Escape From Konoha

Late November.

The weather is much colder than usual. It feels like the hot summer has suddenly transitioned directly to late autumn, and winter is about to begin.

It's been a while since I became a rebel nin and left the village.

With just a rough count, Kisame calculated that in the days since he left Kirigakure Village, he had been pursued by Kirigakure's troops six times in total.

The pursuit troops in Kirigakure Village were like the seductress from hell who came to the human world, lingering behind him.

Regardless of whether it's hot summer or heavy rain, winter is about to begin, Kisame believes that these guys are still looking for traces of themselves and want to take away the heads on their necks, and they will not let go.

Thanks to these guys, the difficulty of his work in the underground black market has increased a lot again.

He usually not only has to take care of the underground black market business, but also takes care of the chasing troops who are looking for him to avoid being ambushed.

These guys don't know much, and they won't be merciful to his rebellious nature.

If you can avoid it, try to avoid it. This is also what Yagura told him.

At the same time, after leaving, he was also given many trump cards to save his life, which he could use when his life was in danger. In order to support his future rebellion against ninja, the Kingdom of Ghost also gave him many novel things to facilitate future information transmission and self-protection.

However, Kisame still found it troublesome.

Even though he knew that the pursuit team was pursuing him relentlessly in order to make the spy scene 100% close to reality and make no one suspicious.

"Mr. Kisame, there is no problem with the target. This is your reward this time. After deducting the cost of purchasing intelligence, the total is seven million taels of bounty. Please check it."

The underground money exchange built under the dry well is an important facility for the underground black market to undertake work.

After the staff inside checked the mission target of Kisame's hunting, they nodded seriously, took out the black leather suitcase filled with seven million taels of banknotes that they had prepared in advance, and handed it to Kisame respectfully.

"There's no need to check it, I want to buy new information."

Kisame said as he took the black box.

"Please tell me."

The staff maintains a respectful and serious work attitude.

Regardless of their strength, any bounty hunter is a respected customer of their underground black market.

Treating every customer as God in their hearts is their most basic professional ethics.

Precisely because this is a disorderly and lawless place, it must be restricted by a kind of 'rules', otherwise this place will not become the broadest gray platform in the ninja world.

"I need a piece of information about Kirigakure's pursuit of the troops. Can I get it?"

Kisame asked with a grin.

The inability to pass through the Yagura route caused the pursuing troops to stop their pursuit, otherwise the scene would not be able to be played realistically.

But taking another road to avoid the pursuing troops in Kirigakure Village is also an option.

The staff knew about Kisame's difficulties. In fact, defecting ninjas who joined the underground black market and worked as bounty hunters had more or less such problems.

"This kind of thing is difficult to do. Kirigakure Village is huge, and the pursuit force is a ninja agency directly affiliated with Mizukage. All we get are some scattered information, which may not be of much use to Mr. Kisame."

The staff did not deceive Kisame.

If it's a Ninja Village in a small country, they can get a lot of information using some means.

However, the Great Country Ninja Village, especially important institutions like ANBU, are not disclosed to the public at all and only belong directly to the five Kage ninjas.

If the underground black market can obtain this detailed information, then the underground black market can really cover the sky with one hand.

The fact is that facing the ninja villages of the five major countries, the underground black market is at an absolute disadvantage.

It exists because this is an intricate gray platform.

It is specially designed to allow wealthy businessmen or high-ranking officials in the ninja world who are unwilling to disclose their names and identities to handle some matters that are inconvenient for them to handle.

"It doesn't matter. As long as you can provide me with their whereabouts, there will be no problem."

Kisame also knows that this kind of thing is a bit difficult for the underground black market platform. The Kirigakure Village pursuit force is a secret force directly affiliated with Mizukage. Their detailed information is definitely not accessible to outsiders.

"Understood, we will ask people to pay more attention to this information and provide assistance to you, Mr. Kisame."

The staff nodded in agreement.

