Following the old man's directions, Shinju found the hidden passage within the Tsuchigumo fortress.
After traveling through the passage for nearly a kilometer, he emerged somewhere deep in the forest.
The moment he poked his head out, a leech the size of a fingertip clung to his head.
Shinju: (ー_ー)!!
This thing was downright disgusting!
Like a toad squatting on your face—not biting, but making your skin crawl!
With a wave of his hand, he crushed the leech, then quickly formed a chakra barrier around himself. Any leech that got close was instantly compressed into a mist of blood by the chakra's pressure.
Afterward, he sat cross-legged in the forest, closed his eyes, and expanded his sensory range to the maximum.
When his awareness detected a chakra presence burning like firelight in the darkness, Shinju let out a small sound of surprise.
"How could there be… a tailed beast hiding in such a remote place?"
Sensing more carefully, he noticed a few faint chakra signatures lingering near the tailed beast's presence.
Within dozens of li, only these few chakra presences could be found.
"Among them should be the people I'm supposed to protect."
Muttering this to himself, Shinju quickened his pace, rushing toward the source.
...
Deep in the dense forest.
A group of rogue ninja blocked Tsuchigumo Hotaru and Utakata.
"This time, without your prepared barrier, you're dead!"
One of the rogue ninja sneered with confidence.
Utakata's expression remained cold, his eyes filled with disdain.
He pulled out his bubble pipe and gently blew.
"Fwoosh—"
A mass of bubbles spread through the area, filling the space around them. Touching one would trigger an explosion, causing significant damage.
The four rogue ninja exchanged glances and shouted in unison.
"Lightning! Light! Fire! Stone!"
"Whoosh—"
A conical purple barrier expanded from the four of them, sealing Utakata inside.
Beside them, Tsuchigumo Hotaru cried out in panic.
"Utakata-san, what should I do to help you?!"
Dressed in his blue robe, Utakata remained calm as ever, unfazed by their jutsu, his aloof demeanor unshaken.
But the rogue ninja grew impatient, one of them barking, "Do it!"
"Whoosh—"
Lightning chakra surged within the purple barrier, lashing toward Utakata!
Hotaru screamed, terrified.
"No, don't!!"
At that very moment, from the trees behind them came Shinju's clear voice!
"Earth Style: Earth Wall Formation!!"
"Rumble rumble rumble!!"
Several massive earthen walls burst up from the ground, slamming against the four rogue ninja maintaining the formation. The sudden rise disrupted the barrier from within, collapsing it completely.
In the same motion, Shinju clapped his hands together.
"Wood Style: Vine Bind!!"
"Shhh-shhh-shhh—"
Thick vines shot upward, coiling tightly around the rogue ninja and immobilizing them!
Beside them, Utakata's pupils trembled violently as he stared at Shinju.
(๑ʘ̅ д ʘ̅๑)!!!
A Wood Style user in the ninja world could be counted on one hand!
And with that striking red hair, there was no mistaking his identity!
The Wood Release prodigy of Konoha!
Shinju!!!
Normally, Utakata wouldn't have to fear Shinju. But the problem was…
There was a bounty on his head.
And not just any bounty—a bounty worth tens of millions!!
Everyone in the ninja world knew: red-haired Shinju was a regular at the bounty exchange!
That guy loved money!!
A living, breathing red-haired glutton!
If Shinju had his eye on him, Utakata would definitely end up dragged back to Kirigakure for the reward!! （༎ຶ-༎ຶ）
Recognizing Shinju's identity, Utakata didn't hesitate. He immediately turned away.
"I promised Tonbee I'd protect Hotaru until Konoha's reinforcements arrived."
"Now that Konoha's reinforcement is here, I'll be going."
Without another word, he hastily blew a giant bubble, which enveloped him and floated upward into the sky.
Hotaru looked on with regret.
"Sensei, stay a little longer before leaving, why are you in such a rush…"
But halfway through her words, the young girl glanced toward Shinju standing not far away...
And was utterly stunned!
ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!
Oh my!!
He was so handsome!!
Even if she combined the looks of every man she had ever met in her life, none of them came close to his level!
Her thoughts shifted instantly. If her sensei left, she could spend time alone with this striking red-haired shinobi.
So her tone changed completely.
"It's fine, Sensei, you can go without worry. I'll be safe with a Konoha ninja protecting me! (⌯︎¤̴̶̷̀ω¤̴̶̷́)✧︎"
Utakata, floating in midair: ¯\(ツ)/¯
Meanwhile, Shinju tilted his head up at the retreating figure.
He could feel it clearly—the strong tailed beast chakra was emanating from this man!
And his desperate rush to leave only made him more suspicious.
With a flick of his hand, Shinju formed ice needles with Ice Style and burst Utakata's bubble.
"What's the hurry? Why not tell me the origin of the tailed beast sealed inside you first? (σ≧︎▽︎≦︎)σ."
Utakata crashed to the ground: !!!∑(°Д°ノ)ノ
It's over!
If this guy caught him, he'd definitely be dragged back to Kirigakure!
As Utakata struggled to think of what to say, Shinju continued his deduction.
"I know the whereabouts of the One-Tail, Two-Tails, Three-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails."
"According to the records, the Four-Tails and Five-Tails are in Iwagakure. I doubt anyone there plays with bubbles."
"That only leaves the Six-Tails and Seven-Tails."
"They say the Seven-Tails' jinchūriki is a girl…"
"So, the one sealed inside you must be the Six-Tails?"
Utakata sighed helplessly and nodded.
Resigned, he spoke.
"I've heard of you. You're Konoha's Shinju, right? If you want to take me back to Kirigakure for the bounty, then do it."
"But there's one thing I have to make clear. I owe Kirigakure nothing! And I wasn't the one who killed my master! His death was his own doing!"
Shinju scratched his head.
"A bounty? You've got a bounty on you too?! (´◊ω◊｀)"
Apparently, since Kirigakure didn't want Utakata killed, his bounty wasn't listed at the exchange but issued directly under the village's name.
And since Shinju had no time to track individual village-issued bounties, he genuinely had no idea Utakata was worth so much.
Utakata: ⊙▽⊙
"You mean… you didn't know Kirigakure placed a fifty million bounty on me?!"
Shinju shook his head.
"Not at all. (°ー°〃)"
"But now I do."
Utakata collapsed in despair: ∑(✘Д✘๑)
Damn it! Did I just rat myself out?!
He wanted nothing more than to slap himself across the face.
Then he asked weakly.
"Then… why did you stop me?"
Shinju shrugged.
"I just wanted to know which tailed beast you had sealed inside you. And also to remind you—the Akatsuki are still out there hunting tailed beasts, so you should be careful… ┐(´-｀)┌"
Shinju rubbed his hands together and added.
"But since you said it yourself—there's a fifty million bounty on you. Now that I know, it'd be a shame not to claim it. （＾ワ＾）"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo