"It's ready, my lords," Lady Katsuyu informed them. "Please stand together, and my split body will perform a simultaneous summoning from the other side."
Most summoning beasts couldn't manage synchronized summoning, but Katsuyu was an exception, being a single entity that could split into many.
"Tsunade," Shinho reached out her pale hand.
There's no such thing as a free lunch, Shinho thought, but he still took her hand. More accurately, Tsunade's large hand enveloped his small one.
It was warm.
Shinho raised an eyebrow, feeling his body briefly shake. But in just a few seconds, the shaking stopped. When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a quiet alleyway, with distant sounds of a bustling market and street vendors echoing nearby.
"We've arrived, my lords," Lady Katsuyu's familiar voice spoke again, though this time, the split body was larger, now reaching up to Shinho's waist.
"Thank you, Lady Katsuyu," Tsunade released Shinho's hand, clenching her fists with excitement. "Off to the casino!"
"Have fun," Lady Katsuyu said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
This level of service deserves five stars, Shinho thought, nodding to himself. Compared to the troublesome toads or the cold, emotionless snakes, Lady Katsuyu was by far the most diligent and reliable.
"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune called out, quickly reminding her, "We still need to buy the alcohol."
"You take Shinho. Meet me at the casino once you've bought the drinks," Tsunade said as she leaped away, disappearing in a few agile bounds.
For real?!! Shizune fumed, patting her chest in frustration. After a few calming breaths, she regained her composure.
"Shizune-nee-san," Shinho spoke slowly, "Why don't you follow Tsunade-sensei to the casino? I can handle buying the alcohol on my own."
"No way," Shizune rejected the idea without a second thought.
"Nothing will happen here," Shinho shook his head, explaining, "We're in the capital of the Land of Fire."
"There could be accidents, even in Konoha," Shizune said, lowering her head slightly, her expression turning mischievous. "Maybe there's an evil woman lurking, looking to kidnap little kids."
How childish, Shinho thought, I think you're more dangerous than them.
After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Shizune-nee-san, do you want to win back all the money Tsunade-sensei has lost?"
"Of course!" Shizune answered without hesitation, "But I'm no good at gambling."
"Just bet against whatever Tsunade does," Shinho adjusted his sunglasses, advising, "She's your guiding light, a walking bad luck charm."
"Huh?!" Shizune drew out the sound, as if a light bulb had gone off in her head. She slapped her hands together in sudden realization, her face lighting up with excitement. "How did I not think of that before?"
Though this tactic wouldn't work for more complex games, it would be perfect for simple ones like high-low betting. As long as she didn't lose money, it was a win.
"Oh, and use the Transformation Jutsu to gamble," Shinho reminded her. "If you don't hurry, Tsunade-sensei might already be losing big."
"Here, take this," Shizune said after a few moments of hesitation, handing him a signal flare. "If anything dangerous happens, use it. Konoha shinobi stationed nearby will come to help."
"Got it," Shinho nodded obediently.
In the capital of the Land of Fire, Konoha had not only stationed ninjas but also the Guardian Twelve, led by Sarutobi Asuma. In theory, it was quite safe here, and this was why Shizune felt reassured. Besides, Shinho had decent self-defense skills. With his strength, even a mid-level chunin wouldn't be able to cause trouble for him.
"Once you've bought the alcohol, come meet us at the casino," Shizune said, patting Shinho's head before turning to leave.
Finally, Shinho sighed in relief, Now I can go meet Konan.
The day before, he and Neji had visited a nearby exchange market, the so-called black market, just outside Konoha. There, they had issued a task to rescue Karin, specifying an Akatsuki member known by the code name "White Tiger."
Though the Akatsuki organization wasn't well-known within the Five Great Nations yet, their name had already gained a reputation in the underground world. They were seen as a mysterious and powerful group with a highly efficient track record and good client feedback, often accepting high-difficulty, high-reward tasks.
The meeting point was set at a small izakaya (Japanese-style pub) that also happened to sell the sour and bitter wines he needed—killing two birds with one stone.
Shinho left the alley and entered the bustling main street. He looked around, quickly identifying his destination.
"Welcome!" the young female attendant greeted him with a professional smile. "Sorry, little one, but we don't sell alcohol to kids."
"I'm buying it for my teacher," Shinho explained, pointing toward the nearby casino. "She'll be coming over soon."
The attendant hesitated, unsure whether to trust him. But when she saw the thick stack of bills he handed her, her eyes lit up.