As for what effect it can achieve, he can't guarantee it, so he can only do his best.

After hearing the staff's promise, Kisame nodded and left with the reward.

A space filled with the stench of putrid corpses all year round is really unbearable for normal people.

Even though some spices were used to treat one side to lighten the smell, Kisame was very sensitive to smells and still smelled an odor that made him uncomfortable.

After leaving the money exchange, Kisame set off along the path.

Kisame had long been accustomed to eating and sleeping outdoors.

This has often been done in the past when carrying out missions.

Surviving in the wild is one of the most important life skills for ninjas.

When passing by an open space, Kisame saw that the environment was quite secretive, and the terrain was conducive to his escape. Even if he was attacked by an enemy, he could use the surrounding environment to cover himself, making it easier to retreat.

Therefore, Kisame planned to spend the night here tonight and make do with it for the time being before looking for a place to live in town tomorrow.

While the fire was being lit, there was some movement in the trees not far away. Kisame couldn't help but look up and saw a familiar face that was half yin and half yang.

A strange person who calls himself 'Jue'.

The true identity is an intelligence officer serving a certain organization, divided into black Zetsu and white Zetsu.

These days, the frequency of this guy's search for him is almost more than that of Kirigakure's pursuit troops.

"It's you again, didn't I tell you? I have no interest in joining an organization or anything like that, so don't bother me again."

Kisame's tone sounded impatient, and his intention to send people away was obvious.

"Don't be so cold. We are here with sincerity."

It was Bai Jue who spoke.

In many cases, Black Zetsu is the silent one, but that is why he is dangerous.

"Then you should also know that it is impossible for a rebellious ninja like me to join another organization. A ninja like me who betrays his superiors one after another will not end well."

Kisame said so pessimistically, quite self-deprecatingly.

The so-called character creation is the ability trained in the ghost country spy training.

A hypothetical personality is developed with a targeted purpose, and can be switched at any time to enter the state.

In order to complete this training, I had to endure a lot of hardships in the military intelligence agency of the Kingdom of Ghosts before I could master it.

"It's true. He first betrayed his boss, the Fugu Demon of Watermelon Mountain, and then betrayed the Mizukage's trust, becoming a notorious S-class traitor... If he didn't join the group to keep warm, he would probably die in Kirigakure. In the hands of the hunting troops."

It was Black Zetsu who spoke.

His words always hit the point, as if he could see into people's hearts. They were completely opposite to Bai Jue's hip-hop smile.

Nothing else could be seen on that completely dark face.

"Your intelligence gathering abilities are truly extraordinary. You can investigate such a hidden matter clearly."

Kisame took a deep look at the other party.

"The organization does not recruit mediocre people. All ninjas who join are ninjas with special skills. Of course, you also have this ability. I heard that you can fuse with your own ninja sword and transform into a tailless beast. This It’s the strength that the organization lacks.”

"You guys know so much. But again, I'm no longer interested in joining an organization or anything like that. Can you let me be quiet for a while?"

Kisame said.

"Are you going to live in such a boring way? What is your motive for defecting from the village?"

Black Jue asked.

"This kind of thing has nothing to do with you."

Kisame's expression was a little stiff and a little angry, as if he had been touched by something.

"You are homeless and already alone. But it is difficult to survive alone in this cruel world. Since Kirigakure Village cannot accommodate your existence, you might as well try a new identity and survive Find the meaning of your life in this world.”

"The meaning of life? The more you talk about it, the more outrageous it becomes. Does such a thing really exist in the world of ninjas?"

Kisame sneered like this, seeming to be very disdainful.

"Yes, our organization is determined to bring peace to the world. To this end, we have gathered a group of powerful partners. However, we currently lack sufficient combat effectiveness. Your joining is essential."

Hei Jue Tu's scan revealed more information.

He knew that meaningless conversations alone would not be able to move Kisame's heart.

