Sasuke's figure flickered through the trees as he journeyed back to Konoha.
'I do wonder... Is immortality so important? Jashin cultists go around killing people and sacrificing them to their God for it. Orochimaru ended up choosing to experiment on innocent people for it.'
The idea of immortality but at the cost of following the actions of Jashin cultists or Orochimaru didn't exactly appeal to Sasuke.
Sasuke wouldn't go around calling himself a saint, but giving up his humanity for immortality?
No, he isn't that desperate for it.
Furthermore, he didn't understand the significance of immortality if you are unable to grant it to those closest to you.
'Then again, my thoughts on immortality are probably influenced by the fact I've already died once...'
However, his thoughts churned as he pondered the consequences of what he had done after destroying the lab.
'Will anyone figure out I've put the top echelon of the Land of Fire including the Daimyo under Genjutsu? Probably, not. Obito managed to do that to a Kage/ Jinchuuriki and only got outed due to suspicions regarding the 4th Mizukage's 'colourful' tendencies.'
Controlling the Daimyo and his ministers was something Sasuke had thought of doing a while ago, he didn't particularly understand why no one else had done something like this.
'Did everyone just get brainwashed to accept that the Daimyo is entitled to vast wealth and power simply from birth? Without requiring any real strength?'
Sasuke shook his head, bewildered by the societal acceptance of the Daimyo's illusory authority.
He was left pondering if everyone had been subtly brainwashed, finding the Daimyo's power overshadowing the strength held by ninjas as incongruous.
Something Sasuke could understand in possibly his old world, but here?
Where there were walking nukes called ninjas travelling the lands?
It simply didn't make too much sense to Sasuke, what frustrated him further was he didn't find anything regarding this in his prior investigation.
Whilst he was lost in his thoughts his eyes drifted to the storage scroll on his side, something he had seemingly forgotten about.
'What am I going to do with you?'
The Jashin cult member was still left unconscious in the storage scroll, yet Sasuke couldn't think of what he could do with him.
Absorb him?
Not exactly feasible. He can't exactly obtain anything from that as his immortality is based around a link between his body and soul.
Which was something Sasuke didn't want to gain for himself. From what he knew, the erratic and bloodthirsty behaviour exhibited by Jashin cultists seemed to be due to this strange link between soul and body.
Kill him?
Not something Sasuke could do for now without resulting to destroying the cultist's body.
Hell! The only way to kill Hidan from the canon storyline was to starve the man.
If Sasuke attempted to do the same, the body would possibly be left with irreversible damage.
Something Sasuke didn't want to see, as he would at least want the corpse to remain intact so he could try to research it in the future.
Interrogate him?
This isn't something Sasuke is certain about being successful. The unique situation regarding the target at hand would make this prove difficult.
A Jashin cultist's behaviour doesn't exactly conform to the norm and it is rather difficult to manipulate with hypnosis via Sharingan Genjutsu.
What could you even use to manipulate them?
Their lust for murder?
There's also the fact that if the cultist is like Hidan, he is most likely rather resistant to torture and would probably end up enjoying the pain.
Mental torture?
Sasuke couldn't think of a way to do that, these people in the end were clinically insane. The pain inflicted on them may simply end up making them feel closer to their God...
'I mean there is that...?'
An idea slowly formed in Sasuke's mind regarding how he should deal with the cultist.
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As the day turned to evening, Sasuke soon found himself back at Konoha.
He was greeted by the village's all too familiar silhouette, he could make out the busy figures of villagers and ninjas as they busied themselves with their work.
The first thing he did upon returning was head to Anbu HQ and inform them of his success in completing the mission.
He then handed in the evidence he collected along with a list of names, detailing who Kazuki had interacted with throughout the surveillance and whom he had colluded with.
Standing in front of the Uchiha compound, Sasuke could see a figure bustling around inside. Seeing this, a small smile crept onto Sasuke's face.
'Having someone waiting at home doesn't seem too bad...'
Karin, sensing a familiar chakra presence behind her, turned around. Upon seeing the figure of Sasuke her eyes glowed as he dashed over.
"Sasuke? Have you finished the mission already?! Are you injured? You should get some rest, I'll make us some dinner in the meantime."
Karin asked, checking up on Sasuke with concern.
"I'm fine Karin. I'll quickly go and get myself ready. I'll help with preparing dinner too."
Sasuke answered, he then made his way back to his room where he changed out of his Anbu attire.
At the dinner table, Karin and Sasuke sat down and began eating their dinner.
A comfortable silence enveloped them, one savoured a good home-cooked meal that he hadn't had in a while and the other one simply enjoyed the feeling of not eating by herself.
Once they had finished, Karin gave her stomach a soft pat as she breathed out a comfortable sigh and promptly propped her head onto her hands.
"How was the mission? You weren't in any danger?"
Karin asked Sasuke about how he found the mission, concerned over whether he had been placed in danger during it.
"I can't go into too much detail for obvious reasons but overall it went alright. And no, I wasn't ever really in danger."
Sasuke replied though he did wonder if he was lying by saying the latter half of his words.
'I mean I'm not exactly lying. Kimimaro didn't pose a threat. If I had gone all out by relying on my Mangekyou and Ninjutsu, I don't think he would have had the time to blink before he died. Well, at least he helped me understand how strong my Taijutsu is for now.'
He paused his thoughts as he looked at Karin across him and began pondering something.
'It should be time soon...'
"Karin?"
"Yes?"
"You know how I mentioned that I'd need your help with something when we first met?"
Sasuke asked with Karin nodding in return.
"Well, regarding that. I'm probably going to have to take you out of the village alongside me soon to investigate something."
His words made Karin feel rather happy.
"I can help?"
She quipped, glad that she could finally do something to help Sasuke as she hadn't done much since coming here. All she did was study and make some food, not something that could be equated to Sasuke saving her from Kusagakure.
"Of course you can."
Chuckling to himself upon hearing her doubting herself, Sasuke responded.
"When will we go?"
"There's no hurry.
We'll have to wait until I get a mission that can justify me leaving for a long time..."
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The next day, the sun's rays began to bask Konoha in the gentle glow of dawn.
Sasuke woke up, feeling refreshed. For today at least he wouldn't need to keep himself busy with investigating some corrupt minister or throw himself right into training either.
'Though now that I think about it...
I could carry out 'that' plan.'
The plan that Sasuke was thinking of was something he had wanted to do since he initially came to this world.
It revolved around two things.
1) Look over the intelligence at the Hokage's office
2) Steal the Hijutsu from the various clans of Konoha and check out the historical records kept in them
(Hijutsu= Secret/Hidden Techniques)
As he thought over his plans, Sasuke got out of bed and readied himself for the day ahead.
What could he find in the intelligence he was going to look at?