their spines.
This newcomer, who looks like a hot-tempered brute, is by no means a submissive rookie!
From the moment he entered, his silence in the face of provocation was a sign that he was holding back his anger, waiting for his prey to strike!
He was waiting for some clueless idiot to run into him so he could legitimately vent his rage and make some extra money along the way!
That fresh corpse is the best proof!
Ryunosuke is not someone to be trifled with; he is a ferocious beast in human skin, and he is extremely vengeful!
The bartender, terrified, was so frightened he could barely hold the register. He nodded repeatedly, "Yes—yes, yes! Lord Ryunosuke! I'll register you right away! And this too—I'll process it together!"
Taiyi snorted heavily, seemingly satisfied with the bartender's reaction, but the annoyance still lingered between his brows.
He no longer looked at the other two trembling Kirigakure rogue ninjas on the ground or the silent crowd around him.
He waved his hand dismissively, like shooing away a fly: "Hurry up! Stop dawdling! I don't have time to waste here!"
He took the blood-stained bounty package, weighed it in his hand, and stuffed it into a similarly worn but exceptionally sturdy ninja tool pouch at his waist.
Throughout the process, the overwhelming aura of rage and the stench of blood emanating from him caused those around him to instinctively take a few steps back, clearing a wide path for him.
As Ryunosuke's figure, which resembled a mobile fortress, disappeared at the tavern entrance, whispers of relief and relief finally filled the deathly silence.
"A madman—this guy is absolutely insane!"
"Just one hit—just one hit—that's a venomous scorpion!" said the eldest of the three brothers.
"Ryunosuke—I've memorized that name. I'll avoid him from now on!"
Taichi could still hear the echoes of the commotion behind him from that time. It was after that incident that Ryunosuke's reputation spread throughout the bounty ninja community.
Ignoring the fearful gazes of the crowd, he went straight to the counter and slammed the corpse in his hand onto the counter like trash.
"Item No. Renyin 361," deliver the goods! Bounty, hurry! I'm very busy!