The other party betrayed his boss twice in a row. Before leaving Kirigakure Village, he also assassinated the Daimyo of the Country of Water. It can be said that he is the most vicious traitor ninja in the history of Kirigakure Village.

Kisame is in the confusion of life at the moment. Faced with this kind of ninja who is at a loss and has lost his life goal, he can only provide guidance from other places.

And for such a ninja who has lost his way in the ninja world, Black Zetsu has seen too much.

Rather, ninjas have this kind of virtue.

"Hmph, world peace... what a childish game."

"Anyway, if you wander aimlessly like this, you don't have any goals at all, right? You might get more fun from it. How about joining in and giving it a try? If you don't like it, you can volunteer in the future. Disengage.”

Hei Jue said persuasively.

Kisame fell silent and did not answer the question. He seemed to be thinking seriously about the pros and cons of this matter.

Black never persecuted too much.

Like the S-class rebellious ninja wandering in the ninja world, every one of them is arrogant.

For example, when we first recruited Orochimaru, we spent a lot of effort to get him to join.

None of these guys are easy to get along with, they are all dangerous beings.

It is completely impossible to bring this group of dangerous rebellious nins together without absolute power to suppress them.

But Black is extremely confident in Nagato's strength. He has integrated the Rinnegan and inherited all of Madara's legacy. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is the strongest ninja in the current ninja world.

In a one-on-one battle, absolutely no one can defeat Nagato.

Hei never doubted this point.

Therefore, recruiting dangerous rebellious ninjas like this can make them obedient, all thanks to Nagato suppressing them from above.

After bidding farewell to Kisame, Hei Zetsu could already see the hesitation and struggle in his heart.

Next, you just need to test it more. Sooner or later, the other party will relent and join the organization.

Orochimaru and the others alone would not be able to complete the task of capturing the tailed beast.

Moreover, the military power of the five major countries is too strong, and it is necessary to destroy their alliance. This is also imperative. Cooperating with Danzo of Konoha is one of the plans.

As long as I can find an opportunity to weaken the ninja power of the five major countries, I will definitely be willing to carry out some sabotage operations within them.

"Is this really possible to recruit him? He still seems reluctant, so there is little hope."

Bai Jue said.

The purpose of the two of them these days is to recruit Kisame to join the organization.

As for Danzo, although he is also watching, after all, the operation has not officially started and there is no need to keep an eye on him.

As for what Nagato thought of further cooperation with Danzo, he never found a suitable opportunity.

Although the hostility between Danzo and the Third Hokage was used to prevent Konoha from recovering its strength as soon as possible and causing it to fall into a bad internal conflict environment, Danzo's overall interests still tended to favor Konoha.

We also maintain a high degree of vigilance against outsiders like them.

If they go too deep, it will be counterproductive and make Danzo stop cooperating with them.

Recruiting Kisame wouldn't be such a hassle.

The other party is a rebellious ninja who is free from the ninja world. All ties with the past ninja village are cut off, which can be said to be a visible benefit.

The only problem is that the other party refuses to give in. We have been following up for nearly a month, but there is still no sign of the other party relenting.

"Didn't I already say it? Guys like him who leave the village are most likely to get confused in the outside world and lose their goals in life. For humans, goals are very important."

Black Zetsu seems to have a deep understanding of this aspect.

In his opinion, human beings are boring creatures who lose their goals and fall into confusion.

At this time, it is also the easiest time to confuse them.

Their hearts will become extremely fragile at this time.

He has seen countless such humans before.

In every era, there is no shortage of such ninjas.

Living in confusion and fear all my life, not knowing what the meaning of life is.

"It's always a troublesome statement."

"I will lead the operation, and you only need to be responsible for providing intelligence. Next, keep a close eye on him. I have revealed part of the organization's information in the previous recruitment operation. He is now in a state of frustrated chagrin, reflecting on The meaning of my life. Soon, we will be able to close the net."