"I'd like half a jin of sour wine and half a jin of bitter wine," Shinho ordered.
"No problem!" The woman quickly took his money and brought out two flasks of wine.
"Thank you," Shinho said, taking the flasks and adding, "I'd also like to reserve a table."
"Feel free to choose whichever you like," she said, smiling warmly.
Since it was still early in the day, the izakaya was empty. Shinho chose a seat by the window and sat down. Soon, two lines of text appeared before his eyes:
The Sour and Bitter Wines you bought meet the requirements for merging with the Wine Gu Worms to form the Four-Flavor Wine Gu. Would you like to proceed with the merge?
Shinho exhaled in relief. It seemed the wine he had purchased was indeed suitable. He placed the flasks into his storage scroll for safekeeping, deciding to hold off on the merging until he had advanced to the next rank.
"Here's your menu," the attendant said with a smile, handing it over.
"Thank you," Shinho replied, quickly scanning the options. Though the izakaya was small, the menu was extensive, offering everything from sashimi and salads to grilled dishes and stir-fry.
He ordered two glasses of orange juice, as it was still morning and he wasn't particularly hungry yet. He wasn't sure when Konan would arrive, so after a moment of thought, he closed his eyes and began meditating.
"Welcome!" the attendant's voice chimed again about ten minutes later.
Instinctively, Shinho opened his eyes.
A new guest had entered the izakaya.
The newcomer appeared young, but she carried an aura that discouraged strangers from approaching. Her light blue hair, with a hint of purple, swayed slightly as she walked. Her hair was styled in a bun with a paper flower adorning the right side. Her face had light purple eyeshadow, and a piercing was visible below her lower lip.
She wore a black cloak embroidered with red clouds, covering her entirely, leaving only her striking but cold face visible.
"May I help you with anything?" the attendant asked, clearly impressed by the woman's beauty.
Konan ignored her and looked directly at Shinho, the only other person in the izakaya. She frowned slightly.
A six-year-old boy?
Was this a coincidence? Or was he the one? He matched the description: sunglasses, long coat…
As she hesitated, the boy waved at her.
This is odd, Konan thought, feeling out of place. Is this the boy who handed over a million ryō? Who is this kid, and which powerful family does he belong to?
"Please, have a seat," Shinho said, pushing one of the orange juice glasses toward her.
"You're the client?" Konan glanced at the juice before asking in a flat tone.
"That's right," Shinho confirmed.
Shinho nodded.
Originally, he had planned to use the Transformation Jutsu, but upon reflection, he decided it wasn't necessary. The next time he would interact with the Akatsuki, he'd be older, and by then, Konan likely wouldn't recognize him anyway.
"Alright," Konan said, her face expressionless. "When do we leave?"
According to the black market's rules, the client pays upfront, and the organization collects the payment after completing the task. In other words, Shinho had already paid the fee in advance.
So even though Konan saw that he was just a young boy, she had no reason to refuse.
"Is it just you?" Shinho asked, slightly puzzled.
Typically, the Akatsuki operated in pairs for their missions.
"I'm enough on my own," Konan replied without concern.
Kusagakure was a small shinobi village, barely hanging on for survival. They didn't have many Jonin, so with Konan's mobility, she could easily swoop in and extract Karin before they even knew what hit them.
Plus, since Shinho had specifically requested her, it made sense to keep things simple. Right now, the Akatsuki could use any money they could get.
"You'll take me with you," Shinho added after some thought.
He wasn't trying to be reckless. His goal was to make sure Karin formed a strong impression of him right away.
"That's not part of the deal," Konan shook her head.
"I'll pay more," Shinho held up two fingers. "Two hundred thousand more."
Konan's eyes narrowed slightly.
After a brief moment of consideration, she nodded. Easy money was hard to pass up.
"Can we make it back by the end of the day?" Shinho asked.
"Yes," Konan replied after a pause.
Kusagakure was located in the northwest of the Land of Fire. At her full speed, she could get there and back in just a couple of hours.
"No time to waste then. Let's go now," Shinho said, standing up. "Don't forget your orange juice."
"I don't drink," Konan said, dismissing the glass.
Though Shinho appeared harmless, she was always cautious.
The two left the izakaya and headed for a secluded alley.
Konan reached out, grabbing Shinho by the shoulder. Instantly, countless paper sheets flew from her body, forming a pair of white wings behind her.
