Soul Hunting Mission

Kurama might only be a pet for now, but as long as Madara could find a way to release the Nine-Tails' origin power, he would become a devastating weapon.

When Madara had unleashed the Nine-Tails in his previous life, it had been incredibly exhilarating. He had never expected to experience the complete version again in this life.

Madara believed that day was not far off!

After cleaning up from the meal, the members of the Soul Hunting Group began discussing matters. Madara stood to the side and listened in, with no intention of offering any opinions.

Madara was an expert at fighting! But managing and running a Soul Hunting Group was asking too much of him!

"Today, I mainly want to discuss our Soul Hunting Group's next mission!" Li Jia cleared his throat before speaking with great seriousness and solemnity.

The moment Li Jia finished speaking, Old Fury immediately asked from beside him, his tone full of doubt. "Captain, shouldn't our top priority right now be selling those Snow Foxes?"

"That's true! But a major client has bought all our goods!" Li Jia answered, unable to conceal his excitement. "That major client is the one who hired us for this soul-hunting mission!"

"Really?" The members of the Soul Hunting Group began whispering among themselves, finding the matter truly astonishing.

"Madara, what do you think?" Rather than asking anyone else, Li Jia directly turned to Madara.

Li Jia knew that within this Soul Hunting Group, he was unquestionably the leader. His word carried absolute weight, and everyone in the group was willing to follow his lead.

But Madara was different. If there was anyone in the Soul Hunting Group whom Li Jia could not handle, it was definitely Madara.

Li Jia even had the faint illusion that not only could he not control Madara, but he might even be killed by him instead.

"No problem." Madara leaned against the doorframe and replied calmly.

Madara knew this mission would not be simple. It might even be fraught with danger, but Uchiha Madara had nothing to fear!

Though it was only a feeling.

"Since no one has any objections, everyone pack your gear. We're going to meet the client this morning!" Li Jia swept his gaze over the crowd and immediately gave the order once he saw that no one objected.

"Understood!" everyone shouted in unison.

When it was time to gather, Madara appeared in the open space practically empty-handed, drawing quite a few looks.

"Why didn't you bring anything?" Pan Chui asked Madara in confusion.

Though Pan Chui acted without thinking, he did not hold grudges. He had quickly forgotten all about the severe beating Madara had given him.

"Don't need to," Madara answered curtly.

"What a weirdo!" Pan Chui shook his head, feeling that Madara seemed even stranger than he was.

As a ninja, Madara only needed to carry his weapons when traveling. Everything else would become a burden.

All Madara possessed were two weapons, the Battle Armor on his body, and Gold Soul Coins. He had nothing else.

He was probably so poor that all he had left was money!

"You're hiding something from me." Madara rubbed his brow with a finger, then found Li Jia and questioned him directly.

"Haha! You're overthinking it!" Li Jia's body stiffened slightly, but he quickly resumed his carefree demeanor. Patting Madara on the shoulder, he spoke with utmost certainty.

Madara silently endured his pats, but his eyes remained fixed on him. He had even activated his Sharingan.

Madara deeply hated being kept in the dark and deceived. He hated all these twists and turns.

For Uchiha Madara, not falling before a powerful enemy but instead being easily killed by Black Zetsu's sudden betrayal was the greatest humiliation of his life.

In truth, Madara's instincts had not been wrong in the slightest. Li Jia had indeed concealed something from the others.

The client for this mission had heard that their Lone Soul Hunting Group had an excellent reputation and had sought them out on his own initiative. Li Jia had initially wanted to sell off their goods and had refused, but the other party had thrown money around without restraint, directly stating that he would buy all the Snow Foxes at thirty percent above market price.

However, there was one condition: they had to protect the Soul Master who was coming to hunt spirit beasts, and nothing could go wrong.

The moment Li Jia heard it, he knew this was not a mission that the captain of a small Soul Hunting Group like him could refuse. Any force capable of casually spending huge amounts of Gold Soul Coins to achieve its goals was not one he dared provoke. One misstep could even bring about total destruction.

But as the captain of the Soul Hunting Group, Li Jia had to shoulder responsibility. So he did not tell his team members about it and chose to bear it silently himself.

"Brother! I hope you can trust me just this once!" Li Jia knew he could not hide it from Madara, so he sighed gloomily. He raised his head as well, met Madara's gaze directly, and said with utmost solemnity, "I would never harm my companions!"

Madara suddenly felt dazed, as though he saw the shadow of an old friend in the bearded man before him.

He had the same sense of responsibility, the same willingness to bear everything for his companions, even at the cost of his own life.

Perhaps that resolve was why he had managed to move Madara!

"Then I'll reluctantly trust you this once!" Madara regained his composure and said, clearly displeased, "Next time, I'll let you know the price of deceiving me!"

"There won't be a next time!" Li Jia declared, pounding his chest in assurance.

Without looking back, Madara carried Kurama and returned to the back of the group.

Li Jia watched Madara ignore him and walk away, a faint smile appearing on his face. Then he shouted to everyone, "Everyone, go to the town gate and wait for our employer!"

Amid thick clouds of dust, the sounds of carriages, and neighing horses, the group arrived at the town gate in grand fashion.

There, a beautiful and delicate young girl with an air of elegance was waiting.

The girl had a pair of limpid autumn eyes that seemed capable of speaking. Her waterfall-like blue hair fell behind her back. She wore black clothes, and a black veil covered her face, her vaguely visible features leaving one unable to look away.

"Hello! Are you the one who hired our Lone Soul Hunting Group?" Old Fury was the first to step forward, wearing a kind and amiable smile as he spoke.

"That's right!" The girl's words carried indifference and distance. Her eyes, the same color as her hair, showed no trace of emotion.

"Then shall we set out?" Old Fury's smile stiffened, but he quickly recovered. At his age, he had seen every kind of storm.

"I need you to help me obtain my third soul ring!" The girl finally spoke of her own accord.

"Third soul ring?" Li Jia was somewhat surprised. He had never expected such a young girl to be advancing to become a Soul Elder.

Those words instantly caused an uproar within the Soul Hunting Group. A three-ring Soul Elder's soul ring was not easy to obtain!

That meant entering the territory of thousand-year Spirit Beasts, which greatly increased the danger.

Madara watched coldly from the side. She was only a Soul Elder; it was not as if he had never killed one before!

Madara's cold indifference and faint confusion stood out sharply against everyone's astonishment and concern.

The girl merely glanced at Madara, silently committing this unusual person to memory before joining the group's protection.