Chapter 45:
S.H.I.E.L.D. was by no means an easy organization to deal with.
Everyone who had interacted with them would eventually come to that conclusion.
"It's not that S.H.I.E.L.D. needs something from you, it's that the Umbrella Organization needs something from you. My task this time is just to promote this product. The related payment has already been made by the Umbrella Organization."
"Although the Umbrella Organization is a subordinate branch of S.H.I.E.L.D., it operates with complete autonomy. S.H.I.E.L.D. cannot interfere with any of its decisions."
"In short, the Umbrella Organization needs money. After all, research and development also require funding."
Yes, and the Shunhi system's lottery function needed money too.
Five vials of Hulk Serum were sold for 35 million ryō—coincidentally, the price of a bounty on Asuma's head.
The Daimyō of the Land of Water didn't try to skip payment upon delivery. While the thought crossed his mind, in the end, he didn't have the courage to go through with it.
"Why sell the Hulk Serum to the Daimyō of the Land of Water?"
Uchiha Itachi still couldn't understand S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reasoning. As for the excuse that the Umbrella Organization needed funding for research, Itachi believed it—but there was no need to sell it to the Land of Water. S.H.I.E.L.D. could have just purchased it themselves.
The idea that S.H.I.E.L.D. could be short on money had never occurred to Itachi. An organization of such scale and potential threat to the entire ninja world claiming to lack funds? Itachi simply didn't believe it.
But the truth was—S.H.I.E.L.D. really was short on money. Or rather, Shunhi was short on money.
"...Flaming Cloud Evil God, do you know what an arms race is?"
"When the Land of Water obtains the Hulk Serum, its increased power will alarm the other nations—except the Land of Fire."
"Other nations that can't quickly enhance their own strength will have no choice but to purchase serum from us. Then, when the Land of Water sees other countries gaining power, it'll have to continue buying from us as well. Eventually, the Land of Water and other nations will fall into a cycle of endlessly purchasing Hulk Serum from us."
Shunhi's theory about an arms race left Uchiha Itachi stunned. S.H.I.E.L.D. truly lived up to its reputation as the hidden final boss behind the ninja world. Itachi grew increasingly suspicious that every conspiracy and war in ninja history had S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fingerprints all over it.
He had to tell Sasuke about this.
"What is the Bio-Ghost Project?"
Itachi was convinced this plan had everything to do with S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ultimate goal.
"That's not something you're authorized to know. Also, here—don't forget to use this shrinking potion."
After handing Itachi the potion, Shunhi yawned and returned to his bedroom.
He did it deliberately—he wanted Itachi to take the opportunity to report the intel to Sasuke. Otherwise, how would Sasuke have an excuse to leave the village and investigate?
And just as Shunhi predicted, Itachi didn't immediately use the potion to revert to his thirteen-year-old self. Instead, he chose to find Sasuke.
At 4 a.m., Uchiha Itachi appeared on the balcony of Sasuke and Sakura's bedroom. The moment he appeared, Sasuke opened his eyes.
Whether at home or out in the field, Sasuke always remained alert.
Upon seeing Sasuke awake, Itachi immediately pulled him into the Tsukuyomi space.
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is making moves again."
"They have a subordinate branch—Umbrella Organization..."
After sharing everything about the arms race, the Hulk Serum, the Bio-Ghost Project, and the other bio-ghosts and viral leaks that Shunhi had mentioned, Sasuke's face was filled with shock.
"The more I learn about S.H.I.E.L.D., the scarier it seems."
"What's worse is their goal—we still haven't figured it out. But I'm certain the Bio-Ghost Project is tied to their ultimate purpose."
After exiting the Tsukuyomi space, Sasuke silently watched Itachi's retreating figure while being careful not to wake his sleeping family. Then, he quickly made his way to the Hokage's office.
He ran into Naruto at his door, who had just finished work and was yawning on his way home.
Sasuke couldn't count how many times he'd silently thanked fate that he had lost back then.
"Huh? Sasuke, what brings you here?"
Naruto couldn't help but yawn again.
"New intel from the Flaming Cloud Evil God. S.H.I.E.L.D. is on the move again, this time involving the Daimyō of the Land of Water."
Ever since learning that Uchiha Itachi was a double agent, Sasuke had told Naruto about Flaming Cloud Evil God, SpongeBob, and Patrick being undercover agents too—but only that much. He hadn't revealed their real identities.
Hearing all these new terms—arms race, Hulk Serum, Umbrella Organization, viral leaks, Bio-Ghost Project—Naruto felt a migraine coming on. And now it even involved the Land of Water's Daimyō.
"What do you plan to do?"
Naruto might not have known all the details, but just from Sasuke's description, he could tell these things posed a major threat to peace in the ninja world.
"I'm leaving the village to investigate the Umbrella Organization."
Sasuke's tone was resolute. He and Itachi saw S.H.I.E.L.D. the same way—the more they uncovered, the more terrifying it became.
"...In three months then. Wait until the Chūnin Exams are over before leaving. During that time, the village will also mobilize fully to help track the Umbrella Organization."
Even in peacetime, spy operations were still arranged. It just wasn't as extreme as in wartime, when dozens of agents were sent out indiscriminately.
Sasuke nodded in agreement. He didn't refuse Naruto's suggestion. After all, the upcoming Five Village Joint Chūnin Exams would be a major event in the ninja world.
If S.H.I.E.L.D. was planning something, they'd definitely seize that opportunity.
Meanwhile, back in his own room, Shunhi began spending his 35 million ryō.
[Chakra Clone Tool – Kage-level x1]
[Chakra Clone Tool – Jōnin-level x4]
[Chakra Clone Tool – Chūnin-level x19]
[Chakra Clone Tool – Civilian-level x84]
[Underground Base: Hive x1]
[Gray Wolf Transformation Card x1]
["Konoha Crush Plan" Orochimaru's Memories x1]
...
Host: [Jōnin-level Chakra Clone Tool]
Appearance: [Gray Wolf Transformation Card]
Soul: ["Konoha Crush Plan" Orochimaru's Memories]
"Well, this is interesting. They managed to drag me here without me even noticing—and even swapped my body for another."
Gray Wolf instinctively tried to stick out his tongue to lick his face, only to realize that his current tongue just wasn't long enough.
"Orochimaru, congratulations. You are now a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. Your codename is Gray Wolf. Your current role is to represent S.H.I.E.L.D. in participating in the Umbrella Organization's Bio-Ghost Project. I'll explain the rest to you in due time..."
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