Chapter 103: Hidden Cloud Village
Graveyard of Mountains.
A colossal monster's skeleton sprawled across a bottomless pit. Beyond the bones, a dark cave gaped like an abyss.
A human voice echoed from within.
Yakushi Kabuto approached the masked Obito wearing a thin smile. "Let me handle the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails," he said calmly.
Obito's lone eye fixed on Kabuto. "What are your intentions?"
Kabuto was an ally of convenience. Obito kept his guard up.
Kabuto only smiled. "Good chance to build some trust between us." He let his gaze flick to Hasumi Maki at Obito's side. "If possible, I'd like Hasumi Maki to accompany me as well."
It was Kabuto's first time seeing Hasumi Maki. As rumored, the brothers looked cut from the same mold.
The damp cave stank of rot. Hasumi Maki sat quietly atop a rib of bone, chin propped on his hand, lazily watching Kabuto.
Kabuto's lips curved. "You want to see your brother too, don't you?"
Hasumi Maki's face barely moved. 'Kabuto's smile looks predatory—textbook villain: gloomy, sly, secretive.'
Kabuto's eyes slid to the stone wall. A shadow peeked there: Black Zetsu.
At that question, Kabuto caught a fleeting twitch from Black Zetsu.
'So these three—Obito, Hasumi Maki, Black Zetsu—aren't a single front.'
Their drama didn't concern him.
"I don't want to see him at all," Hasumi Maki replied evenly. "But I don't mind checking on the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails."
His eyes lingered on the pale, scale-like patches on Kabuto's skin. 'Clever. A short stint at Ryūchi Cave and he comes back rebuilt.'
An idea clicked.
He rose from the eerie white pile and walked over to Kabuto with a faint smile. "If we're deepening trust, will you accept a Flying Thunder God mark from me?"
"Got a better trust exercise than letting me tag you?"
Kabuto's smile sharpened. He nodded without hesitation and offered his right hand, meeting Maki's palm.
The instant their skin touched, Kabuto's brows knit. A surge of force ran from Maki's hand, boring straight into his mind—like his skull were pried open and rifled through.
One word fit: violation.
He smothered the discomfort and kept his composure.
Maki let go, utterly unapologetic. "Physical contact tends to brush the soul. It's my kekkei genkai. Forgive the habit."
Kabuto glanced at the fresh Flying Thunder God mark and smiled to himself.
'Indeed, Hasumi Maki is even more annoying than Renji.'
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +10,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +10,000]
[Chakra (287,116,002 / 400,000,000)]
"One more will join the operation," Kabuto said.
He crouched, pressed a palm to the cold floor, and black formulae spread.
"Summoning Technique."
Smoke billowed. A coffin took shape in the haze and rose with a dull thud as its lid slid open.
Deidara stood within.
Hasumi Maki lifted a brow.
Deidara's eyes snapped open. His sclera were pitch-black—the Edo Tensei tell.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +10,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +10,000]
[Chakra (287,126,002 / 400,000,000)]
'A little welcome gift.'
Deidara clicked his tongue at Kabuto and Maki. "Why is it that the first face I see after dying is still yours, you annoying creep? What rotten luck, hm!"
Hasumi Maki ignored the scorn and waved. "Long time no see, Deidara."
He gave his old acquaintance a once-over.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +2,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +2,000]
[Chakra (287,128,002 / 400,000,000)]
"I thought you'd kicked the bucket, but you're still crawling around? Hm."
Black Zetsu had once spread word that Hasumi Maki perished alongside his brother. Deidara had celebrated—then later dragged Sasuke to death with his ultimate art.
Reuniting with Hasumi Maki now wasn't the worst surprise.
"Sorry to disappoint," Maki chuckled. "I've been quite well. You, though, look like you died miserably."
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +10,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +10,000]
[Chakra (287,138,002 / 400,000,000)]
"Nonsense!" Deidara bristled, glaring. "I've grasped a deeper truth of art, hm!"
"Oh really?" Maki tilted his head, tone teasing. "So the blast pattern turns into a sponge now, hm?"
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +5,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +5,000]
[Chakra (287,143,002 / 400,000,000)]
"What sponge! Don't insult my art!"