Hei Jue is so confident.

"Really? What should we do with the chasing troops in Kirigakure Village? Do we also need to monitor them too?"

"Well, keep an eye on their tracks. Kisame's personal strength is still a bit weak when facing a huge force like Ninja Village by himself."

"I know, I hope it ends soon. I'm more concerned about things in Konoha."

Bai Jue chuckled.

"Ah, of course. For the organization, another pair of Mangekyō Sharingan is needed. Whether it is to capture tailed beasts or to deal with the more difficult Uchiha Ruri, these are an indispensable pair of eyes. "

Black Zetsu did not refute White Zetsu's point of view.

Personally, he is also very concerned about Konoha.

"I'm really looking forward to the battle between Sharingan and Sharingan. Don't miss this scene."

Bai Jue still smiled heartlessly.

"Don't forget to get down to business. Next, I will report the current work progress to Nagato-sama."

"Finally, I can take a rest. Let's go back quickly. I'll leave the surveillance work here to other Bai Jue."

Soon, the two of them were in the woods, blending into the big trees, hiding their presence as if they didn't exist.

◎

Ghost country, shrine.

"Then I'll take my leave."

The man sitting in the center of the hall stood up, bowed slightly to someone behind the curtain, and exited the hall.

In front of the cushion where the man sat, there was an unopened letter.

A miko stepped forward, picked up the letter from the floor, then walked up the steps and presented the letter.

"Lord Shion."

A pair of young hands stretched out from the other side of the gauze curtain and took the letter handed over by the witch.

"Go down."

"yes."

The miko bowed slightly, bowed and retreated.

The peace and tranquility of the past was restored in the main hall, without any noise.

The girl sitting upright on the cushion appears to be about five or six years old.

Her long hair is light yellow, tied up with a white hairband, and she is wearing a milky white miko uniform that fits her perfectly. Her eyes are filled with mysterious purple light, as if she can see through all things, giving people an inexplicable feeling of heart palpitations.

It is Shion, the new shrine maiden of the Kingdom of Demons.

As the only shrine maiden in the main line of the Kingdom of Demons, this has been the case throughout the ages.

It can be said that he is the most noble person in the Kingdom of Ghosts. Within the Kingdom of Ghosts, because of his special status, he has supreme power.

She picked up the letter left by the man just now. The man came from the Kingdom of Netherworld, a small country whose culture and customs were very similar to the Kingdom of Ghosts.

In ancient times, it was also the hardest hit area where monsters were rampant.

Because of the Kingdom of Ghosts, we have overcome many difficulties.

Ziyuan picked up the letter, opened it, glanced at it, and then said softly:

"It's just as you guessed, Father."

After she finished saying this, a young man who looked to be in his twenties came out from behind the screen.

He has been hiding there since just now.

This man is Shiraishi.

As the foster father of Shion, the current main lineage of the Demon Kingdom, he also holds a considerable amount of power in the Demon Kingdom.

"I have expected this kind of thing. So, what are their daimyo's requirements?"

Shiraishi asked.

It is not that simple for the Kingdom of Netherworld to merge into the Kingdom of Ghosts.

The Kingdom of Demon is essentially a country without a daimyo. If the Kingdom of Yu is to be merged into the Kingdom of Demon, it is impossible to retain the daimyo system, and this system must be abolished.

Although a miko is equal to a daimyo in a certain sense, in the eyes of others, she is just another title.

However, in Shiraishi's view, there is an essential difference between the shrine maidens of the Demon Country and the daimyo of various countries in the ninja world.

Because the daimyo can be replaced, but the miko cannot be replaced.

In addition, mikos of all generations seem to have no particular interest in power and basically adopt a laissez-faire attitude. As long as the bottom line is not touched, mikos will not interfere with others and allow them to grow freely.

And those nobles who seek help from the miko will not mess around in the territory of the Kingdom of Ghosts.

