Chapter 356: 300. Chapter 297: Gathering at the Bounty Station, Encirclement of Kakuzu

300. Chapter 297: Gathering at the Bounty Station, Encirclement of Kakuzu

"Ah! Did you do that on purpose or was it an accident!"

Crouching in front of Uchiha Gin to watch the show, Senju Itama was instantly drenched in blood, and turning her head with resentment, she glared with her big eyes and questioned him.

"It was an intentional accident."

Wiping the stain from the corner of his mouth, Uchiha Gin replied perfunctorily, then tossed the handkerchief he had used to wipe his mouth onto Senju Itama's head.

"Oh, just wipe it off yourself~"

The essence of a scumbag was revealed without a doubt.

"Ugh."

An annoyed Senju Itama pulled down the handkerchief draped over her head, and just as she was about to fly into a rage, she discovered the strawberry pattern embroidered on it. She then guiltily glanced at the two women who were fully engrossed in watching the drama and quietly kept it for herself.

"Hmph, enough nonsense, surrender now!"

In the battlefield below, the leader of the Ghost Corps was stunned for a moment after hearing Mu's recruitment offer. After reacting, he sneered, and the long sword in his hand thrust out violently.

"Bang!"

Not expecting the opponent to not even consider it, Mu, who was waiting for an answer, hurriedly raised his sword to block. The immense force of the collision made his arm go numb.

Seeing the opening, the leader immediately thrust his long sword toward Mu's vitals at an extremely tricky angle. The sharp sword Qi made Mu, whose center was wide open, feel a jolt of shock, and he instantly sensed the aura of death spreading.

Got him!

A sharp glint erupted from the scarlet eyes beneath the leader's mask. Just before launching his attack, he had quietly released a genjutsu exclusive to the Sharingan.

He hadn't expected that he, with the strength of an elite captain, would actually take down the famous Mu of the Hidden Stone Village. Once he returned to the Land of Waves, he could brag about it properly.

Just at this moment of extreme crisis, a water bullet shot over at a speed invisible to the naked eye, carrying immense force, and smashed straight onto the leader's long sword.

"Clang!"

While emitting a crisp sound, it also forcibly diverted the trajectory of the strike. The sharp blade grazed past Mu's armpit; there was no expected gushing of blood, only a few bandages were cut.

Covered in cold sweat, Mu immediately jumped away. Looking down at the tattered bandages on his flank, he frowned in confusion; he felt as if he had been restrained for an instant by some inexplicable, cold force just now.

"Aren't you enemies? Why did you step in to save him?"

The leader, with an unpleasant expression, turned around and looked at Hozuki Mangetsu, who was holding his right hand in the shape of a pistol, and asked with a frown.

"Oioioi, that guy's life can only be taken by me. How could I let you cats and dogs get there first?"

Lowering his hand, Hozuki Mangetsu, who had just saved his old enemy's life, stroked his little mustache in a flashy manner, though his eyes held a look of deep vigilance.

"I originally intended to deal with you later, but since you're in such a hurry, don't blame us for being impolite."

Although the leader's tone was tough, his actions were very rational. He waved his hand, and the waiting Ghost Corps immediately formed a perimeter, surrounding Mu and Hozuki Mangetsu tightly.

The Ghost Corps stared at the two with hostile intent, and the cold force radiating from their bodies could be clearly felt even from over ten meters away.

"Such dense Yin Release power. Gin, what exactly is their background?"

Standing beside Uchiha Gin, Uchiha Hikari looked at the mysterious Ghost Corps with some surprise. Such pure Yin Release power was extremely rare, even within the Uchiha clan, so how could it not pique the young girl's interest?

"I just got here, I don't know either~"

Uchiha Gin, who knew the true identity of the Ghost Corps, did not want to expose them too early, so he began to play dumb.

"They call themselves the Ghost Corps; I've never heard of this organization before?"

Uchiha Shiori, who was also somewhat curious, searched her memory for information for a long time but found no records regarding the Ghost Corps.

However, since they could become the security force for the capital of the Land of Waterfalls, they must be a newly emerged official organization, right!

"Ah? Are we still fighting or not?"

Senju Itama, who didn't care about these trivial details, had already wiped her wet little head dry. She was currently staring intently at the situation below, and seeing that both sides were holding their positions, she couldn't help but pout.

