Discovered

"Josuke, sorry for the trouble. Losing the cargo wouldn't be a big deal, but there are some precious materials inside that we can't afford to lose. Before I escaped, I installed a tracker on it. Please bring it back for me."

Josuke nodded. It was a simple task. There wasn't anyone in Konoha who could put up a fight; anyone with hands could handle it.

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His only concern was that a few members of the Akatsuki Organization might suddenly show up. If they beat Josuke to a pulp, then it'd be game over.

Seeing Josuke agree so readily, Orochimaru's expression improved a little. Then he gave Sasuke another order.

"Sasuke, scout the perimeter and see if any enemies are following us. Find a way to lose them, then back Josuke up once he's got the goods."

Got it~

As aloof as ever, Sasuke had nothing to say. He simply left without looking back.

Josuke had no reason to stay, either. After saying goodbye to Orochimaru, he set off. Once the two had left, Orochimaru began coughing violently.

The coughing echoed through the underground base. Of course, the two who had gone above could no longer hear it.

After a long while, Orochimaru finally let out a slow breath and looked in Sasuke's direction. The Living Corpse Reincarnation technique was almost ready; all he needed were the few boxes of herbs inside that cargo.

After leaving the base, Josuke followed the location marked on the scroll and found the cargo.

The Konoha shinobi stationed there had no sense of discipline whatsoever. They were sprawled out in little groups, sleeping haphazardly together.

So these were Konoha's shinobi?

They were far too lax.

They weren't even as good as the Sound Ninja from the Otogakure Orochimaru had founded. Josuke could guarantee that even the Sound Ninja would slaughter this batch of shinobi with ease.

Josuke recognized the team leader. Who else could it be but Ebisu? But why wasn't Ibiki here? Josuke didn't know. That was all he had gathered from observing them.

After confirming their numbers and defensive positions, Josuke began sneaking in. It was so easy it hardly took any effort to dismantle the defenses Ebisu had set up.

He soon reached the place where the supplies were stored. The two guards were already half asleep. Josuke didn't even need a disguise to slip past them right under their noses.

The cargo Orochimaru wanted...

Just as Orochimaru had said, it was a small box. Josuke had no idea what was inside, but there was a combination lock on the outside.

Josuke wasn't curious enough to check.

After taking the cargo, Josuke prepared to leave.

And then—

An unexpected turn of events! Outside the tent, Izumo Kamizuki, one of Konoha's guardian deities, arrived to inspect the warehouse. Josuke heard him approaching from inside.

Startled, Josuke hurriedly hid.

Damn it, why now? You could've come earlier or later. What a perfect plot ambush.

Izumo had no idea someone was inside. He strolled around as casually as usual, carrying the Summoning Technique: Giant Club.

It was a huge club shaped like a seashell. It could fly freely through the air, and Izumo controlled both its attacks and defenses.

(Many Naruto plot analyses say this is the Three-Tails' eye. We don't know if that's true; Kishimoto himself makes things up as he goes. So here's a quick poll.

Reply "the author is the most handsome" if you think it isn't the Three-Tails' eye. Reply "the author is handsome, but the readers are more handsome" if you think it is. Then, well, reply "the readers are handsome" or "the author is handsome, but the readers are more handsome"—either answer works.)

Hiding away, Josuke had no idea who had come in. All he could do was pray that the newcomer wouldn't discover him.

But how could the heavens possibly be that kind?

Izumo's weapon seemed to draw the Nine-Tails Chakra inside Josuke, making the Chakra in his body restless. It was only a little Chakra, but even that was enough.

It got Josuke caught red-handed.

As everyone knew, doppelgangers—no, Tailed Beasts—were drawn to each other. The Tailed Beast Chakra was no exception. As soon as Izumo used his weapon, it sensed the Nine-Tails Chakra.

So the weapon drifted toward Josuke, almost as if by chance. Josuke had been hidden from view, but at that moment the Nine-Tails Chakra stopped obeying him.

It covered Josuke in a Tailed Beast Cloak.

The evil Tailed Beast Chakra leaked out around him. Even while flying, Izumo sensed it and immediately readied himself for battle.

Izumo was thrilled. What a lucky day! First, his squad had received information from a kind Konoha villager that Orochimaru's supply convoy would pass through here today.

The kind villager had even led the shinobi to this spot, where Izumo had lain in wait. Sure enough, he'd caught a big one.

Now he'd just been conducting a routine inspection when he'd stumbled upon a thief.

The only thing that had marred his good fortune these past few days was that the kind villager seemed to dislike the Hokage and prefer Danzo instead. Izumo couldn't understand why; it was a strange thing.

"Who's there? Come out!"

Izumo shouted, trying to force Josuke out of hiding. But Josuke wasn't going to do what he wanted.

Just because Josuke didn't want to fight didn't mean he couldn't. If Izumo had called for backup, then Josuke would show no mercy.

The Tailed Beast Chakra was back under Josuke's control. Seeing that the thief hiding inside still refused to come out, Izumo decided to stop holding back.

He hurled the giant club in his hand!

"Boom!!"

It smashed the wooden crates around it, kicking up a cloud of dust. Josuke grabbed the club as it flew past. There it was—that familiar feeling, a Chakra much like the Nine-Tails Chakra inside him.

With half his weapon stolen, Izumo tried to pull it back, only to find that his opponent was as strong as an ox. He couldn't budge it.

"Who are you?" Izumo asked, staring at the masked man. Their fight had already drawn plenty of people from the surrounding area, including several "strong" shinobi as powerful as Izumo.

"I haven't changed my name. I am Yamanaka Fū!"

Yamanaka Fū? Who was that?

Was he from the Yamanaka Clan? Then why had Izumo never seen him before? What Izumo didn't know was that Josuke had concealed his true appearance.

Yamanaka Fū was just a name Josuke had made up on the spot. He was wearing a high-end custom-made mask, after all, so there was no need to worry about his handsome face getting smashed.

The only thing he had to worry about was getting captured.

Izumo kept tugging at his weapon. He hadn't expected Josuke to give it another pull, yanking him right up close. Izumo was a tough man.

Even as he was pulled forward, he kept his cool and fired a Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique at Josuke.

But it was useless. How naive!

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Izumo had been pulled right up to Josuke, who punched him square in the face. Izumo went flying several meters.

The weapon made from the Three-Tails' eye was now in Josuke's hands.

As Izumo was knocked away, another crowd of enemies rushed toward Josuke...