"I only heard someone say your last explosion looked a lot like a starfish…"
'Patrick Star, to be precise.'
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +5,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +5,000]
[Chakra (287,148,002 / 400,000,000)]
"Hasumi Maki! You bastard—why do you always say things that make people furious!" Deidara roared.
Kabuto drifted over, smiling. "Pardon the 'bonding,' but we have work. Save the quarreling."
"Hmph." Deidara turned away. "State the mission already, hm!"
"Capturing the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails," Kabuto said simply.
Deidara blinked, then grinned, excitement bubbling up. "Perfect time to showcase my new art!"
They strode out of the cave.
As they walked, Maki jabbed, "So… marine theme again? Giant octopus this time, hm?"
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +5,000]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +5,000]
[Chakra (287,153,002 / 400,000,000)]
Veins stood out on Deidara's forehead. 'When I blow up the jinchūriki, I'm blowing him up too.'
Even so, his hands worked clay. A colossal bird took shape. The three boarded, and with a whoosh it beat its wings and knifed toward the island in Kisame's report.
…
On the vast sea, a gargantuan turtle moved steadily. From afar it passed for a drifting island.
On this "island," Naruto fumed.
He glared, face pink with anger, at the animals ignoring his orders. "Didn't I tell you to line up?!"
They refused, spiraling into chaos. Some cut the queue and provoked brawls; others started fighting over the same female.
Naruto scowled at the mess.
'As expected of an S-rank mission—definitely tough!'
After much pleading, he resolved the dispute. "Stop dawdling—into the tunnel!" he barked.
The "tunnel" ran inside the giant turtle's shell.
Since Kisame had leaked their location, Akatsuki could arrive at any moment. For safety, Motoi had devised a pretext to steer Naruto into the shell.
Renji used that same pretext to herd him along.
Watching order finally return and the animals funnel into the tunnel, Naruto exhaled in relief.
He cleared his throat. "Listen up, everyone—next we'll conduct an important task in this tunnel: an ecological survey—"
A huge, armor-plated rhinoceros suddenly barreled forward and rammed Naruto square in the backside.
Naruto yelped, clutching his assaulted rear in disbelief.
He spun around to find the culprit standing sheepishly, two pink blushes on its broad, rough face.
Killer Bee hurried over. "Yo, Naruto! It says it fell in love at first sight—wants you to be its boyfriend!"
Naruto stood dumbstruck. Even Renji's mouth twitched.
The rhino blinked big watery eyes at Naruto, then shyly lowered its head.
Renji coughed. "Naruto… why don't you just agree to it?"
'Species barrier? If I'm here, any physical issues are trivially solvable,' Renji thought with a calm smile.
[Ding!]
[Human Malice Value detected: +8]
[Cursed Energy converted to Chakra: +8]
[Chakra (287,153,010 / 400,000,000)]
Naruto gave Renji a long, meaningful look.
Then he slowly raised his right hand and clenched a fist, holding it up toward the massive rhino. "What, you wanna fight?"
The rhino froze, like a scolded maiden, and trudged back into line.
Seeing it go, Naruto let out a long breath. "I can't stand it. Moving this many animals is a headache!"
He'd been thrilled when he first heard the mission. Now, he was exhausted.
"Take it slow. Don't rush," Renji said, patting his shoulder.
Renji glanced up at the blue sky. An eagle spread its wings and arrowed toward Kumogakure.
…
Kumogakure.
An intel-nin held out an arm; the eagle landed. He retrieved the message and sprinted for the Raikage's office.
All Five Kage were gathered.
The Raikage scanned the report, his face hardening.
"Motoi on Turtle Island reports: Akatsuki infiltrated and extracted intel. The infiltrators are dead, but the intel wasn't intercepted."
Ōnoki rose at once. "That means Akatsuki has the jinchūriki's locations!"
"I'll head to Turtle Island and transfer them to Kumogakure."
Mei Terumī eyed Ōnoki's back. "Lord Tsuchikage, perhaps I should go." He was an old man, after all.
"I'll go," Ōnoki said, resolute. He could fly—faster than any of them.
The others traded looks and nodded.
"Appreciate it, Lord Tsuchikage."
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