"Eighty percent chance they won't fight~"

Uchiha Gin looked up at the mist that had begun to permeate the surroundings at some unknown time; this was definitely not a natural phenomenon, but the work of Hozuki Mangetsu.

"This mist..."

"Hee hee, see you later~ Bandage man, victory will always belong to our Hidden Mist!"

The leader of the Ghost Corps clearly noticed the anomaly, but it was too late. Hozuki Mangetsu, hidden in the mist, gave a strange laugh, and after finishing his declaration, he vanished into the thick fog. Even if the leader used his Sharingan, he could not find a trace of him.

"Unnecessary."

Seeing his arch-enemy retreat, Mu also developed the intention to withdraw. He slowly took a few steps back, and in the surprised eyes of the crowd, his body actually began to disappear starting from his feet. Within a few breaths, his entire person was swallowed by the void, leaving not a single trace behind, as if he had never been there.

"Even his aura has disappeared. Is it space ninjutsu?"

Uchiha Hikari, watching intently, tried to find the secret to Mu's disappearance, but no matter how she sensed it, she could find no clues, as if he had evaporated into thin air.

Watching Mu disappear from the spot, the confused crowd speculated about his bizarre methods.

"So envious~"

Only Uchiha Gin, whose perception was extraordinary, discovered the secret to Mu's disappearance. According to the extremely faint aura, the bandage man was still in the same spot, just in a state of invisibility.

Dustless Bewildering Cover, right?

It is simply a divine technique for peeping; compared to that half-baked Transparent Escape of Gekko Hayate, it is unknown how many levels higher it is~

"Damn it, search for him!"

Seeing the opportunity to show off vanish in an instant, the leader of the Ghost Corps became even redder in the eyes with anger. After a loud roar, he ordered his subordinates.

"Yes!"

Receiving the order, the members of the Ghost Corps immediately scattered and began a carpet search of the area.

"Nothing left to see, let's go~"

The farce ended, Uchiha Gin stood up and clapped his hands, then turned and led the three women away from the viewing platform. And they were not the only group watching the show.

In a hidden corner on the other side, Shamon, who had just been chatting happily with Uchiha Gin, was staring with his mung-bean eyes at the Ghost Corps searching for Hozuki Mangetsu and the other. His brows were furrowed into a 'chuan' shape.

Before coming to the Land of Waterfalls, he had never heard of the existence of such a unit. To be able to force back Hozuki Mangetsu and the other, whose strength was not below his own, he would definitely have to investigate them thoroughly.

"Big brother, the aura on those guys makes me uncomfortable. It almost made me go berserk just now."

Emerging from a dark alley at the street corner, Ginkaku looked at the Ghost Corps not far away with a furrowed brow. The knotted veins on his forehead pulsed slightly, and a look of brutality flashed through his eyes.

"Interesting. You go and check out the background of these people. I thought this trip wouldn't have much fun, but I didn't expect an unexpected surprise."

Kinkaku looked at the Ghost Corps with great interest. Always bellicose, he really wanted to spar with this mysterious unit, so he immediately ordered his subordinate, Blackie.

Over the next few days, Uchiha Gin led the three women to carefully search for information regarding the whereabouts of the Seven-Tails, but they found nothing.

Thus, they stayed temporarily at the most luxurious hotel in the Land of Waterfalls, setting out separately every day to look for clues.

Today, the three women went out early, while Uchiha Gin stayed in the hotel, relaxed and at ease. His main goal was not to find the Seven-Tails anyway, so he put in minimal effort and waited quietly for the good news from the women.

"Mr. Gin, there have been no records of sightings of giant insects recently. Could the Seven-Tails have flown away from the Land of Waterfalls?"

Uchiha Shiori, who had been out searching for information all day, had a hint of exhaustion on her small face. She had already turned the entire capital of the Land of Waterfalls upside down and had basically explored all the places of ill repute, yet there was still no news of the Seven-Tails.

"You've worked hard, little Shiori~"

Looking at the travel-worn Uchiha Shiori, Uchiha Gin reached out to rub her head, but the girl dodged, leaving his large hand awkwardly suspended in mid-air.

"Mr. Gin, I am no longer a child."

Uchiha Shiori's cold face held a look of indignation, but there was a hint of hidden shyness in her eyes. The aftereffects of the Great Watatsumi had not yet passed, and she dared not have any physical contact with Uchiha Gin now, fearing she wouldn't be able to stop herself from letting out a soft moan.

