False Valley, the forest outside. From the location, the collapsing mountain could be seen clearly.
Kakuzu and accompanied by Bug Men, had been waiting, witnessing the spectacular scene of the mountain's collapse together. The place had been utterly transformed into ruins, no longer existing.
"Before coming here, I never imagined this to be such a place." Bug Man said emotionally.
The villagers were rogue ninjas, who had abandoned everything outside and using the transformation jutsu to assume new identities.... It was essentially self-deception. These people were truly pitiable for denying their past in such a manner. Moreover, this peace is built on illusion made it appear even more hypocritical.
"As long as war remains this world, those seeking an escape from this hell will continue to yearn for such place." Earth Man said as the others reflected while looking at the collapsed mountain.
The people who lived there may not be deemed incompetent, but merely surviving in this world had already exhausted them. Having lived in isolation for a long time, they felt superfluous even within the world. False Valley bacame their sole sanctuary. Yet, whether they broke this peace or not, someone else would inevitably shatter it sooner or later. Escaping carried no shame. The most admirable trait in humans was the courage to face challenges.
"Instead of worrying about that, you should be more concerned about my compensation. I've been working tirelessly for a few days without break for you, and all my efforts as a debt collector had been hakted. How do you plan to make it up to me?" Kakuzu interjected cryptically.
"You never take a break, do you?" Bug Man responded looking at Kakuzu speechlessly..
"Is that even possible?" Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, emitting a dangerous glint.
"Alright, alright. How about ten million ryo?"
"If you believe your life is worth only ten million ryo, then let's pretend I never brought it up."
'Kakuzu-san suddenly seems more interesting...' Bug Man appeared more concerned about this matter than money.
At that moment, Ruri approached them, nodding upon seeing that nothing had happened with Kakuzu and Bug Men.
"The mission is considered complete. When you're on your next job, remember to be careful, and.. don't fall into the enemy's trap so easily."
"Yes."
The five responded simultaneously, their expressions serious. This journey had made them realize their shortcomings in certain aspects. Despite undertaking various bounty missions in the black market and facing various enemies, there were still enemies in this world who could render them helpless.
Compared to the Sannins who had been defeated by them, there were stronger people out there. The ninja world's depths harbored formidable challenges, and encounters as challenging as this one will arise.
"Let's go."
Ruri turned her head, taking a deep look at the collapsed mountain, beneath which the nameless village chief lay crushed.
Survival in such a situation was impossible. The nameless village chief, who lost all his important people due to war, found no meaning in life. His life ended when he decided to establish False Valley.
The one who fought her before was merely the false persona the nameless village chief had molded for himself decades ago. For him, death was truly a relief..These are harsh times, and there was no promised land. Only with power can one protect everything they cherished. Fear and apprehension hold no meaning.
As Ruri and the others left, the villagers of the valley, not far away, didn't approach to stop them. Instead, they observed the collapsed valley with complex and sad expressions. None of them uttered a word. The self-awareness influenced by the nameless's genjutsu was apparent. Despite this, they were syill willing to return to live in this false village.
"We will build a new one."
After a prolonged silence, someone spoke. This statement resonated with the others, and they all nodded and agreed.
They could no longer exist in the real world. Their consciousness has submitted to that falsehood. Despite being a disguised peace, as long as they continue using the illusion of peace to numb themselves, returning to the real ninja world was undesirable. Yet, they understood that they were merely going from one hell to another hell. They were all ninjas proficient in various ninjutsu, they need only establish another False Valley.
Amongst them, there was a child refrained from taking action. Instead, he gazed intently at Ruri and the others who had departed from with an almost resentful look, as if he wanted to etch their figures firmly in his heart. It was this group of people who destroyed their village, making them breathe the tainted and unsightly air outside. They only wanted an ordinary life, why should they be treated this way? Or, in other words, it was a rejection and jealousy as outsiders.
Despite witnessing the peace and beauty here, they disagreed and continued returning to reality. Isn't the peace here worthy of being cherished and nostalgic? The seeds of hatred took root in the heart of this child.
.....
