20demayo Chapter 190 Takigakure
Chapter 190 Takigakure
Chapter 181 Takigakure
Inside the wooden house, Xingyuan Qianshuo paused in front of the wooden table, lightly pressing his palm on the surface, leaving the Flying Thunder God mark.
He then sat down on a wooden chair with Tsunade, and removed the small slug from his shoulder, gently placing it on the table.
The slug's clones and its original body can share vision and transmit consciousness.
Having this little slug by your side is equivalent to being able to communicate with all the slug clones and the main body at any time.
Xingyuan Qianshuo took out a teapot and teacups filled with hot tea from his personal space and poured tea for himself and Tsunade.
He glanced at the small slug on the table, then took out another cup, gently placed it in front of it, and filled it to the brim.
"Thank you, Qian Shuo-kun." The little slug said in a light tone, leaning down and sipping the scalding tea in small sips, undeterred by its heat.
"You're welcome," Xingyuan Qianshuo replied with a smile.
After taking a few sips of tea, he pondered for a moment before speaking, "Tsunade, Katsuyu, the bean I just planted is called a Senzu Bean. After eating it, it can instantly restore all physical strength and heal all injuries—even those on the verge of death can be saved."
"Oh?" Tsunade raised her eyebrows slightly, her face showing surprise.
She guessed that the beans must be extraordinary, but she never expected them to have medicinal properties.
However, she did not press Qian Shuo about the origins of the "rice" and the fairy beans. She trusted that if Qian Shuo could tell her, he would.
"I only have three of these fairy beans, which I need to save as seeds. I've never eaten them myself," Xingyuan Qianshuo continued. "If this one can mature successfully and produce beans, we can all try it together."
He turned to the little slug: "Slug, can you sense that seedling absorbing natural energy?"
"Yes, I can sense it," the little slug responded softly.
"The reason I chose to plant it in the Wet Bone Forest is because, as an alternate dimension, the natural energy here is extremely concentrated," Xingyuan Qianshuo explained. "This situation may last for a hundred days, or even longer. If it absorbs too much natural energy, I will consider planting it outside in the future."
"It's alright," the little slug said gently.
Xingyuan Qianshuo smiled slightly. The slug truly lives up to its reputation as the gentlest summoning beast in the ninja world.
After the three of them had a short rest and drank tea, they got up and left. Tsunade went to continue training in Sage Mode, while Hoshino Senju stayed by her side.
However, his main body remaining in the Wet Bone Forest did not prevent his clones from acting outside.
Country of Fields, Red Cross Headquarters.
Inside the office, a figure suddenly appeared.
It was Xingyuan Qianshuo's shadow clone.
The Red Cross has been open for twenty days. At first, only a few patients from the capital of the land of fields came to seek medical treatment, but as its reputation gradually spread, residents from the capital and surrounding areas also began to visit.
The medical work these past few days has accumulated approximately 27,000 reputation points for Xingyuan Qianshuo. Combined with his previous savings, even after purchasing the Bloodline Scroll and the Intermediate Tutorial Scroll, he still has over 14,000 points remaining.
The medical treatment in the Land of Fields will take another ten days to half a month to complete, after which it will gradually be extended to the surrounding small countries.
Now, he plans to first make contact with the Land of Waterfalls and the Hidden Village of Waterfalls.
Furthermore, he speculated that Kumogakure and Iwagakure would soon take notice of this place, at which point things might change.
As for Danzo, whom he controlled with genjutsu in Konoha, he had already received a report from the intelligence personnel in the Land of Rice Fields, but he had temporarily detained him and had not informed Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The shadow clone sensed something and connected its thoughts to the ring on the upper left hand, transmitting the information there.
"Kakuzu, come to my office."
"it is good."
Kakuzu, who was leading a patrol nearby, paused slightly, then responded in his mind.
He raised his left hand and examined the ring engraved with the character for "wealth".
This ring was given to him by Xingyuan Qianshuo a week ago, along with Xuan Neng and Hui Mei.
With the help of the ring, Xingyuan Qianshuo can transmit information over long distances, and they can respond.
The ring is merely a medium; the crucial connection and transmission rely entirely on Xingyuan Qianshuo's manipulation.
If they want to initiate contact, they only need to inject chakra, and once the other party senses it, communication can be established.
"You continue your patrol, I'm going back to the office building first," Kakuzu said in a deep voice as he turned to the three young ninjas.
"Yes, Lord Kakuzu." The three quickly replied.
Of the three, one was from the Wind Demon clan, and the other two were from the Death Rhyme clan. They had been under the command of Kakuzu recently, responsible for patrol and guard duties.
I originally thought I would be risking my life for free, but I never expected to receive 50,000 taels of silver per month. If there is a battle, there will be additional subsidies and compensation for casualties.
Having witnessed the power of Kakuzu and Byakuya, as well as the incredible medical ninjutsu of Retsu Unohana and Emi, their confidence in the Red Cross Society's strength has grown, and their sense of belonging has deepened day by day.
Kakuzu nodded slightly, then turned and left, heading straight for the headquarters office building.
"Kakuzu, please have a seat," said the shadow clone, Chisaku, gently.
