Chapter 156 Kakuzu is being hunted
In the end, Hotaka couldn't utter the swear words.
Because the explosion of the failed experiment drowned out the sound of his cursing, flames and black smoke suddenly exploded in the white room like flowers scattered from the sky.
The broken stone platform and hard metal parts shot towards the surrounding walls, with a continuous shrieking sound. The weapons were so sharp that they could directly pierce the walls and penetrate deep into them like piercing paper.
The explosion happened suddenly and quickly. After about ten seconds, the black smoke in the compartment slowly settled and the shaking gradually subsided.
The experimenters who were lying on the ground behind the double-sided glass with calm faces and no one was hurt, raised their heads and looked to the side at the same time, but after seeing clearly, a hint of disappointment flashed in their eyes.
"What are you disappointed about?!"
Hotaka was kneeling there in an awkward position with his butt sticking up. At this moment, he felt a buzzing in his ears. After noticing the gazes of several people, veins popped out on his forehead. He could not help but raise his head and curse loudly.
"You bastards, are you trying to blow me up..."
"Ahahaha, congratulations on our perfect failure of our first experiment. This is really cause for celebration. Congratulations."
When Reyū was the first to applaud, others also broke into thunderous applause. A group of people stood up to give Hotaka a thumbs-up and, like Reyū, were full of praise, which made Hotaka choke.
While recording the information in the lab report, Reyū gave Hotaka a thumbs up, patted his shoulder and shouted: "This is truly a great experiment. Let us thank Lord Hotaka for his sacrifice for the future of Kagero Village!"
Then, Hotaka was expressionless as he was surrounded by this group of guys who had gathered around him at random. He walked out in a "friendly" manner, almost as if there were no traces of the attack in the room behind him at all.
Bang!
Looking at the closed door and Hotaka being pushed out mercilessly, the corner of his eye couldn't help but twitch.
Okay, okay, you are so cruel.
"...Haah!"
After a moment, he let out a breath of anger, but did not curse angrily. Instead, there was a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Even though those bastards looked down on him as their leader, it didn't matter. He didn't expect anyone to understand him.
"What a great explosive power..."
Hotaka walked out of the cave, looked at the street scene outside at night, and suddenly sighed.
He could certainly see how amazing it would be if the experiment those bastards were doing was successful.
It used to take half a day or even a whole day to make an explosive tag, but now they can produce them in batches as long as they carve the formula with high enough precision in advance.
If someone appeared who was very compatible with this technique and could master it perfectly even without mechanical engraving, That person might become a human explosive tag production line.
Even if such a person can be found, the energy and time required will be greatly saved, and the cost of making explosive tags will be reduced.
But...
"The price of the explosive tag is not decided by us from the beginning to the end." Hotaka shook his head.
The gap and contradictions between big countries and small countries are so deep-rooted that strictly speaking, it is the big countries that have forced Kagero Village into this situation.
In the past, Kagero Village only honestly produced Explosive tags and sold them to ninja villages in various countries, and was content with making a small fortune. At most, it would study how to make better Explosive tags faster, like it is doing now.
But people in the ninja world have no control over their own destiny, and the big countries will never be merciful.
Even though they just wanted to do some business at first, they were still forced to get involved in the disputes between the big country's ninja villages.
During World War I and even World War II, Kagero Village was often forced by Konoha and other ninja villages not to sell explosive tags to other ninja villages, otherwise they would be sanctioned.
However, as a ninja village of a small country, facing the joint pressure of the five major ninja villages, selling to one of them would inevitably offend the other.
But no matter which side's anger, they could not bear it.
The cheaper but more powerful explosive tags they created were forced down by various ninja villages to buy them in large quantities at a cheaper price.
The explosive tag that once cost around ten thousand ryo has now been reduced to around three to four thousand ryo.
Although the profit is similar to the previous one, that is the result without taking into account the R&D costs. In order to research more powerful explosive tags, they have purchased advanced equipment from other major countries, but after they were produced, they were forced to lower their prices.
Previously, Konoha had raided their Kagero Village and also seized the technology for making explosive tags, which was the main reason why the former leader became ill.
A group of bandits, not only exploiting the labor of Kagero Village, but also not letting go of their technology, it is really shameless!
But, so what?
A speck of dust in a big country is like a mountain on the head of a small country. There is no chance of resistance...
"Perhaps no matter in the eyes of the villagers of Kagero Village or outsiders, I am a harmless or even a traitorous dove?" A hint of coldness flashed across Hotaka's eyes.
That couldn't be better.
Mr. Gennō, you must hide well for me.
————————
At the same time, at the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Mountains.
"Chase!"
"Don't let him get away!"
"Hurry up and catch up!"
A figure was running quickly in the dense trees, followed by a dozen ninjas wearing Takigakure forehead protectors, chasing the figure in front relentlessly.
Swish!
Countless kunai and shurikens flew from behind, but for some reason, the Takigakure ninjas did not use the explosive tags.
"I'm so unlucky. I didn't expect to encounter these stubborn plasters!" Kakuzu frowned tightly, and his expression under the mask looked a little ugly.
The most important thing is that what he encountered was not just a hunting team like before.
Behind those dozen or so Takigakure, there was a whole small army, which should have about a hundred people.
Even the 'Undead' who have been rampant in the underground black market for many years is helpless in the face of a small ninja army who know his background. He can only choose to run away and try to get rid of them.
However, these guys' obsession with him was obviously deeper than he expected.
They chased him from morning till night, even taking turns to chase him. When their chakra was exhausted, someone else would take over and chase him instead of them.
"Tsk, I shouldn't have accepted Ōnoki's mission." Kakuzu couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
Having said that, such a huge reward is in front of him, and it is just a deposit. Even if the mission fails, it does not need to be returned. Who can resist it?
If he had to choose again, he would still take it.
"However, with these hyenas biting me tightly, it's not realistic to run directly to the Land of Rain."
Kakuzu felt his body getting tired and looked at the mountains of different heights in the distance.
Have we entered the territory of the Land of Mountains?
Then let's find a crowded place to hide first.
As the thought came to his mind, he formed seals with his hands and used the body flicker technique. No longer concerned about the consumption of chakra, he suddenly increased his speed and turned into a residual shadow and went away into the distance.
Behind him, the Takigakure ninjas who were about to bite him to death suddenly paused and looked at the figure with long blue hair in the front.
"Captain, the traitor has fled to the Land of Mountains. What should we do?"
"…"
Looking at the figure gradually disappearing in the distance, the blue-haired Takigakure ninja gritted his teeth and shouted: "Chase him!"
(End of this chapter)