Mist Technique

On the front lines, without connections or status, getting hold of this kind of experimental equipment was no easy task.

Only the underground Black Market had such things.

But the underground Black Market was a chaotic mix of all kinds of people and carried an extremely high level of danger. Without jōnin-level strength, it was best to stay away.

"Thank you for your magnanimity, sir."

Kūen-zō hurriedly bowed in apology and lavished him with more praise. Only after Umino Sasuke urged him on did he head to the warehouse and personally retrieve a Sealing Scroll as wide as a bowl.

According to Kūen-zō's explanation, the Sealing Scroll contained a set of experimental equipment for a small team researching Summoning Beasts, along with related materials. Though the equipment was not brand-new and was all secondhand, it was complete and could fully meet most of a small team's needs.

If not for the shinobi war driving so many businesses toward bankruptcy, such sought-after equipment would not have appeared on the market so easily.

After carefully inspecting everything, Umino Sasuke found no problems with the equipment. The price was fair, and it even came with plenty of culture solution. The research materials on Summoning Beasts were all basic studies, but they had some worthwhile points and were barely worth something.

So Umino Sasuke finalized the deal on the spot, then took out all the Water Bat No. 7 units from this transaction and settled the accounts together.

"Sir, after deducting the cost of the experimental equipment, there is still a balance of 160,000 ryō. Would you like to buy some secret medicine or weapons?"

"Oh?" Umino Sasuke was somewhat surprised. He would have been satisfied with a remaining balance of a few tens of thousands of ryō, yet there was still this much left?

But on second thought, it seemed that the three Puppet spoils of war and Water Bat No. 7 had all sold at a substantial premium.

"Let me see the supply list. Also, bring over the Ninjutsu list."

As soon as Umino Sasuke said that, he realized that buying low-level Ninjutsu with his current identity would be inappropriate and might expose who he really was. So he added, "One of my subordinates has a birthday in a few days. I want to give him a Water Release Ninjutsu as a birthday gift."

"Yes, sir."

Kūen-zō did not think much of it and hurriedly brought out the lists.

Umino Sasuke picked up the lists and flipped through them quickly. Then, pretending to be displeased, he said in dissatisfaction, "Why are these all E-rank and D-rank Ninjutsu? Is there nothing more advanced?"

"Sir, there really isn't! How would we dare violate Konoha's regulations and privately sell mid- to high-rank Ninjutsu?"

Upon hearing that, Kūen-zō immediately panicked and was so frightened that he nearly fell to his knees.

"Alright, alright. Forget it if there isn't any."

Umino Sasuke waved a hand, but inwardly he grumbled. If he wanted to obtain mid- to high-rank Ninjutsu, it seemed that aside from risking his life for Konoha, he could only go to the underground Black Market.

There had to be Konoha Ninja Clan involvement behind these Traveling Merchants. Otherwise, they would not be restricting even C-rank Ninjutsu so tightly.

Moreover, even among these D-rank Ninjutsu, there were only common elemental techniques. There was not a single genjutsu. This alone showed how much effort the Konoha Ninja Clan had put into maintaining their Ninjutsu Monopoly.

If those ninja clans had been able to control the underground Black Market, one probably would not have been able to buy Ninjutsu there even with money.

The reason low-level Ninjutsu could be bought from these merchant ninja was likely nothing more than a change they had been forced to make under pressure from the underground Black Market's business. Otherwise, they probably would not even sell low-level Ninjutsu.

The various factions holding the right to speak did not want Ninjutsu to become widespread. All of them wanted to use the Ninjutsu Monopoly to achieve their own goals.

"Hm?" Umino Sasuke's gaze swept over the Ninjutsu list, and he discovered two particularly unusual techniques.

D-rank Water Release: Mist Technique, 80,000 ryō. Note: Kirigakure's basic Water Release technique. Strong tactical concealment, but requires continuous chakra maintenance.

D-rank Water Release: Mist Body Flicker, 120,000 ryō. Note: Kirigakure's basic Water Release technique. A combination of Mist Technique and Body Flicker, but requires a certain foundation in taijutsu.

Umino Sasuke's gaze sharpened, and his heart trembled. Neither technique was high-rank, yet both were extremely practical. Otherwise, Kirigakure would not have popularized them so widely.

Weren't these two practical Ninjutsu perfectly suited to his tactical needs?

Once Water Release: Mist Technique was deployed, it could block a shinobi's vision while also interfering with a certain degree of sensory perception. Meanwhile, his Sonic Radar Technique was equivalent to an imitation version of the Byakugan. If the two were combined, couldn't he recreate Momochi Zabuza's Silent Killing Technique?

And with Water Release: Mist Body Flicker added on top of that, it was simply a match made in heaven.

"I'll take these two Ninjutsu."

Umino Sasuke selected the Mist Technique and Mist Body Flicker. He had originally planned to grit his teeth and use the savings he had painstakingly accumulated to make up the missing 40,000 ryō.

But Kūen-zō was extremely tactful. Knowing how to use public funds to sell a personal favor, he said with a fawning smile, "Sir, the Mist Technique and Mist Body Flicker together will be twenty percent off, making exactly 160,000 ryō."

Umino Sasuke nodded arrogantly and offered reassurance. "Kūen-zō, you're quite capable. If you need anything in the future, you can come find me. I have some connections in Konoha, and I can settle most matters for you. Of course, the compensation that should be paid—"

"I understand, I understand."

Kūen-zō was overjoyed and immediately put on the demeanor of an eager lackey. He had finally latched onto an important figure. His comeback was just around the corner.

Then Kūen-zō thoughtfully brought over a large gift box and placed the two Water Release Ninjutsu scrolls inside, saving his benefactor some trouble when he gave his subordinate a birthday present.

Before he left, Kūen-zō even gave him three Explosive Tags as an extra little birthday gift for his benefactor's subordinate. His bootlicking was exceptionally thorough. As expected of a seasoned merchant, even his gift-giving was so refined and unconventional.

With the gains from this trip in hand, Umino Sasuke did not linger and left the military camp's trading post directly.

On the way back, he encountered several Konoha Ninja who had come out for entertainment, but he sensed them in advance with the Sonic Radar Technique and avoided them.

Being alone while carrying such a large Sealing Scroll was quite dangerous. Cases of robbing and killing others for their goods were rare, but not unheard of. If ninja clan disciples stopped him for questioning, there was a high chance he would be stripped clean to the bone. If he was lucky, he might keep his life. If unlucky, a Great Fireball would come down on him, leaving not even a corpse behind.

After weaving through countless turns and spending quite some time, he finally returned to the underground cave laboratory.

"Whew..."

Umino Sasuke let out a deep breath.

"No, I have to solve the problem of insufficient chakra as soon as possible. The Shinobi World is far too dangerous. Without jōnin-level strength, there really isn't any sense of security at all."

A wave of melancholy filled Umino Sasuke's heart, and he resolved that he had to solve his severe chakra shortage as soon as possible.

Chakra was the foundation of everything. If his chakra reserves were insufficient, then even if he acquired Advanced Ninjutsu, he could only stare at it without being able to use it.

However, he already had a plan. If developing a second chakra nature did not go smoothly, then he would follow Orochimaru's example and focus on technology and mutation.

As for learning Sage Jutsu or becoming a Jinchuriki, both were good ways to increase chakra, but they were too far off and not realistic in the short term.