After Kakuzu took his seat, he got straight to the point: "Senju-kun, what are your orders?"
"Hmm." Shadow clone Chisaku pondered for a moment. "Kakuzu, since leaving Takigakure, have you ever returned?"
Kakuzu's green eyes widened slightly, then he said in a deep voice, "No. That place is no longer the Takigakure I remember."
"The Red Cross Society will gradually expand to surrounding small countries, and Takigakure is naturally among them. I happen to have business to attend to in Takigakure Village right now, so you will come with me and represent the Red Cross to make contact with them," said the shadow clone, Chisaku, in a calm tone.
"Okay," Kakuzu readily agreed.
"Kakuzu, how much do you know about the Heroic Water of Takigakure?"
Kakuzu frowned, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes, before scoffing, "Hero's Water? It's nothing but fool's water. The higher-ups of Takigakure use it to trick fools into drinking it, so they can protect their own interests."
"Drinking that water can unleash dozens of times more chakra, but the price is a drastically shortened lifespan, or even instant death."
"How is the Hero's Water produced?" The shadow clone, Qian Shuo, ignored his emotions and continued to ask.
"It is said to have been accumulated in a hidden cave. However, I have never seen it with my own eyes," Kakuzu replied.
"Hmm. I need to take a look in person. If the conditions are right, I plan to plant a special plant there," Shadow Clone Chisaku explained. "I'll take you there now using the Flying Thunder God Technique. You can lead the way. It's said that the entrance to Takigakure is extremely well hidden."
"Okay." Kakuzu agreed without any hesitation.
With a slight thought, the shadow clone, Senju, transformed into the appearance of Kuchiki Byakuya, connected his chakra with Kakuzu, and the two disappeared instantly.
Ten kilometers outside the capital of the Land of Waterfall, two figures suddenly appeared.
"Let's go to the capital, the Daimyo's residence, and get a written authorization." Byakuya, the shadow clone, said calmly. "After all, we are an organization that pursues justice, and we should avoid fighting as much as possible. With this nominal authorization, Takigakure will be more likely to cooperate."
"Yes." Kakuzu nodded, offering no objection.
He, Genou, Emi, Saori, and Honoka had all heard Hoshino Sensaku recount the deeds of the Sage of Six Paths. Furthermore, Sensaku believed that the Sage of Six Paths was still "alive," and that their Star Organization and the Red Cross Society should naturally follow the Sage of Six Paths' code of conduct.
Half an hour later, the two walked out of Daming Prefecture.
Regardless of their strength and reputation, Xingyuan Qianshuo's current mastery of the Yin and Yang power origins, as well as the "infectious power" inherent in his bloodline, is something that ordinary people cannot resist.
Naturally, they successfully obtained the authorization letter from the Daimyo of Takigakure.
Then, led by Kakuzu, the two headed to Takigakure.
The land of waterfalls is full of waterfalls. Where they arrived was a seemingly ordinary group of waterfalls.
"This is it. Pass through the waterfall and you'll reach Takigakure." Kakuzu pointed to the waterfall ahead.
Byakuya, the shadow clone, focused his senses, only to discover to his surprise that the waterfall completely blocked his perception.
"Kakuzu, is there a barrier in Takigakure that blocks perception?" Byakuya, the shadow clone, asked.
"Not before," Kakuzu replied.
Byakuya, the shadow clone, pondered for a moment, then leaped into the air and climbed to a high place. He did not fall, but instead walked on air and continued to ascend.
He rose to a height of about 200 meters and stopped to look down.
Below lies a valley surrounded by highlands, where lush green trees and neatly arranged houses are hidden among the trees.
It was the end of January, still the dead of winter, when plants should have withered, but here, lush greenery thrived.
"It can both block perception and make plants grow against the seasons—there's definitely something special about this place." Byakuya, the shadow clone, smiled slightly, becoming increasingly curious about Takigakure.
He then landed and returned to Kakuzu's side.
Kakuzu was slightly surprised to see him standing in mid-air for the first time, but then he understood: if the other party can even master Wood Release, what's so strange about him being able to fly?
Kakuzu led the way to the waterfall. There were no guards outside; the natural environment provided the best cover.
The two instantly passed through the waterfall and entered a cave passage. After walking through the winding and complicated passage for about a minute, they stepped into the valley where Takigakure Village was located.
There were guards at the entrance to the valley, but the ninjas were clearly not very vigilant.
The shadow clones Byakuya and Kakuzu were almost upon them when they suddenly realized what was happening.
"Halt! Who goes there!" Two young ninjas, around seventeen or eighteen years old, shouted sharply, their voices trembling.
However, after looking into the eyes of Byakuya, the shadow clone, they suddenly seemed dazed, and then respectfully said, "Lord Byakuya, Lord Kakuzu, welcome back."
Byakuya, the shadow clone, curled his lips slightly, ignored him, and walked inside side by side with Kakuzu.
As he walked, he sensed the situation in Takigakure.
The population here is about four or five thousand, with around three hundred ninjas. Among them are about twelve Jonin, and only two have reached the level of elite Jonin.