"Sorry, sorry~"

Retracting his hand, Uchiha Gin scratched his head in embarrassment. This disciple of his had truly grown up and even knew how to avoid suspicion.

"Where are Hikari and the others?"

"They should be back soon."

Creak~

Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives. Uchiha Hikari, with a cold expression, pushed the door open and entered. Seeing Uchiha Shiori, who had returned before her, she nodded in greeting, then sat down beside Uchiha Gin with an impatient look.

"Hikari, any discoveries?"

"Same as yesterday."

An annoyed Uchiha Hikari bent down, untied her little sandals and tossed them aside, her slightly swollen, crystal-clear toes stretching out slightly. Uchiha Gin, on the side, subconsciously swallowed his saliva.

It seems the girl walked quite a lot today~

"However, this also indirectly confirms that ninjas from other villages haven't found the tracks of the Seven-Tails either."

Massaging her silkworm-like toes, Uchiha Hikari said thoughtfully,

"If they had found the Seven-Tails, a great battle would inevitably have broken out, and it would be impossible for there to be no news at all."

"Let's stop thinking about it, it's time to eat~"

The girl's analysis was logical and well-founded, and Uchiha Gin naturally agreed with both hands, but it was now mealtime, and eating was the most important task at the moment.

"Not waiting for Itama?"

"Not waiting. My stomach is growling with hunger; we'll just leave her some leftovers later."

That brat must have forgotten the time while out playing; let her go hungry for a bit!

"Bang!!!"

Just as Uchiha Gin finished speaking, the door that had just been pushed open was slammed open by a great force, and Senju Itama's bustling figure burst in.

"You brat! You'll pay for this door yourself!"

Looking at the teetering door, Uchiha Gin held his forehead in a headache and said helplessly.

"Hmph! I heard every word you said in the hallway just now, you hateful curly-haired baboon! And to think I even discovered important information!"

Senju Itama crossed her arms and glared angrily at Uchiha Gin. How dare he make her, the Senju young lady, eat leftovers! He was asking for it!

"Huh? You found information?"

Uchiha Gin, who hadn't intended to continue paying attention to Senju Itama, paused upon hearing the word 'information', turned his head, and asked in a very skeptical tone.

"Hmph hmph~"

Seeing everyone's eyes fixed on her, Senju Itama proudly raised her little head and began to keep them in suspense.

Enough, stop putting on airs~

"Bandan, hurry up and say it, the mission is important."

Seeing the look on Bandan Senju's face, Chiharu Uchiha urged him; she was also very eager to know what kind of intelligence he had discovered.

"Hmm~"

Bandan Senju did not reply, but instead looked at Gin Uchiha with a smug expression, his large eyes filled with hints.

"Alright, alright, I'm afraid of you. Whatever you want to eat later, just order it!"

"Yay!"

Happily jumping three feet high, Bandan Senju, having received the promise, slowly revealed his discovery from today.

It turned out that today, Bandan Senju had accidentally run into a few bounty hunters. From their idle chatter, he heard the name Kakuzu. Having read the details of this mission, she immediately became alert, followed these bounty hunters to a secluded spot, and knocked them all out one by one before interrogating them.

"You mean, there is a newly promoted bounty hunter named Kakuzu?"

After hearing Bandan Senju's account, Gin Uchiha raised an eyebrow. He had thought that by helping Kakuzu become a Tailed Beast jinchuriki, he would not walk the old path of a bounty hunter again. He didn't expect the other party to ultimately choose this career path after all, which really made one sigh with emotion.

"That's right, that guy said this Kakuzu is extremely strong. In just one week, he completed many high-difficulty missions. And according to the physical characteristics they described, it should be the rogue ninja Kakuzu mentioned in the mission."

Bandan Senju nodded and truthfully stated his discovery from today.

"Hmm, you little brat can actually be quite useful sometimes~"

Nodding, Gin Uchiha subconsciously reached out and ruffled Bandan Senju's head. He had just lost Chiharu, so he had to make up for it with this little brat.

"Hehe~"

Perhaps accustomed to this kind of interaction, Bandan Senju not only did not resist but instead looked like he was enjoying it, which inevitably stirred up a bit of sourness in Chiharu Uchiha, who was standing to the side.