"Nagato-sama, the place seems to have been destroyed..."
Three hours later, White zetsu led Nagato to False Valley.
Here, they witnessed villagers tirelessly working to rebuild the collapsed mountain. This time, they didn't plan to build the village on the mountainside but to expand a peaceful paradise underground. The original had completely crumbled and no longer existed.
Nagato, taking in this panoramic view, silently observed the scene before him. Without saying a word, he turned around, intending to leave. Suddenly, at that moment, a childish voice reached his ears:
"Are you also here to destroy our village?"
These words stopped Nagato in his tracks. The speaker was a boy of about ten years standing under the shade of a tree, he stared directly at Nagato and asked. Nagato looked at the child. 'He should be a child from the village.'
But he heard that False Valley was a place where rogue ninjas are gathered. The child wasn't using the transformation jutsu like the others, that meant, this was his real appearance. However, there was something strange. This child, possibly not even ten years old, possesses a not-so-weak chakra. His strength might even surpass that of most villagers working there.
Most importantly, this child had probably witnessed bloodshed, possibly even committed killings himself, and a large number ones at that. He had eyes of those who disregard the world and not those of ordinary children ignorant of the world.
Nagato shook his head and responded: "No, I came here to find the village chief, but it seems the village has been destroyed."
"Looking for the village chief?"
The child pointed to the original ruins of False Valley and stated: "The village chief was buried there, and he should be dead now." As he spome, his face twisted ferociously but then calmed again.
"Indeed... that's a pity. I had something to do with him. Now with him dead, we'll let it go."
From White zetsu, the village chief was a powerful genjutsu user. Having lost all his family in the war, he escaped the world and secluded himself here, using genjutsu to forget the past and fabricating a false personality to serve as the village head here.
His genjutsu was unique and can be released in a large area. False Valley has remained peaceful for many years and hadn't been disturbed due to his powerful genjutsu. Using the sense of smell to deceive enemies, anyone entering the valley becomes unknowingly influenced by the genjutsu. The longer one stays here, the deeper the genjutsu becomes, making it increasingly challenging to defeat the village chief.
Nagato initially thought that, given the village head's desire for peace, he might be interested in the Akatsuki. As long as he persuaded him to abandon this illusionary peace which was similar to the 'Infinite Tsukuyomi' he could make him an ally.
After all, breaking free from his genjutsu took considerable effort even for Madara, according to White zetsu. Those with regrets and remorse would be manipulated by his genjutsu to become puppets. A person of such strength shouldn't bury their life here. In the final moments of life, contributing to the world's splendid fireworks would be worthwhile.
Now, however, Nagato realized his wish would be impossible to fulfill.
"Can you tell me who destroyed this place?"
Although the mission failed, there were still gains. The village chief, despite his old age, wasn't someone any ninja could defeat. Recruiting the one who defeated the village head would be a valuable choice.
The boy answered without hesitation: "It's a woman in black tights with red eyes. She controlled a huge blood giant. She defeated the village chief."
"Red Eyes... Red Giant..."
Nagato murmured, and a figure suddenly flashed in his mind.
White zetsu also realized and exclaimed: "Isn't that Uchiha Ruri? What was she doing in here?"
"Uchiha... Ruri?" The boy seemed interested.
Before Nagato could respond, White zetsu continued with a warning: "She's an extremely dangerous woman, and an evil woman who likes showing off her power whenever she meets a new opponent!"
Guruguru once stated that in this world, there were two people he feared the most - Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Ruri. Different from.people like Madara, Ruri was someone who who loved fighting. Her preferred style of battle was unleashing her ultimate move first, them mercilessly annihilating all enemies in her path.
"Zetsu, shut your mouth. There's no need to discuss such matters with a child."
Nagato could discern the hatred in this child's eyes. This child wanted revenge on the one who had destroyed his village. However, Nagato doubted his ability to achieve this. Revealing Ruri's existence to him would only lead to a futile death.
"Bur, he does seem to have something extraordinary. Perhaps he could cause some trouble them in the future." White zetsu scratched his head.