"Wait," Shinho quickly said. "I'm you client—you can't just grab me and fly off like that."
Konan frowned slightly but, considering the extra payment, and let go of his shoulder.
What happened next surprised Shinho—she bent down and picked him up in a princess carry.
Her white wings expanded as she soared into the sky.
Shinho hurriedly secured his sunglasses and held down his hair as the strong winds blew against him, making it hard to keep his eyes open.
Achievement unlocked: 'Who's the princess now?' Reward: Large Belly Frog.
Large Belly Frog: A second-stage Gu worm with a stomach capable of storing items. Note: It can't store Gu worms or poisonous objects. Every time it expels an item, it croaks.
Seriously? Shinho thought, amused.
"What did you say?" Konan glanced down at him.
"The wind's too loud. I can't hear you," Shinho waved his hand dismissively and chose not to explain further.
It was hard to tell how much time had passed before Konan finally stopped.
She set Shinho down and began making hand seals. Soon, a paper clone appeared in front of them.
Without a word, Konan dissolved into tiny paper fragments and flew off toward Kusagakure in the distance.
Shinho adjusted his hair and restored his appearance.
He glanced at the cold and composed Konan. Tsunade's arms were softer and warmer, he mused.
"You'll hear the news soon," Konan said flatly, having noticed his gaze.
Shinho nodded.
A few minutes later, the paper fragments returned to her body.
Konan grabbed Shinho's shoulder once more, and the two flew up again. They landed behind one of the houses in Kusagakure.
"They're inside," Konan said, pointing to a nearby building.
They? Shinho was startled.
Could it be that Karin's mother wasn't dead yet?
He thought back to the original story.
It was never clearly mentioned when Karin's mother died, but from the context, she seemed to be around six or seven years old at the time. Karin, being the same age as Sasuke Uchiha, would be six this year.
Shinho pushed open the door and walked inside.
On the bed lay a young woman with long red hair.
Her exposed skin was covered in bite marks. She looked like she was on the verge of death, drained of all energy and vitality.
As a member of the Uzumaki clan, she had immense chakra reserves and a remarkable healing factor. Takigakure had been using her as a living medical kit, drawing her chakra to heal others. The bite marks were the result of this cruel practice.
In the original story, she had died from overexertion, and her daughter, Karin, inherited the same fate.
When Shinho entered the room, both women were visibly startled.
"Don't!" Karin cried out, standing protectively in front of her mother. She extended her small, pale arms and said, "If you need to bite someone, bite me! I'm young, so It'll be more effective than my mom."
"Karin…" The woman, struggling to sit up, pulled her daughter into her arms and looked at Shinho with pleading eyes. "She's too young. Please, spare her."
She knew well the price of having one's chakra drained—it meant paying with your life.
Already a broken shell of herself, she was determined to protect Karin, no matter the cost.
How pitiful, Shinho thought, sighing inwardly as he walked forward.
"I'm not from Kusagakure," he said softly.
The woman froze, shocked.
"I'm here to help," Shinho continued, extending his hands toward her.
With Konan guarding outside, there was no need to worry about any interruptions.
Mystical Palm Technique.
This was Shinho's first time using it on a fellow shinobi. Fortunately, the woman's injuries were all external. The main reason she hadn't healed was her severely depleted chakra, which had weakened her body.
Karin's red eyes widened as she watched Shinho, her gaze fixed on his calm face. The soft green glow of his chakra seemed to radiate warmth, something she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Can you walk now?" Shinho asked as he withdrew his hands.
"Yes," the woman responded, her face showing deep gratitude.
She could sense that something monumental was happening. Maybe, just maybe, she and Karin could finally escape this hell.
"Let's go," Shinho said, keeping the conversation brief. Now was not the time for pleasantries—the priority was getting out of Kusagakure safely.
"Can we bring one more person?" Shinho asked, glancing at Konan.
The original mission had only specified rescuing Karin.
"That'll cost extra," Konan replied, nodding.
She instinctively looked up and paused.
Red hair, bruised and scarred… Konan couldn't help but think of Nagato.
Her heart softened slightly.
"Fine," Shinho agreed.
This mission to Kusagakure had gone far smoother than expected.
With Karin and her mother safe, Shinho now had access to their invaluable sealing techniques.
Konan performed a series of hand seals, creating two paper clones.
This was probably one of the easiest jobs she had ever taken on.
If only all clients were like Shinho, Konan thought.
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