Exposure

"..." Lingchuan's mouth twitched. "Stir-fried food causes internal heat. Let's go have barbecue instead." Pretending not to understand, Uzumaki Reikawa continued, "If you like tomatoes, you can add some ketchup too."

Though he had no idea what was going on, Naruto was delighted to see Sasuke suffer. He looked like he was barely holding back his laughter.

Sakura and Karin blinked, somewhat baffled by the situation. What was going on?

However, Sasuke saw through Lingchuan's intentions and said coldly, "Stir-fried food causes internal heat. It can be made into soup."

"..."

Meanwhile, Uchiha Gen was carrying out missions under the identity of Hyuga Mokujin.

However, the missions had not been going smoothly. Uchiha Gen could only feel speechless at the various parties who came to test him. He had no idea who had spread the rumor that his eyes were very likely Byakugan belonging to the main branch. As a result, many of those who came looking for him were not there to offer missions, but to confirm his identity and gouge out his eyeballs.

Rather than becoming famous in the way he had imagined, more people came to know him through his bounty poster. The reward was still steadily increasing and had already reached over fifteen million ryo. If nothing unexpected happened, it would continue rising. Uchiha Gen stared greedily at his own bounty, suppressing the urge to sell himself.

If he waited a little longer, the bounty could be expected to surpass Asuma's. Of course, if he were not wearing a mask and people could confirm that his Byakugan belonged to the main branch, the bounty would likely have already exceeded it.

Although there were not many missions to take, Uchiha Gen had accumulated a considerable sum through black-on-black killings and counterattacks. He had also obtained some information regarding the whereabouts of Roshi, the wandering monk who was the Four-Tails Jinchuriki. It seemed Roshi had been exposed because Iwagakure had recalled him following the disappearance of the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

Akatsuki must have learned of it far earlier than he had. He just did not know who would be sent to retrieve the Tailed Beast. Or perhaps Roshi had already been captured?

Uchiha Gen pondered for a moment. Being isolated by the organization really felt terrible.

He looked at the system interface and directly exchanged for the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai skin. At the same time, all the bounty money he had earned over the past few days was wiped out.

The shop updated once again. However, the skin that appeared this time looked like an ordinary nobody, with long black hair and black eyes. Its only distinguishing feature was a beauty mark at the corner of its eye. Compared to the previous skins, there was no telling what abilities it had, yet it still cost an Asuma head.

He put the Byakugan skin on a clone and chose to use the Shikotsumyaku skin himself.

However, the newly created Byakugan clone glanced at the original body and remarked, "You're looking more and more like a ghost."

Uchiha Gen: "..." Although the skin looked decent enough, its face was deathly pale and its eyes were green. Coupled with how lifeless he already looked, he really did resemble a ghost.

"But aren't you me? Why are you mocking yourself?"

"Oh, I forgot."

"..."

The skill interface also gained two permanent additional skills: Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Seedling Fern and Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets.

Other than Uzumaki Reikawa, who was still in Konoha, Uchiha Gen could now use three identities: Uchiha Gen, Hyuga Mokujin, and the newly acquired Bone Lord. To avoid trouble, Bone Lord was clearly the most suitable one to investigate the Jinchuriki situation this time.

The initial framework had been established. As for the organization, he would call it Genkyo. Gen meant source, while the organization itself represented emptiness and nonexistence.

After familiarizing himself with Bone Lord's skills, he put that skin on a clone and prepared to seek out Orochimaru. Hyuga Mokujin and Bone Lord remained behind to continue working together on missions. While they were happy to accept employment related to Jinchuriki, that did not mean they would cling to them and offer protection. Everything came at a price. If a stranger suddenly approached you with a warm smile and offered you food, would you accept it without concern, or would you be suspicious?

Still... for some reason, Uchiha Gen felt that this Byakugan clone was a little strange. Not only did he mock himself, but he also seemed to have a bit of a cleanliness obsession. No matter what he picked up, he would wipe his palms with paper afterward. Uchiha Gen did not remember having that habit. But then he recalled that Naruto could even fight his own clones, and he felt relieved.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru, who had been on Uchiha Gen's mind, frowned as he examined the White Zetsu he had engineered to die. What was this thing? Why did it seem somewhat like First Hokage Cells? A gleam flashed through Orochimaru's eyes as he prepared to approach and collect a sample.

However, he abruptly stopped and rapidly retreated. A massive blaze suddenly erupted before him, seemingly intending to burn both the corpse and Orochimaru together.

Following the source of the flames, he saw only a figure wearing an orange Uzumaki Clan mask. Seeing the Akatsuki cloak with its black background and red clouds, a surge of anger rose in Orochimaru's heart.

Other than defecting, he had not done anything recently to offend Akatsuki. Yet they had hunted him down across so many bases, and the losses had been immeasurable.

Uchiha Obito was also growing irritated. A cunning rabbit had three burrows, and the small traps scattered throughout the pursuit had been endlessly troublesome. Even now, he could not be certain whether the man before him was a Shadow Clone Technique user. "What is your relationship with Uchiha Gen?"

Upon hearing that, Orochimaru's mood suddenly improved. He split his lips in a smile. It seemed his creation had caused some trouble outside. But why should he tell the person responsible for his enormous losses? Licking his lips in provocation, he said, "What relationship? Maybe there is one, maybe there isn't. Who knows? Want to take a guess?"

"..." Obito wanted to flip the table right then, but he restrained himself for the moment. If he did, this trip might be wasted again. Recalling Orochimaru's interest in White Zetsu's body, he said calmly, "Let's make a deal. Tell me everything about him, and I can give you one of those corpses for research."

At those words, the mockery on Orochimaru's face faded slightly. But then he seemed to think of something and answered decisively, "I don't know." Yet after saying that, he did not leave immediately, as if waiting for something.

"..." Obito's question had actually contained a trap. Whether Orochimaru agreed or refused, Obito could have obtained some information. Yet Orochimaru had seen through it immediately.

Thinking this, Obito temporarily set the matter aside and threw over an arm covered in scorch marks. Seeing this, Orochimaru released a small snake, which swallowed the charred arm before carrying it away.

With the item in hand, Orochimaru suddenly smiled again. "It's not that I know absolutely nothing. I don't know which Uchiha Gen you mean, but the Uchiha Gen I know is a dead man, and his strength was only at the Three-Tomoe level. Believe it or not, I don't know what he did. He broke free of the control himself."

After saying that, he turned to leave. Obito's expression turned cold, and he immediately used Kamui to phase through space and rapidly close the distance. In the next instant, a kunai sliced through Orochimaru's neck, but it burst into a cloud of smoke. Another Shadow Clone Technique?

In truth, Orochimaru had indeed been there in person just now. However, after obtaining the arm, he had retreated together with the small snake as a precaution. Looking at the arm before him, Orochimaru smiled. He had a feeling that this thing could completely make up for his losses this time.