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After letting Shokui devour the bodies, Ye Zi and Sasori boarded the ship and headed directly to the western part of the main island.
As for the assassination squad sent by Root, Ye Zi didn't take them seriously. He was far stronger now than before, and even if Root's assassination squad kept coming, it would at most just provide more food for Shokui.
The ship sailed through the waves, and traveling by sea was much slower than traveling on land. The journey was calm, and by the time they reached a small island, a week had already passed.
The target they were looking to recruit was in a very vague location, so they had no choice but to search based on certain characteristics.
This small island, unlike the Land of Waves, was rich in resources, and the people's living standards were above average.
After arriving on the island, the two first found a place to fill their stomachs and then began collecting information about a ninja who used a large sword, but they found nothing. Or rather, there were simply too many people in the Land of Water who used large swords—it seemed to be somewhat of a hallmark there.
After staying on the island for half a day, they moved on to the next island, but still found nothing. Instead, they encountered a squad of Mist ninjas, whom Sasori quickly dispatched, sealing their bodies into a scroll.
In this way, they wandered around the islands surrounding the Land of Water for several days, searching for Kyuuroku Hōkyō. Finally, they obtained a clue to his whereabouts.
Following the lead, the two arrived at an island named "Rakusui," among the many islands, and found the traces of Kyuuroku Hōkyō.
The sky was gloomy, dark clouds rolling in, and the sea breeze was several degrees stronger than usual, a clear sign of impending rain.
When Ye Zi and Sasori found Kyuuroku, they saw him being ambushed by a group of Mist Anbu from a distance. The two simply stood there, watching the battle unfold.
"This is a good opportunity to see what this guy is capable of."
Ye Zi glanced up at the sky, then looked at the young man wielding a large straight sword. He was tall and muscular, his hair flowing loose, and his nose was wide and flat, much like the large sword he held.
"Doesn't look like much," Sasori commented coldly.
On the battlefield, a thick mist gradually began to rise, obscuring their vision and enveloping both the Mist ninjas and Kyuuroku.
"Mist ninjas love using this kind of trick," Sasori said casually, his puppet always wearing its usual expressionless face.
Mist ninjas, who specialized in the "Silent Killing" technique, would often create a thick mist at the start of a battle. Since both sides here were trained Mist ninjas, the battle was a contest of Silent Killing skills, frustrating Ye Zi and Sasori's plans to assess Kyuuroku's strength.
"If he gets even slightly injured, kill him. This material would please you," Ye Zi said calmly. This Silent Killing technique was just a cheap trick to him. With his sensory abilities, he could easily take out the Mist ninjas hiding in the fog within seconds.
Sasori remarked, "Are you that eager to see my human puppet-making skills?"
The implication was that in such a battle, it would be difficult not to get injured.
"I'm not interested in the slightest," Ye Zi bluntly retorted.
Sasori snorted but said no more, watching the thick mist cover the area.
A short scream pierced the silent mist, followed by stillness. After a while, another brief scream echoed, then silence again.
"How boring," Sasori commented.
Though Ye Zi didn't say anything, he shared the same thought.
The battle in the mist made noise intermittently, twelve times in total, before the mist began to dissipate at a visibly quick pace.
Twelve noises—representing the twelve members of the assassination squad. It remained unclear who survived.
"It's finally over," Sasori said indifferently.
As the mist cleared, twelve blood-soaked bodies lay scattered on the ground, and standing among them, holding a large sword, was Kyuuroku.
Sasori's gaze swept over Kyuuroku's uninjured body, and he remarked with some regret, "What a pity."
"Let's go meet him."
Ye Zi jumped down from the tree and headed toward Kyuuroku, with Sasori following closely behind.
The battle had drained Kyuuroku, and although he was uninjured, the toll on his stamina and mental energy was clear. Seeing Ye Zi and Sasori approaching, he quickly raised his large sword and assumed a defensive stance, his eyes coldly watching them.
In the past, he would have attacked these two strangers without hesitation, but having just finished a battle, he needed time to recover his energy. So, since they hadn't attacked him yet, he didn't make the first move either, choosing instead to observe and buy time to recover.
Ye Zi stopped about fifty meters away from Kyūraku and, seeing his defensive posture, got straight to the point, saying, "Kyuuroku Hōkyō, join the Akatsuki."
Throughout their journey, whenever Ye Zi recruited members, he always cut straight to the chase.
Hearing Ye Zi's straightforwardness, Sasori, hidden within his puppet, raised an eyebrow, remembering the time when Ye Zi had recruited him.
"The Akatsuki? What kind of organization is that?" Unsure of Ye Zi's intentions and wanting to stall for time, Kyuuroku cooperatively responded.
Ye Zi replied, "You can think of it as a mercenary organization."
Kyuuroku sniffed and asked, "Why are you looking for me?"
Ye Zi coolly replied, "The Akatsuki recruits powerful rogue ninjas, and you meet the requirements."
"Let me think about it," Kyuuroku said offhandedly.
Ye Zi's expression showed a hint of impatience, but before he could speak, Sasori interjected, "I don't like waiting. Join or die."
This last sentence made Ye Zi glance at Sasori, feeling that the words seemed strangely out of character for him.
Sasori, noticing Ye Zi's glance, remained impassive. Those words had been a deliberate imitation of Ye Zi's style.
"Alright, I'll join," Kyuuroku suddenly agreed readily, catching both Ye Zi and Sasori off guard. At that moment, Kyuuroku quickly formed hand seals.
"Mist Concealment Jutsu!"
Thick mist suddenly surged, and Kyuuroku's figure swiftly vanished into the fog.
"So he refused. If you're going to take him down, leave him alive," Sasori said, glancing around at the now-impenetrable mist.
Ye Zi replied coolly, "He's quite strong. Let's convince him to join."
"How do you plan to convince him?" Sasori asked.
From within the thick fog, Kyuuroku's voice echoed from all directions, making it hard to pinpoint his location.
"You still have time to chat? I don't care who you are. A small-time mercenary group I've never heard of dares invite me? Let me show you the—"
Suddenly, Ye Zi darted in a specific direction, lightning flashing as if to pierce through the fog.
Moving at lightning speed, Ye Zi reached out and grabbed Kyuuroku by the throat, cutting off his words. Lightning surged through his hand, paralyzing Kyuuroku's entire body.
"If we're convincing him, this is the way," Ye Zi said, lifting the stunned Kyuuroku as he spoke to Sasori through the mist.
"Fair enough," Sasori replied, as if he could see the scene despite the mist.
Looking into Kyūraku's now-panicked eyes, Ye Zi repeated, "Kyuuroku Hōkyō, join the Akatsuki."
This time, Kyuuroku, his body rigid and unable to move, didn't respond to Ye Zi's words.
After all, his throat was being tightly squeezed.
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Currently on Chapter 268 - Expanding the Battlefield and Imminent Peril