After hearing Itachi's words, Roy nodded.
It was pretty much as Shisui had said. These guys were well hidden.
The people at the contact point didn't know a thing about their superiors.
These informants weren't even real ninjas. They had no chance of resisting Itachi's Tsukuyomi.
So the information was reliable.
"Roy, what do we do next...?"
Itachi looked a little confused.
He didn't know why Roy had information about the Satori Organization, or why Roy was investigating it.
Now that they were already out here, though, he was curious about Roy's goal.
"Let's head to the next village."
"Benteng Village."
Roy took out the map and pointed to a village.
"Benteng Village?"
"I've been there on a mission. There's nothing particularly unusual about it."
Itachi looked at the village, puzzled.
"Of all the villages nearby, this one is probably the wealthiest."
"But so far, it's never put in a single request for help."
"Do you know why?"
Roy looked at Itachi seriously.
Itachi was a genius, but he was still too young.
The brainwashing he'd been subjected to had fixed his way of thinking in place. He lacked the ability to think outside the box.
That was also why, after breaking free of Konoha's control in the original story, Itachi had made so many changes in such a short time.
"Because this village has a certain amount of strength!"
Itachi suddenly understood.
"But why?"
Izumi looked at them with wide, curious eyes.
She understood each of their words on its own, but found them hard to follow when put together.
"Roy means that this village has enough strength to defend itself against rogue ninjas, wandering samurai, and missing-nin."
"That's why it never asks Konoha for help."
"That's very unusual for an ordinary village."
Itachi explained it in detail.
Uchiha Izumi's eyes sparkled. In her eyes, Itachi was always so remarkable.
"Ahem..."
"Let's go. We're heading out."
Roy did want to bring the two of them together, but being the third wheel here made him uncomfortable.
Just as Roy stepped out of the little shop, his body stiffened slightly.
"They're here?"
Roy had thought this was just a simple contact point, and that it wouldn't be worth much.
But several chakra signatures were closing in around them.
At this hour, there could only be one explanation.
The Satori Organization had arrived.
The corner of Roy's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly, and he stepped out of the shop.
Itachi stayed inside to protect Izumi.
"Uchiha Roy, a Konoha Chunin and member of the Military Police Force."
"Estimated strength: Jonin. Possesses explosive ninjutsu."
"Peak strength: Elite Jonin."
A seemingly ordinary man stepped forward and calmly recited Roy's information.
He looked like the kind of farmer you could find in any little village in the Ninja World.
His face was weathered, and his muscles and skin bore the marks of years of farm work...
It was hard to believe that a man like this was a member of the Satori Organization.
Ding! You have come into contact with a core member of the Satori Organization. Progress increased by 30%. Random quest issued: Kill the Satori Organization member before you. Reward: 2,000 units of fixed chakra and one designated clue about the Satori Organization.
When that familiar electronic voice rang out, Roy had no choice but to believe it.
These guys really were members of the Satori Organization.
And core members, at that...
"Hello. We haven't met before. I'm Zhao, captain of the Satori Organization's execution squad!"
"I don't know why you've been targeting us, but... I don't need to know anymore."
As he spoke, Zhao drew a long sword.
"So you use a sword?"
"Then let's see how you fare against the Uchiha Clan's swordsmanship."
"Durin!"
Roy raised his hand and caught it.
A long sword appeared in his grip.
The two of them lunged at each other in an instant.
"Swish!"
They crossed swords, and Zhao's left arm fell to the ground.
"How is that possible?"
Zhao stared in disbelief. If not for the unrelenting pain, he would have thought he'd fallen under an Uchiha genjutsu.
He had clearly dodged that slash.
How...?
"Come out. If you don't step in to stop me, I'll kill every one of them!"
Roy ignored Zhao and spoke quietly to himself.
"If you're not going to step in, then..."
"Boom!"
Flames erupted beneath Roy's feet, and the next second he appeared beside Zhao.
"You..."
"Boom!"
Zhao couldn't even finish a sentence before he crumpled to the ground.
A Satori Organization Jonin had just died by Roy's sword.
He didn't even know how he'd been killed.
The ninjas surrounding Roy all wore looks of horror.
"If the system notification hasn't appeared yet, that means I have to kill all of you."
"Bad man, why did you kill Uncle Zhao?!"
"Don't you dare hurt our father!"
"Big brother, please don't kill my dad!"
Just as Roy was about to keep fighting, a group of children rushed out and stood in front of him.
The men who had looked like farmers wore pained, conflicted expressions.
"Nami, what are you doing out here?"
"Go back! We're here. We won't let these ninjas hurt you!"
Several men shouted at them.
But the children stubbornly stood their ground.
They didn't care if their fathers beat them. They weren't going to leave.
Because if their fathers could beat them, that meant they still had fathers.
"Roy..."
Itachi stepped out of the shop.
Seeing the scene before him, he looked troubled.
Roy knew that if he let these ninjas go now, they wouldn't be grateful.
They would become enemies of Konoha in the future.
But...
"Itachi, sometimes you have to look beyond what's right in front of you."
"Remember, ninjas aren't mindless killers, and they aren't heartless."
"Our blood is still warm."
As Roy spoke, he put Durin away.
At Roy's words, Itachi's pupils shrank.
Did Roy mean to let these people go?
But...
"Crackle, crackle..."
Roy had just sheathed his sword, but now he transformed into a bolt of lightning and charged straight into the crowd.
Every member of the Satori Organization was killed.
The children who had stood in his way all collapsed to the ground as well.
Were they... all dead?
Wiping them out to the last one—but what Roy had just said...
Before you continue