"Even so, it shouldn't be encouraged." After Nagato's statement, he left from the scene.
White zetsu didn't leave immediately but looked at the child and inquired, "Little boy, what's your name?"
"Name? My name is Yi... No, my name is Bubuyue." He responded to White zetsu.
"You're quite interesting. You're really worthy of being someone from False Valley. Bubuyue... seems like a false personality you created." White zetsu smiled,
"That's not true! I'm Bubuyue!"
White zetsu smiled amusedly and, under the dissatisfied gaze of the boy, descended into the soil.
"If you can cause some trouble for Uchiha Ruri in the future, this trip won't be in vain. However, it's impossible for a kid like you to reach that level in your lifetime."
Ignoring White zetsu's deliberate provocation, Bubuyue simply gazed into the distance.
"Uchiha Ruri... I will kill her..."
She destroyed his village and killed the great village chief he loved and respected. His revenge must be exacted.
...
"So, it is a false reality created with genjutsu? Your experience this time seems quite amazing."
After going through the mission report and gaining a comprehensive understanding of the mission's execution, Shiraishi smiled with keen interest at Ruri. Having learned the true nature of False Valley, he couldn't help but lament how deeply war has ravaged humanity.
In order to avoid the persecution of the war, the village chief defected from his original village, and established a refuge villag. Others like him must have suffered from wars. However, they lafked the strength of the village chief, many had died on the path to peace.
"Yes, although I'm not particularly fond of using genjutsu alot, this time has expanded my understanding."
Ruri replied with a smile. She belatedly realized that the village chief's genjutsu had already enveloped the entire land. Had it not been for his old age and weakness, breaking free from that genjutsu might not have been so simple. But there were not so many ifs in the world.
After all, without such years of accumulation, the village chief's genjutsu would not be so terrifying. Ruri already prompted Soryu to take the village chief's decades of research on genjutsus.
The exploration and research on genjutsus had broadened Ruri's horizons. Olfactory genjutsu was an extremely rare type of genjutsu in the world, rarely studied by people. Unless one refrained from breathing, they will succumb to this genjutsu.
In the future, the Uchiha clan within the Land Of Demons will have another avenue to learn such genjutsu.
"Then, I can only look forward to it."
Shiraishi wasn't proficient in genjutsu; he could only claim he knew how to use them. Moreover, his method of releasing the genjutsy was too rigid, offering little effectiveness against enemies in actual combat. He excelled at breaking them, with his primary expertise lying in the study of Yin Release and Yang Release.
Shadow Dancer was a manifestation of his Yin Release. And his Healing Sage Art combined his Yang Release with Sage Mode. He believed that with his continued training on the healing art, he might even regenerate a severed limb.
"Here, this is a gift for you." Ruri produced a palm-sized glass bottle from her pouch, half-filled with water.
"This is?" Holding the glass bottle, Shiraishi couldn't immediately discern its purpose.
"From the words of the village chief, he called this water - hallucinogenic water. It emits a scent similar to natural breath, capable of deceiving an enemy with genjutsu. Bug Men were knocked down by the fragrance emanating from wildflowers eroded by this water."
"Then, what about Kakuzu..."
"Probably because he has a unique body structure."
Bug Men's body, despite he modifications, was essentially no different from an ordinary human. Their body transformation merely facilitated the use of their secret jutsu.
Kakuzu's body.... Honestly.... he was no longer human. Apart from the surface layer resembling a human, the inner cavity contained numerous black tentacles teeming with 'life'. From Kakuzu, his physical endurance far surpassed that of ordinary humans, and his resistance to genjutsu was remarkably high. This was likely due to the secret ninjutsu called 'Earth Grudge'.
"If that's the case, this water does hold significant research value. But is that its only aspect?"
"It's gone. The river was affected when the mountain collapsed, and it has now been destroyed. The fragrance has also dissipated from there, leaving only this left."
"That's how it is. The remnants of the Blood Mist faction need to be wiped out as soon as possible. I hope there will be no further troubles on Bug Men's side."
