Byakuya secretly praised Pakura's back. It was beautiful. What a waste not to cup it.
Pakura turned around, intending to leave, and looked at him. "That Azure-Black Serpent?"
"That's right. You Sunagakure Ninja know about it too?"
"Of course. Several people died to the Azure-Black Serpent just a few days ago. I'd advise you not to try to tame it as a Summoning Beast. It has quite a pedigree."
Pakura suddenly smiled. "If you take off your mask and let me see your face, I'll help you."
"Pakura, I'm the one helping you right now. Besides, we're practically allies."
"I never agreed to that."
Byakuya said confidently, "You don't really have a choice."
She waved a hand and turned to leave. "How could I not have a choice? If I kill you, the higher-ups in Sunagakure won't find out about Shimura Danzō's scheme, will they?"
"Danzō wouldn't have just one pawn like me. Even if I die, someone else will report it to the higher-ups in Sunagakure."
"Heh." Pakura suddenly gave a cold laugh. "I said I'd think about it. I don't want to become a pawn controlled from afar by Shimura Danzō."
"Let's wait and see."
Pakura left using the Body Flicker Technique.
When she used the jutsu, orange-red streaks were clearly visible. They were probably Scorch Release chakra.
Byakuya looked away and murmured, "Pakura also used her Kekkei Genkai to create her own Body Flicker Technique."
In the original story, there was another person in Konoha who had mastered the Body Flicker Technique to an extraordinary degree: Uchiha Shisui.
He had even earned the name "Body Flicker Shisui."
At the moment, Shisui was still studying at the Ninja Academy. Byakuya wondered whether he could get close to the future Mangekyō Sharingan wielder.
He stayed where he was for a while. Only after nothing around him changed did he return to his chosen hiding place.
The last time he had eliminated the Sunagakure spy San-Dan-Kun, Pakura had suddenly appeared before him. That lesson had left a deep impression on Byakuya.
He chewed a Military Ration Pill and took a sip of mountain spring water from his bamboo flask.
He thought over every detail of Pakura's behavior during their negotiation.
Byakuya had basically used Shimura Danzō's name to give her a good scare.
Otherwise, why would Pakura, despite harboring such intense killing intent toward him, have listened quietly until he finished?
Perhaps her exhaustion had played a part, but Byakuya refused to think that was the reason.
People in this world were more or less stubborn, and sometimes they weren't rational. If Pakura had been set on killing him, he would have had no choice but to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to "make a tactical retreat."
"The Flying Thunder God Technique takes a huge amount of chakra. After using it once, I need half a day to recover."
The mountain spring water was sweet. Byakuya dropped the Military Ration Pill into the bamboo flask and drank slowly, his thoughts racing one after another.
"Wait."
Byakuya suddenly stood up.
"Those things I said couldn't possibly have swayed Pakura, who's loyal to Sunagakure."
"Something else must have made her lose heart and forced her to make a different choice."
"What could it be?"
He put aside his plan to try to tame the Azure-Black Serpent right away and drank all the spring water mixed with the Military Ration Pill.
Ignoring his dwindling chakra, Byakuya chased after Pakura with the Storm Release: Body Flicker Technique.
He expanded his sensory range as far as he could.
Perhaps he was lucky, or perhaps Pakura had deliberately let her presence slip. Either way, Byakuya managed to find her trail.
Pakura sat on a high tree branch, swinging her legs.
Hearing a noise,
she turned and glanced at him. "What is it, kid? Another Shadow Clone! You called me naïve, but you're so cowardly it's pathetic."
Byakuya's Shadow Clone smiled awkwardly. "I hope you'll forgive me, but your killing intent makes it hard to let my guard down."
"What do you want?"
The Shadow Clone sat down beside Pakura without a care, dangling and gently swinging his legs just like her.
The primeval forest stretched out before them.
It wasn't a pleasant sight, really. Colored miasma hung over some areas.
"Don't tell me you're asking me to help you tame that big snake?"
"If asking you would work, I'd beg you right now."
"It wouldn't."
"The Azure-Black Serpent came from Ryūchi Cave, didn't it?"
"If you already know, why ask me? The snakes from Ryūchi Cave hold grudges. I don't want to provoke them at a time like this."
The Shadow Clone asked curiously, "How did you know it came from Ryūchi Cave?"
"I don't mind telling you. It's not like the information would help Sunagakure."
Pakura explained, "Sunagakure is poor. Some ninja secretly take jobs from the Bounty Exchange to supplement their income. A few took a job to kill the Azure-Black Serpent. They knew they couldn't beat it, but the reward was generous, so they told their families where they were going before setting out to hunt it."
"So they all died," the Shadow Clone said.
"Yeah."
"How could the Bounty Exchange have a job like that? They dared to provoke Ryūchi Cave?"
"Some other village or organization must have posted it. Snakes that come from Ryūchi Cave are precious from head to tail. Their scales can be forged into weapons, their flesh and blood can be studied, and their organs can be used for breeding. There are all kinds of research projects."
"I see."
"Oh, right. Her name is Bone-Binding Princess. She's one of the White Snake Sage's young subordinates."
"So it's a female snake."
"Kid, I didn't expect you to have heard of Ryūchi Cave."
"Many of the Shinobi World's strongest snakes come from Ryūchi Cave. Of course I've heard of it."
Pakura turned to look at his Shuten-dōji Mask. "Bring your real body here, and I swear I won't attack you."
"Really?"
"You're as cowardly as a mouse."
"Fine. I'll trust you one more time, then."
He dispelled the Shadow Clone Technique.
A few minutes later, Byakuya's real body sat beside Pakura.
They were very close.
He could even catch the faint, sweet scent of her, like a Desert Mallow growing stubbornly in the sand.
"Go on, what do you want?"
Byakuya spoke with certainty. "The Sunagakure Ninja stationed in the Land of Rivers forced you to change your mind?"
"Hmph." Pakura's expression shifted slightly. "You're clever. Shimura Danzō made a serious mistake sending you. For this kind of mission, he should have sent his most trusted confidant."
He nodded, agreeing with her. "There's certainly a lot of room to maneuver."
"Kid, I'm very interested in what you said, but I don't know how many people in Sunagakure would follow me."
"Rasa has to die. If possible, Chiyo and that Ebizo guy have to die too."
Pakura sighed. "Chiyo and Ebizo can't die."
"Why not?"
"They're the last pillars Sunagakure has left. Most of the old-timers who survived the Second Shinobi World War have passed away."
"Then you can be a pillar of Sunagakure."
"One person can't hold everything up alone. The One-Tail Jinchuriki is going to die too, and I'm worried I won't be able to control that monster by myself."
Byakuya seized the opportunity. "Help me subdue Bone-Binding Princess, and I'll help you bring Sunagakure under control."
"Do you think that's possible?"
"I could just disguise myself as one of your Sunagakure Ninja."
"What a joke! The people of Sunagakure aren't a bunch of fools. If I did what you suggested, I wouldn't be a Konoha spy anymore. I'd be a puppet through and through." Pakura looked at him with disdain. "I want peace! And I want Sunagakure to have land, resources, and people so it can grow!"
"So, in the end, you're determined not to act until you see the rabbit?"
"You're the one who won't act until you see the rabbit. You're too impatient," Pakura said.
Byakuya let out a breath. He had more or less figured out what Pakura was thinking.
To put it simply, the ninja within Sunagakure who longed for peace had backed her into a corner.
That was also because of her own personality.
Before you continue