Looking at her best friend who had turned into a mini version, a flash of hesitation crossed her eyes. It seemed this track was quite popular; should she try it too?

Bandan Senju: Danger!

"Gin, since we have already discovered the whereabouts of that rogue ninja, shouldn't we..."

Seeing that the mission had made progress, Hikari Uchiha regained her spirit, quickly put her shoes back on, and then asked for Gin Uchiha's opinion. She believed they should strike quickly to take down that rogue ninja before other ninja villages did, so as to force out the whereabouts of the Seven-Tails.

"That's right! It's time to eat~"

"..."

At the same time that Gin Uchiha and the others discovered the intelligence on Kakuzu, Mu, with a gloomy face, looked at the trembling Waterfall ninja before him, furrowed his brow beneath the bandages on his forehead, and said,

"You say you discovered the tracks of the rogue ninja from your village?"

"Yes, Lord Mu. Today, while searching, we accidentally obtained intelligence from the Exchange Center. That guy Kakuzu is not only alive but has also become a bounty hunter."

As for the intelligence on Kakuzu, he had bought it from the black market Exchange Center with his own private savings. Since Kakuzu was still a newly promoted bounty hunter, his information was not difficult to obtain.

"Are you trying to find the Seven-Tails, or are you trying to get us to help you catch that rogue ninja?"

Mu first lowered his head to ponder for a moment, then sneered as he looked up; he always felt that the motive of the Waterfall ninja before him was impure.

"Lord Mu, please don't... misunderstand. Kakuzu was the last person to come into contact with the Divine Beast. If we catch him, we can definitely ask for the whereabouts of the Divine Beast."

Intimidated by Mu's terrifying aura, this Waterfall ninja was stuttering as he spoke.

He did indeed have a bit of selfish intent, because the situation in the Hidden Waterfall Village was not yet settled, and everyone was still fighting for the position of leader. If he could return in triumph with the rogue ninja Kakuzu at this time, he would surely be able to rightfully become the new leader of the Hidden Waterfall Village.

"Hmph~ Immediately gather the troops and set out to capture Kakuzu!"

Mu was not a slacker like Gin Uchiha. The moment he confirmed the intelligence on Kakuzu, he didn't even eat his meal and quickly gathered his men to set out.

"Lord Gengetsu, the brothers just discovered traces of the Hidden Stone Village. They have gathered a large number of troops and left the city."

At the hiding spot of the Hidden Mist Village, Gengetsu Hozuki, who was enjoying dinner, heard the hurried voice of his subordinate. His eyes narrowed, and he immediately waved his hand.

"Set out!"

The black market Exchange Center of the Land of Waterfalls was established in a small town with a sparse population, not far from the capital.

A figure wrapped in a black robe walked slowly along the desolate street, dragging a corpse that had already lost its life behind him. Before long, he arrived in front of the most secluded public restroom in the town, looked around, and then flashed inside.

Smelling the unique stench of the restroom, Kakuzu did not care; he reached back, pushed open the secret door beside the urinal, and walked in.

Inside the secret door was a spacious hall. A slightly chubby middle-aged man was calculating something at the counter. Seeing the black-robed person walking in slowly, a professional smile appeared on his face.

"Oh? It's Lord Kakuzu, here to collect a bounty again?"

"Hmm."

Kakuzu under the black robe looked up, his black pupils glowing with a faint green light that hadn't been there before. He threw the corpse that was emitting a faint stench onto the counter and pulled a bounty order from his bosom and tossed it over.

"Please wait a moment~"

The staff at the Exchange Center were all professionally trained. Facing all kinds of corpses every day, they had long been immune to this kind of corpse stench. He immediately put on gloves and began to examine the corpse before him.

After a while, the middle-aged staff member, who had searched the corpse from head to toe, nodded and said,

"Confirmed, it is the person. Does Lord Kakuzu still want cash?"

"Cash!"

After a while, the middle-aged staff member brought out a bag from the back room. Kakuzu took it and opened it on the spot. It was filled with the currency commonly used in the ninja world, but having received the bounty, he did not choose to leave; instead, he took out the currency and began to count it carefully.

"Lord Kakuzu, can't there be a little more trust between people? Our Exchange Center has always been fair and honest; we would never embezzle your bounty."

