"These guys can run like a hare. At least I managed to round them all up," muttered the Kurogami as he surveyed the four mummified corpses on the ground, nodding with satisfaction while checking his bounty scroll.
Pulling off his black mask, Shin's face emerged. He smirked, saying, "The Munch-Munch Fruit and Dark-Dark Fruit are pretty convenient. Now, I can absorb chakra without consuming people en masse."
Shin reflected on the benefits of his combined powers. "The Munch-Munch Fruit space in my body is now merged with the Dark-Dark fruit dimension. I can directly perform body modifications through it without having to consume materials physically. Plus, I can store components directly in the dark dimension, switching between transformation modes at will."
In essence, the Dark-Dark Fruit's gravitational force acted like a powerful suction force, while the Munch-Munch Fruit handled digestion and assimilation. Shin's self-modification abilities were streamlined, allowing him to keep various resources in the dark dimension and make transformations on demand, with each fruit enhancing the power and versatility of the other.
Moreover, Shin had tested the nullifying effect of the Dark-Dark Fruit. While it didn't nullify chakra-based abilities as it did Devil Fruit powers, it significantly interfered with ninjutsu by draining chakra quickly, making it challenging for opponents to launch jutsus. And with the Munch-Munch Fruit at his disposal, he could siphon chakra directly, boosting his own power without resorting to "eating" his targets.
After finishing off the four ninjas, Shin took their heads to the nearest black market. While he didn't rely on black market rewards, staying connected kept him informed and offered him steady opportunities to test his strengths.
"Alright, I've done enough here. The Nine-Tails Rebellion should occur within the next few months. Time to cash in these heads and move on," he said as he entered the black market.
His presence caused a stir; bounty hunters in the market shot him looks of fear and awe. Over the last few months, Shin had easily eliminated hundreds of rogue ninjas, rebels, and missing-nin, some with unique abilities and strong defenses. None stood a chance against him; he had yet to receive a single injury. His strength was rumored to rival that of a Kage-level ninja within the bounty hunter circle, akin to Kakuzu among the few Kage-level powerhouses in the trade.
With a smooth flick, Shin tossed the decayed heads onto the counter. Initially, he'd wondered if his method of capturing bounties—leaving them somewhat desiccated—would complicate identification. Still, the black market had methods to confirm identities even from skeletal remains, which saved him considerable trouble.
"Wait a moment, sir. We will process this right away," said the black market boss, scurrying to sort through the bounty heads and pay Shin.
Once paid, Shin purchased the latest intelligence, perused it, and promptly left.
"I'm more than ready now. Aside from bolstering my chakra with these hunts, I've gained every chakra nature. I'm ready to learn practically every ninjutsu in the ninja world!" Shin mused.
"Konoha, here I come!"
Shin idled in a hotel room in Konoha, staring out at the village. "This is getting dull… How much longer until the Nine-Tails breaks out?"
For Shin, entering Konoha was not particularly challenging. Though it functioned as a military fortress, it still welcomed civilians and merchants daily, and with no criminal record, he slipped in easily. His bounty work left no trace in Konoha, and the years had matured his appearance from the 10-year-old he'd once been to a 16-year-old, subtly altered by his transformation abilities. He doubted anyone would recognize him.
Working as a bounty ninja, Shin had kept his face hidden behind a mask so his record remained clean. Now, with his earnings, entering Konoha without raising suspicion was simple.
Regarding Anbu surveillance, Konoha has thousands of visitors daily. Konoha will incur financial losses if each visitor is assigned an Anbu ninja.
Of course, areas like the Anbu headquarters, Root base, Hokage's office, and the information archives were guarded by both fuinjutsu and vigilant Anbu ninjas. Shin avoided these spots, roaming freely only in Konoha's commercial and residential districts.
He'd lingered in Konoha for almost a month, aware that long-term visitors drew attention. Most merchants conducted quick business before departing, whereas a prolonged stay risked scrutiny from the Konoha shinobi.
During this time, Shin learned about the fates of his former classmates and chunin instructor, who had died in the war, which stirred a pang of sadness. He felt justified in his choices. If even a veteran, battle-hardened chunin had perished, his odds as a young shinobi would have been bleak.
Beyond reminiscing, Shin explored Konoha and mapped out various hidden locations with his perceptive observation haki and enhanced sensory abilities. Though his presence would not go unnoticed in secure areas, his advanced senses allowed him to pinpoint many key positions despite Konoha's seals.
As he quietly prepared for the approaching chaos of the Nine-Tails Rebellion, Shin readied himself to capitalize on the turmoil.
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Chapter 105: Kojin's Devotion is now available.