In this territory, if you offend the witch, it means losing the protection of the witch. This is a very dangerous thing when monsters cause trouble.

As for leaving the Kingdom of Demons, the ninja world is now in a bad era with frequent wars. The stability of the Kingdom of Demons makes many people flock to it.

Based on many considerations, even if the miko does not have any actual power, every word she speaks can be said to be a manifestation of power.

"I hope that after losing their position as daimyo, they will still retain their status as a great noble, and we will make financial compensation to them."

Shion briefly described the request in the letter.

This was not beyond Shiraishi's expectation.

The request is not too greedy and is more reasonable.

It is reasonable to retain the status of a great noble.

Shiraishi is not very repulsive to groups like aristocrats. This kind of group, no matter what era, is indelible. It is nothing more than the distinction between high-profile and low-profile.

After all, the reason why the economy of the Demon Country is developing so rapidly now is also thanks to the accumulated wealth of the Uchiha clan.

In terms of military affairs, the Uchiha clan, Hyuga clan, and Uzumaki clan also made great contributions.

Compared to these ninjas who inherited the bloodline, ordinary nobles were not targets worthy of attention.

As for financial compensation, this statement is a bit ambiguous.

"That is to say, it still requires some negotiation and compromise... Well, there is nothing wrong with this. After all, the annexation of a country, even a small country, can bring huge benefits. If certain compensation is not made, it will indeed It doesn’t make sense. It seems that the daimyo of the Kingdom of Yu is a very conservative person, and he only hopes that his family will have long-term peace and stability.”

Shiraishi nodded, seeing through the intentions of the Daimyo of Yuno Country.

This kind of self-aware nobleman is the type of nobleman Shiraishi prefers.

The reason why the other party made such a request was based on the basic national conditions of the Ghost Country.

"For the next thing, I will send people to the Kingdom of Yu to negotiate with the Daimyo of the Kingdom of Yu to determine the scope of 'compensation'."

The Country of Snow, the Country of Darkness, and the Country of Bears are three important sections in the expansion plan.

Now the Snow Country can be said to be in its hands, and its national strength is also developing rapidly. The Bear Country is making arrangements, and it is only a matter of time before it is taken into their hands.

As long as the Kingdom of You is incorporated, it can be said that the expansion plan is foolproof.

"The matter has been resolved satisfactorily, can I go out to play now, Father?"

Shion's pupils shone with anticipation.

"Have you finished your homework as a miko? That's important to you, right?"

"It's too boring. Anyway, that kind of practice can't be completed in an instant, can it? If you are too strict, it will really accelerate aging and become an old man in advance, father."

Ziyuan looked at Shiraishi with a smile. She spoke very casually and lacked the reserve and elegance of a lady.

"Okay. As long as you pay attention to the time, there will be no problem."

A little girl of five or six years old, when she is releasing her natural instinct, will naturally feel boring about spiritual practice. Shiraishi didn't find it strange.

"I know. I heard that Sister Xiaoxue's first movie will be officially screened in the near future. I'm really looking forward to it."

Shion's face showed a happy look.

Because Shiraishi serves as a link, Shion and Fuka Koyuki, a daimyo of Snow Country, know each other and have a good relationship with each other.

The other party seems to be very passionate about the film industry, and can switch identities between a famous name and an actor. He is not only a famous name from the Land of Snow who is loved by the people, but also a dedicated actor with excellent acting talent. Between the two Achieving a balance is something that Ziyuan admires very much.

"It's up to you. Again, remember to complete the miko's homework and don't always think about it for fun. Your existence is special to the country of ghosts."

Even after saying this, Shion still looked like she didn't care about training.

Unlike Miroku, who has a quiet and calm temperament, Shion's character seems a bit lively and has a strong interest in novel things. He does not seem to be the quiet and obedient type. His personality is extremely self-centered and somewhat willful.

That is, another problem child?

When Bai Shi thought of this, his expression suddenly became more melancholy.