The middle-aged staff member looked at Kakuzu, who was counting the money bill by bill, with black lines on his face and said quite helplessly. It was clear this was not the first time he had encountered this situation.

"This is the joy of making money. Compared to spending money, I prefer counting it."

Counting the money, Kakuzu's expression was much more relaxed than his previous tense state.

And the middle-aged staff member, looking at the enthusiastic Kakuzu, just shook his head lightly and did not continue to dissuade him.

"Phew~ The amount is correct. Are there any high-bounty jobs recently? Give me one."

After counting it several times, Kakuzu finally put the bag into his storage scroll, then looked up at the middle-aged staff member and asked.

"There are some, but Lord Kakuzu, compared to bounties, you should be careful when walking at night recently~"

Adhering to the principle of not wanting to lose an excellent bounty hunter, the middle-aged staff member, who was hunched over his accounts, looked at Kakuzu and said something inexplicable.

"What do you mean by that?"

Kakuzu's brow furrowed. He could tell there was more to the man's words, so he pressed for an answer.

"Intelligence fee~"

The middle-aged man did not answer directly, but instead revealed a mercenary smile and made a money gesture toward Kakuzu.

"Hmph~ Nonsense!"

Even if the Sage of Six Paths came today, he wouldn't be able to squeeze a single copper coin out of Kakuzu. After a cold snort, he left the Exchange Center without looking back.

"Tsk tsk tsk, what a pity."

Since Kakuzu was unwilling to pay this intelligence fee, the middle-aged man did not say anything more, just shook his head with great regret as he watched his departing back.

With a heavy heart, Kakuzu walked quickly. From the middle-aged staff member's few words, he could infer that someone was looking for him and already knew his whereabouts.

As for the other party's goal, it should be Lord Divine Beast.

Just as he stepped out of the public restroom, Kakuzu keenly sensed something strange. Before entering the Exchange Center, there were still people in the nearby shops. At this moment, it was not yet time to close, yet the shops had closed early.

Just then, a drizzling rain began to fall under the gray sky, and the humid air was faintly tinged with a murderous intent.

"Clang~"

Kakuzu felt that this place was not a place to stay for long. Just as he took a step, he saw a kunai shoot out from somewhere. He agilely retreated to dodge it, and the sharp kunai stuck directly into the spot where he had been standing.

Looking at the high-grade steel kunai, Kakuzu frowned slightly. Based on his years of experience in refurbishing kunai, this kunai definitely did not come from a small ninja village; the identity of the person who came was definitely not simple.

Since the other party had already made a move to test him, it meant the encirclement had been set. Not knowing the depth of the opponent, Kakuzu looked around and lowered his body slightly, taking a defensive stance.

"Rogue ninja Kakuzu! Surrender at once!"

Hearing a violent shout, several figures wearing Hidden Waterfall headbands flashed out from the forest. Leading them was the elite jonin who had hunted him down before. At this moment, he was standing with his arms crossed, his face full of arrogance.

"It's actually you traitors, still not giving up?"

Kakuzu looked at the newcomers with some surprise. He didn't expect that the people looking for him were his former colleagues, but then his heart sank. There were definitely more than just these people here to catch him; there must be others hiding nearby.

After all, this bunch of poor wretches would never be willing to buy kunai made of high-grade steel; they used to haggle even when buying second-hand kunai from him.

"Enough talk, attack!"

The elite jonin of the Waterfall ninja waved his hand, and the few Waterfall ninja lackeys behind him pulled out kunai and long swords, rushing toward Kakuzu.

"Hmph!"

Kakuzu, whose strength was no longer what it used to be, didn't even bother to lift his eyelids in the face of the aggressive group. He quickly formed hand seals with both hands.

Rainy days and Water Style go better together~

"Water Style: Water Formation Wall."

Only to see Kakuzu spit out a torrent of water from his mouth, sweeping toward the Waterfall ninja who were leaping forward at an extremely fast speed.

These Waterfall ninja had uneven strength. Suddenly attacked in mid-air, they immediately showed expressions of terror. In just one encounter, they were washed into the sky by this torrent of water, and then smashed heavily onto the ground, falling into a coma.

Having killed the group of Waterfall ninja in seconds, Kakuzu cast his cold gaze on the only remaining Waterfall ninja leader, his tone filled with chilling intent.

"The end for you traitors has arrived." (End of chapter)