"The one with the most chakra—could it be the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki? But he's a bit weak; his chakra level isn't even as high as Emi's." Byakuya, the shadow clone, pondered to himself.
Thirty years have passed since Kakuzu left the village, and the layout of the village's buildings has long since changed.
The rest of the journey was led by Byakuya, a shadow clone, using his senses.
Along the way, they encountered many ninjas, but no conflict arose. With just a glance, the other party would fall into a genjutsu.
This genjutsu is not a Sharingan genjutsu, but a Yin Release genjutsu modified by Hoshino Senjutsu based on the Sharingan. It is used with the help of both eyes and is more than enough to deal with ordinary ninjas.
Takigakure has long enjoyed peace and is protected by its natural geographical environment, so its internal security has long been lax.
Soon, the two arrived in front of the ninja whose chakra reserves were second only to the elite Jonin.
The other person was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with delicate features, wearing a loose kimono, and with long black hair flowing down. He was sitting on the tatami mat reading a scroll.
"You—" Tatsuki, the leader of Takigakure, looked up at the newcomers, his face filled with shock, "Kaku—Kakuzu?"
"It seems that Takigakure still remembers this old fellow," Kakuzu said in a deep voice.
"Kakuzu, we have put aside the grudges of the previous generation, we will no longer pursue your betrayal of the village, and we have long since stopped hunting you down."
Che Mu forced himself to stand up, his face grave. "What exactly do you want by suddenly barging into the village?"
His mind raced—had the ninja outside been silently killed, or had something else happened?
He was naturally aware of Kakuzu's strength, as Kakuzu was the only rogue ninja from Takigakure who was still active in the underworld.
That is the Earthly Grudge Technique. Even though the village has lost this technique, related records are still preserved.
If a fight were to break out, unless he were to consume the Hero's Water, he would find it difficult to win. In the entire Takigakure village, only Mizuha, being a Jinchūriki, possessed the power to fight him.
"My name is Kuchiki Byakuya. May I ask how you are addressed?" The shadow clone Byakuya said calmly.
Upon hearing this, Tetsuki's gaze fell upon the man whose attire and demeanor exuded nobility. After a moment's contemplation, he replied, "I am Tetsuki, the leader of Takigakure."
"Chief Tetsuki, Kakuzu and I are both members of the Red Cross Society. This is our organization's information, and this is the authorization letter from the Daimyo of Takigakure." The shadow clone Byakuya said, taking out two pieces of paper to show them, and then lightly waved his right hand, and the papers floated lightly towards Tetsuki.
Chemu, who should have been on guard and dodged, was momentarily distracted and subconsciously raised his hand to catch it.
He looked down at the papers in his hand. The first page stated the Red Cross's mission, headquarters location, and current activities. The second page was an authorization letter signed and stamped by the Daimyo of Takinojuku, authorizing the Red Cross Society to conduct business in Takinojuku and ordering Takinojuku Village to provide assistance.
"This—" Che Mu's thoughts surged.
He would never want to go to war with Kakuzu and the other person unless absolutely necessary. Even if he won, Takigakure would pay a heavy price.
Moreover, the other party has an organization behind them. If we are inexplicably dragged into the conflict, the consequences could be dire.
"Since you want to cooperate, why did you trespass into my Takigakure village?" Tetsuki said gravely.
"The location of Takigakure is secluded, and we want to convey the information as soon as possible, so naturally we have to go there in person," said Byakuya, the shadow clone, calmly. "In addition, our organization has another collaboration that we would like to discuss with Takigakure."
Just as he was about to continue speaking, a ninja suddenly rushed in from outside the door.
Byakuya, the shadow clone, had already sensed that the person who had arrived was the elite Jonin with the most chakra in Takigakure, who must be the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
"Brother Chemu, I'm here!" A clear voice rang out before he even arrived.
She was a female ninja in her mid-twenties, with blue-green hair and a face full of energy.
She stood at the doorway, her eyes gleaming, as if ready to stop any enemy from entering.
"Brother Tetsuki, all the village ninjas are under a genjutsu!" the female ninja exclaimed, her tone surprisingly excited. "Are these two enemies?"
Upon hearing this, Che Mu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was just an illusion, which was much better than being wiped out silently.
He quickly changed his mind and ultimately decided to discuss cooperation first, rather than confront the two men with weapons.
"Shuimo, they're here to discuss cooperation. Don't rush into action," Chemu said in a deep voice.
"Oh—" Shui Mo responded in a drawn-out tone, her voice full of disappointment.
She is the Jinchūriki of the Seven-Tails, the strongest in the village, and no one can rival her. Unable to leave the village, she's bored out of her mind every day.
I thought the arrival of the enemy would allow me to have a good fight, but...
"Hello, Mizuki. My name is Kuchiki Byakuya." The shadow clone Byakuya smiled slightly. "If you'd like to fight, I'm willing to spar with you."
The moment he saw Shui Mo, he felt that she bore a resemblance to the future Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, Riku.
In the original work, Fu liked to make friends everywhere, but this Shui Mo seems more interested in fighting with people.
He also wanted to take this opportunity to demonstrate his strength and see if he could obtain any rewards related to the Seven-Tails.