The phrase 'wasteful' failed to escape from Shiraishi's lips. Holding the glass containing the water, Shiraishi sighed. After all, Yagura's funds had been collected, and if things don't go well, Bug Men's reputation will be tarnished. However, Shiraishi didn't believe their luck would be that unfortunate. False Valley and the village head were truly rare finds in the world.
....
April, Konoha.
"The above is the entire content of this meeting, and the meeting is now dissolved."
In a brightly lit meeting room, all the people present were clad in hooded windbreakers, predominantly in black and white.
At the head of the conference table, two figures were seated – a man and a woman.
Judging from their figures, they appear to be the minister and deputy minister of Konoha's Anbu. Hailing from the esteemed Sarutobi clan. They were also the eldest son and daughter-in-law of the Third Hokage.
Although they don't frequently make public statements and mainly operating secretly to protect Konoha, their strength surpassed that of most Konoha Jonins.
It is rumored that if the two were to unite their forces, even a Sannin would face considerable challenges. In fact, a ninja who had achieved such position must inherently possess significant strength.
Following the announcement of the meeting's dissolution by the two, Anbu members present began leaving the meeting room.
"Kakashi, you stay."
Just as a relatively short Anbu member was about to leave, a composed voice stopped him.
Kakashi's face, concealed under his mask, showed a hint of surprise, but he maintained his composure. Pausing at the door, he then retraced his steps back into the conference room.
"Minister, Deputy Minister, do you have any orders?"
Undoubtedly, Anbu duties were demanding. For Kakashi, it made no difference whether he served under the Fourth Hokage or the Third Hokage. However, in comparison to his earlier days under Minato, there were now occasional breaks.
After all, the Anbu under Minato had to organize themselves, and many of the missions fell on Kakashi's shoulders. But now the Third Hokage ddint need to involve him in such details. Numerous ninjas within the village matched or even surpassed his strength.
Kakashi was curious about why the two before him summoned him back. If there was anything, it could have been addressed at the conference, eliminating the need for a private discussion.
"Actually, there's a secret mission, and we want you to lead a team to investigate."
"Secret mission?" Kakashi blinked.
"Are you aware of the recent disappearances in the village?"
"I've heard something... Doesn't that mean progress is being made?" Kakashi asked curiously. He was aware of the situation. In February of this year, Konoha experienced numerous cases of people going missing. The missing persons ranged from ordinary civilians to ninjas.
"In fact, it hasn't been a smooth progress, but due to public perception, we've had to present it positively. Before you, three teams were assigned to carryout the investigations, yet there hasn't been significant progress. We hope that your team can intervene. Within Anbu, I suspect there's a mole, allowing whoever this person was to consistently avoid the Anbu's tracking.
"If that's the case, it isn't hard to deduce."
Kakashi wanted to point out that there were only a handful of people in Konoha with this capability.
First, strength was important, followed by a ninja familiar with the Anbu operations, capable of infiltrating Anbu. Elders, advisors, Sannin – beyond that, there was no one else.
However, Kakashi found it strange. If Orochimaru or Danzo were responsible, why was he unaware? It seemed that these two didn't entirely trust him. That was the only explanation Kakashi could come up.with.
"That's the situation. Due to certain rules, we need to secure concrete evidence."
One of the ministers stated solemnly to Kakashi. Clearly, they had specific targets in mind, but when it involved high-ranking ninjas, it was challenging to bring them in with mere words.
The Anbu could only make an arrest if there was evidence; otherwise, it was a violation of the rules. As an Anbu, every action and word must conform to self-regulation.
"Yes. I understand."
Kakashi nodded, assuring the two ministers that he would thoroughly investigate the matter.
After Kakashi left.
"Kakashi... can he be trusted?"
The woman posed the question. The man beside her responded, "Within the Anbu, there's no ninja more trustworthy than him. He's the one who saved Jiraiya's life. If even he can't be trusted, who else can be trusted?"
The man seemed to hold Kakashi in high regard. The woman nodded, acknowledging the validity of her husband's statement. If Kakashi, too, were deemed untrustworthy, then there would be no credible members left in the Anbu.
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