Ayane wiped the playful smile off her face and took on a serious expression.
Seeing Ayane finally get serious, Hakushi nodded and continued, "That is a monster. Ruri's words were somewhat reserved. Just feeling that power through memory puts us in a different dimension. No, among all the ninjas we've encountered so far, none can compare to Madara's strength."
Not even close.
And that was just a fleeting realization.
Experiencing it firsthand on site would be even more shocking, that divine power that can destroy heavens and earth.
"I don't advocate actively approaching Madara for now, at least not for now. The only good news is that Madara's power cannot last long. It may have location restrictions, limited to a small area. We need to cut off its extending 'tentacles'. That is our next task."
"After Ruri, is it my turn?"
Ayane knew this was Hakushi's prelude to using her as a workhorse.
"We are short-handed. I don't feel comfortable handing it over to others. Your reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance abilities are top-notch, and your high-speed taijutsu can destroy enemies immediately upon discovery."
"What about Insect Man and the others?"
"They are building a reputation in the underground black market, and publicly they cannot have any contact with us. According to the information sent back from behind the scenes, as their Nokizaru Group becomes more famous, they have already caught Hidden Rock's attention."
"Hidden Rock?"
Ayane's expression was odd.
Hakushi laughed and said, "The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki from Hidden Rock, is quite an interesting ninja."
Being one of the Five Kage, Onoki is known for his unorthodox ways in the Ninja Realm, not something new.
For instance, he has a penchant for hiring underground black market bounty hunters to deal with issues not convenient for Hidden Rock Village.
Or recruiting group-type ninja mercenaries to participate in wars.
According to various feedback from the Land of Grass battlefield, quite a few in Hidden Rock's troop are bounty hunters mixing in the underground black market.
Though hiring external ninjas as one of the Five Kage to join the conflicts of the Five Great Nations may somewhat diminish the Tsuchikage's dignity.
Yet, this method effectively reduces the sacrifice rate of Hidden Rock ninjas, and simply by paying funds, one can get equal, even more than expected returns. Why not do it?
When the other four Kage disdain to hire underground black market bounty hunters, the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki had already established a stable and feasible transaction chain with the underground black market.
Not every bounty hunter can reach Onoki's radar.
Onoki prioritizes the credibility of the bounty hunter and the hunter group, then examines their abilities and where they can be applied.
So far, bounty hunters who cooperated with Onoki express that the Tsuchikage is generous and does not bully them.
This can be said to be the foundation of a stable transaction chain for both parties.
Both parties place great importance on trust.
Once trust is lost, the transaction chain will naturally disintegrate and cease to exist.
Nowadays, Insect Man's Nokizaru Group is gradually gaining fame in the underground black market.
The task completion rate is 100%, putting their credibility at the forefront of the underground black market.
As one challenging and dangerous task after another is completed by Insect Man and the others, entering the Tsuchikage's view was inevitable.
Being hired by wealthy merchants in the Ninja Realm and being hired by Tsuchikage, one of the Five Kage, are different concepts.
Because bounty hunters hired by Tsuchikage all ended up increasing their value.
In other words, bounty hunters hired by Tsuchikage, Onoki, bear the 'premium' label, attracting high-level merchants and officials, serving as mercenaries to big-wigs.
The intelligence gathered and funds collected show a straight-line increase.
Besides, three other bounty hunter teams also performed well recently, showing stable value increase with great growth potential.
The day when the Tsuchikage will label them 'premium' should not be far away.
"What does the Tsuchikage plan to trade?"
Ayane asked curiously.
"To destroy a Konoha supply point."
Hakushi answered.
"The difficulty level is high."
"This serves as a pledge of loyalty. The Tsuchikage is waiting for the right price. If successful, greater collaboration awaits Insect Man and the others."
Information about Insect Man and others has not been exposed.
Even when they assisted in Konoha before, it was only participating in a battle with a Root four-man team.
The result was the whole Root team was annihilated, bodies recovered, and the data well-preserved.
Currently, contact with Insect Man is mostly single-line to prevent information leakage.
"So, there are few capable members left to dispatch. The White Zetsu are scattered over too many locations, Earth General and the others are becoming overwhelmed."
"Understood. Just know how to order people if only there was another way to utilize me. After returning, you must reward me."
"Apologies, I will train the next batch of combat personnel as soon as possible."
Watching Ayane leave, Hakushi let out a long breath and motivated himself to work.
◎
A war broke out between Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock.
This news Hakushi had already anticipated through Ruri's statements, so it wasn't particularly surprising.
Led by the Third Raikage, the Hidden Cloud Jonin attacked over a dozen outposts within Land of Earth territory, wiping out numerous Hidden Rock ninjas in one go. With clear objectives, they targeted the precious iron mines being excavated within the Land of Earth.