Chapter 242: Preying on a Tailed Beast
Catherine stood at the mouth of the cave, focusing her senses on the surroundings and trying to communicate with [Rampage] through the team channel. Yesterday, Rampage had told her there was a Reincarnator in this world calling herself [Providence], who was extremely dangerous, had a very high reputation with the Konoha faction, and was already able to influence the decisions of Konoha's leadership to some extent.
She hadn't expected the beast-like Mercenary Tao to not kill Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi for their loot. In theory, killing those two would definitely yield good rewards—at least a B-Grade Singularity, she figured.
Especially Uchiha Itachi. He was a crucial story character who had a massive impact on the world's timeline, being involved in the early Uchiha Massacre arc, the Uchiha Sasuke growth arc, and later, the Edo Tensei during the Fourth Great Shinobi War.
Catherine also hadn't expected Mercenary Tao's true combat power to be so terrifying. Although Uchiha Shisui had been arrogant, to be able to instantly crush him—even before he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and Susano'o—that kind of speed and explosive power was top-notch, even among the [Strong-tier]Reincarnators she had seen.
It was a super-speed that an ordinary ninja's body couldn't react to, even if their Sharingan could track it.
At this moment, Catherine looked to the other side, where Hana Hiranaka was carefully tending to the heavily injured and unconscious Uchiha Itachi. She finally understood: Mercenary Tao's main mission was definitely different from hers.
This woman was likely tied to his main mission. Thinking about what such special missions usually entailed, it was either an activation trial for a special sequence or ability, or... a trial for one of those rumored [Cards] from the Nexus.
There had been rumors in the Nexus that Mercenary Tao had participated in hunting the remnants of [Team 9527]. Looking at it now, the [Card] that 9527's remnants had held was most likely taken by him.
She understood all this, but didn't dare show any sign of it, terrified of being casually killed by Mercenary Tao. Thus, she was being exceptionally cooperative. She had even taken out a good portion of her team's healing supplies to keep these two story characters alive.
Uchiha Shisui understood the current situation in an instant. His and Itachi's disappearance would undoubtedly put the Uchiha clan in an extremely dangerous position. After all, the Konoha leadership already knew that many in the clan wanted to rebel.
Without his mediation, and with ill-intentioned people adding fuel to the fire, a brutal civil war had been successfully set in motion.
Not only that, Konoha's instability would bring an end to this brief period of peace. A Konoha mired in internal conflict would become a target for the other four great shinobi villages. The other four nations would all be thinking of carving up the bountiful Land of Fire...
All kinds of terrible scenarios flashed through Shisui's mind. His jaw twitched, and he felt a genuine, deep pain.
What made him even more self-critical was that this was all because of his arrogance.
If... if he had used Susano'o the moment they met, would he have successfully suppressed this man?
He began to feel regret. He had almost never experienced failure. His prodigious talent meant he had almost never faced real adversity.
That was why Uchiha Shisui had been able to maintain his almost naive goodness.
He couldn't see Konoha's oppression of the Uchiha, because he was strong, and no one would do anything to him.
He also couldn't see the plight of his other clansmen, couldn't understand why they had been pushed, step by step, to such a desperate point.
"Regretting it, Uchiha Shisui?"
Kaito Shirogane watched this young powerhouse with great interest. From his face and bone resilience, he could deduce that Uchiha Shisui was not yet twenty years old. (The Naruto timeline has many bugs; Shisui's age is slightly adjusted here to avoid the situation of an 8-or-9-year-old Shisui making a name for himself in the Third War).
In terms of absolute power, relying on Susano'o and his Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular power, even without using [Kotoamatsukami], Shisui was definitely at the Kage-level.
But his-mindset had a significant flaw. No, perhaps the problem wasn't Uchiha Shisui, but this world.
The Naruto world was different from the One Piece world. Here, those with kind hearts often ended up being driven to paranoia by their own [Heart] and [Obsessions], becoming assimilated by the dark world and, bit by bit, growing extreme.
Kaito Shirogane had expended a great deal of mental energy to suppress his surging Satsui no Hado, and as a result, his mind was a bit drained.
Uchiha Shisui didn't speak, but Kaito had already gotten the answer he wanted.
"So, do you agree to my deal?"
"If you don't, I'll kill Uchiha Itachi right now. I might not get much, but his life... and his eyes... would be a decent harvest for me."
Kaito's tone was level. He wasn't bluffing. If Uchiha Shisui refused, he would indeed choose to kill them both here and take that profit.
His future plans might be affected, but as a Reincarnator... if one just wanted immediate benefits, there were too many options.
The only thing that would make a Reincarnator give up immediate profit was a greater profit. Kaito was willing to spare Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi because he wanted more. But if he couldn't get it, these two were a fine prize on their own.
"Is... Itachi... still alive...?"
Uchiha Shisui spoke. He knew he was compromising. But Shisui couldn't lie to himself. He had placed an immense amount of hope on Itachi, whom he saw as a little brother.
In his eyes, Itachi was the one that both the Uchiha and Konoha were waiting for.
The one who could truly lead the Uchiha clan to integrate into Konoha and create peace was always Itachi, not him.
Itachi had talent that surpassed even his own, a perfect perspective and mind, and was a natural-born critical thinker with a calm personality... Itachi... had to live.
In that moment, Uchiha Shisui discovered the selfishness hidden beneath his great benevolence.
Kaito Shirogane lifted the unconscious Uchiha Itachi. The boy's bones were almost completely shattered, and his internal organs were heavily damaged. If not for the Reincarnator's medicine, his ninja career would have been over. Whether he lived or died would have depended on the luck of finding someone like Tsunade.
Shisui touched Itachi's body. He heard the faint breath, so weak it was almost gone. He... had no choice.
"I still don't know your identity or your purpose."
Kaito Shirogane saw Uchiha Shisui relent and knew he had achieved his goal.
It's said that a gentleman can be deceived by appealing to his principles. Uchiha Shisui was, without a doubt, a good person. He had power, but was unwilling to kill. Kaito used this, used Uchiha Itachi and the looming war, to tie this powerful Uchiha down.
"You can call me... Mercenary Tao."
"As for my purpose? Naturally... it's world peace. Heh."
Kaito's tone was bizarre, like a textbook megalomaniac. But Uchiha Shisui was in no position to bargain. He could only say one last thing:
"If you intend to harm Konoha, then even if you kill me and Itachi, you won't get what you..."
"Tsk, tsk."
Kaito cut off Uchiha Shisui's threat. He said, unconcerned:
"Relax. A place like Konoha... isn't what I want right now. First, why don't you, the great Uchiha, do what you do best?"
"Tailed Beasts... I've never tasted a Tailed Beast before. Tell me, if I eat one, will I get Tailed Beast Chakra, like those Gold and Silver Brothers from Kumogakure?"
Catherine, who was taking out a precious [Sacred ARM] to heal Uchiha Shisui, kept her head down, hiding the shock in her eyes.
Eat... a Tailed Beast?!
That's Mercenary Tao's goal?
The next moment, it clicked. Mercenary Tao had [Gourmet Cells]!
(End of Chapter)
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