"Set off!"
"Yes, sir!"
Led by Shihouin Naraku, followed by two Anbu squads, they departed from Konohagakure.
After two days of travel, Shihouin Naraku guided his team to the Land of Iron, a neutral territory surrounded by snow and harsh winds year-round.
"Sir, no ambush detected!"
An Anbu member knelt on one knee and reported with evident respect.
"Good. Continue your patrol and remain alert."
"Yes, sir!"
Shihouin Naraku, dressed in warm clothing, stood on an exposed rock and watched his men disperse.
He noticed that recently, the Anbu members had become increasingly respectful toward him.
"It seems everyone understands that I'll soon be promoted to captain."
With Kakashi Hatake stepping down and no new leader being appointed, it was logical that Shihouin Naraku, the deputy captain, would be promoted.
Consequently, the Anbu members had visibly changed their attitude and now regarded Shihouin Naraku as their new captain.
Suddenly, Shihouin Naraku spotted a small black dot approaching rapidly from the distance. The figure wore the distinctive attire of an Iwagakure shinobi. This was a spy sent by Konohagakure to infiltrate Iwagakure.
Soon, an Anbu member approached, exchanged secret signals, received an intelligence scroll from the spy, and escorted him to Shihouin Naraku. The other personnel became more vigilant, focusing on their surroundings.
"Sir!"
"Hmm."
Shihouin Naraku took the intelligence scroll, opened it, glanced at its contents, and then tucked it away.
"You may go."
"Yes, sir!"
The Anbu members departed, and the intelligence officer who had infiltrated Iwagakure knelt on one knee before Shihouin Naraku. He began reporting secrets that couldn't be recorded on a scroll.
"...Iwagakure Tsuchikage Onoki's disciple and member of the Explosion Corps, Deidara, has been confirmed to have defected!"
Shihouin Naraku was stunned and then asked, "When did this happen?"
The intelligence officer answered directly, withholding nothing: "The exact time is unknown.
The Iwagakure Explosion Corps operates with extreme secrecy, making specific information difficult to obtain.
Additionally, Deidara lived outside Iwagakure due to his frequent bombing incidents within the village. This delayed the news of his disappearance."
"However, Iwagakure hasn't officially labelled Deidara as a traitor. Instead, they're preparing to use this opportunity to attack Konohagakure!"
"Oh?"
Shihouin Naraku didn't quite understand Iwagakure's reasoning. If one of their shinobi defected, they should focus on tracking them down. Why blame Konoha?
The intelligence officer continued, "According to Iwagakure's intelligence, during Deidara's disappearance, someone spotted the Konoha rogue ninja Itachi Uchiha near Deidara's residence!"
Shihouin Naraku now understood that Iwagakure's information was indeed accurate. Itachi Uchiha had gone to find Deidara.
According to his memory, the Akatsuki had sent Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Sasori to recruit Deidara. Itachi defeated Deidara, which led to his induction into Akatsuki.
This defeat by Itachi would indirectly lead to a future confrontation between Deidara and Sasuke Uchiha.
The intelligence officer continued reporting some crucial information before departing quickly.
Watching him leave, Shihouin Naraku took out a pen and paper, recorded the information, and handed it to his subordinates along with the scroll, instructing them to deliver it to Hiruzen Sarutobi in Konohagakure.
If Iwagakure wanted to cause trouble, let them argue with the Third Hokage.
It was fitting that both the Iwagakure Tsuchikage Onoki and the Third Hokage were elderly men. Neither was easy to deal with, so let them resolve this problem themselves.
However, Shihouin Naraku suspected the matter would amount to nothing unless Iwagakure decided to declare war outright.
Setting this issue aside, Shihouin Naraku and his subordinates focused on completing their other assignments.
More than ten days passed swiftly, and the tasks assigned by Hiruzen Sarutobi were mostly complete.
His subordinates had returned to Konohagakure with intelligence and accomplishments, while Shihouin Naraku and two subordinates temporarily remained in the Land of Hot Springs, northeast of Konoha.
"Ah~ I'm exhausted."
Shihouin Naraku stretched, and signs of fatigue appeared on his handsome face after removing his mask.
"In just a dozen days, we've travelled across the entire shinobi world. The Third really knows how to keep people busy."
"Since we're in the Land of Hot Springs, let's enjoy a hot spring bath."
The Land of Hot Springs was blessed with abundant natural resources, particularly its numerous hot springs that attracted many tourists.
"This hot spring looks pleasant. Let's take a break."
Shihouin Naraku waved his hand, allowing his two subordinates to move freely, then entered the hot spring hotel.
"Phew, this is truly relaxing."
Reclining in the hot spring, feeling his fatigue gradually dissipate, Shihouin Naraku sighed with relief.
Taking a break from his hectic schedule, Shihouin Naraku soaked in the hot spring for an extended period, washing away his exhaustion. It wasn't until afternoon that he left the hotel to find somewhere to eat.
After walking around and having a meal at a restaurant, he prepared to return to the hotel to rest.
"Hey, young man, interested in having a drink with me~"
As Shihouin Naraku walked down the street, he noticed a black-haired beauty swaying her figure as she approached him with a flirtatious tone.
Shihouin Naraku narrowed his eyes slightly as a smile formed on his face. "Sure, where should we go? Does the beautiful lady have any recommendations?"
"Hehehe... you seem like quite the romantic. Follow me..."
The black-haired beauty beckoned with her finger, then swayed ahead to lead the way, while Shihouin Naraku followed calmly behind.
As they walked slowly along the road, fewer pedestrians passed by, and their surroundings grew increasingly quiet.
Soon, they had left the bustling town and entered the wilderness.
"Where are you planning to take me?"
"Hehehe, do you know what it feels like to be dead meat?"
Strange words emerged from the black-haired beauty's mouth.
Shihouin Naraku maintained his smile, but in the next second, he suddenly attacked, grabbing the black-haired beauty's neck with a swift movement before applying pressure.
"Crack!"
The dark-haired beauty perished!
But then the black-haired beauty transformed into a strange figure dressed in white—White Zetsu!
"Swish!"
Two Anbu members appeared before Shihouin Naraku, drawing their katanas and forming a protective circle around him.
Then, more White Zetsus emerged from the darkness, surrounding Shihouin Naraku and his companions.
"Eliminate them!"
"Yes, sir!"
The two Anbu members rushed forward with their blades drawn, but surprisingly, these white-clad figures seemed completely vulnerable to their attacks.
Shihouin Naraku watched the scene quietly without moving to intervene. At that moment, the space behind him began to distort silently, and a hand wearing a black glove reached for the seemingly "unaware" Shihouin Naraku.
"Swish!"
Body Flicker Technique!
Just before being caught, Shihouin Naraku's form flashed rapidly and vanished from the spot.
"Clang!"
He suddenly unsheathed Kurikara, flipped his body, and returned to his original position. The sharp blade slashed across the mysterious arm.
But the arm appeared completely unharmed, remaining in its original state, as if Kurikara had cut through air rather than a solid limb.
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