Fishing in Troubled Waters

The Land of Earth, the Black Market Exchange.

Taiichi's rough roar echoed through the Exchange Shop, shaking the already dilapidated Exchange Shop and causing dust to fall.

"What's all the noise about? Are you all just standing there waiting to die?"

He walked a few steps to the nearest counter and slammed the body in his hand onto the counter like trash.

"Thump"

"Serial Number Ren-Yin 361", Delivery! Bounty, hurry! I'm really busy!

He spoke very quickly, his tone extremely impatient, and his fingers tapped the table, making a dull sound that fully expressed his dissatisfaction.

The clerk he called out was a balding middle-aged man who trembled with fear, his face turning pale. He quickly picked up the register and checked it against the corpse.

His hands trembled violently, but he dared not slacken his movements in the slightest.

"Yes—yes! Lord Ryunosuke! It'll be ready soon!"

The bald clerk quickly flipped through the records while answering cautiously, afraid that if he was even a fraction of a second too slow, he would anger this menacing figure.

He quickly identified the body, then took a bulging leather bag from the heavy safe and respectfully pushed it in front of Ryunosuke.

"Please check, this is the reward money entrusted for 'Ren Yin 361,' totaling three million seven hundred thousand taels."

Ryunosuke grabbed the money pouch, weighed it in his hand, and without even counting it, stuffed it directly into his Ninja Tool Pouch.

His fierce eyes swept coldly over the bald clerk and the other staff members who still stood ramrod straight, not daring to breathe.

"Um.

He hummed a sound through his nose, as if in acknowledgment.

But he didn't leave immediately. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, casting a shadow over the clerk, and lowered his voice.

That impatience seemed to be temporarily suppressed by some task, but his tone remained stiff.

"What's been happening in the Ninja World lately? In particular, which areas are unstable? Or are there any important figures involved?"

That was his real purpose in mingling in these dark corners.

He transforms into the Bounty Ninja "Ryunosuke" not only to use the Exchange Shop's network to gather unusual information.

Furthermore, it is necessary to delve into the intricacies of the Ninja World's underworld and search for any clues that might be related to Madara.

His hot-tempered and reckless nature was merely a disguise and a protective layer; the true Taichi Matsushita never stopped thinking.

The clerk felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze, and quickly tried to recall what he was saying before replying in a rapid-fire voice.

"Your Excellency! The main news lately is still about war."

The Iwagakure and the Cloud Village are locked in fierce fighting within the Land of Earth, with both sides' Kage reportedly personally overseeing the front lines.

In addition, on the western front of Konoha, it seems that peace talks have been completed with Iwagakure, but it has not been officially announced yet.

The rest were all small-scale bounties from Rogue Ninja and bandits, or ordinary requests to find people or items.

"War?"

Taiichi's heart skipped a beat. The Battle of Iwakumo—that was a point that could be used.

He maintained his impatient demeanor and asked gruffly, "That's all? Nothing else? I'm paying to listen to your nonsense, you bastard?"

"Ah! There's more—there's more!"

The bald clerk was startled by his shout and suddenly remembered something.

"The outpost has just received a rather unusual request! It's not the usual hunting of Rogue Ninja or treasure raiding, but rather— War Mission!"

Publicly recruiting Bounty Ninja for combat! The organization that posted the offer is wealthy and offers extremely high rewards, but—the level of danger is also extremely high!

"War Mission?"

Ryunosuke narrowed his eyes, and his violent aura seemed to subside somewhat.

Where was this released? Who is being targeted?

"The publisher is very secretive; they didn't directly name the source, and besides, we can't reveal it!"

The clerk lowered his voice, his face contorted with grief, as if his mother had died.

"However, judging from the mission's assembly point and requirements, it's highly likely that Iwagakure is recruiting people behind the scenes to deal with Cloud Village!"

The mission rendezvous point is in a dense forest outside a city on the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Earth! The reward is the base amount for an S-rank Mission! Additional rewards will be given based on the number and level of Cloud Ninja killed! The more you kill, the more you earn!

Grassland Border? Iwagakure? Dealing with Cloud Village

Taiichi suddenly felt enlightened.

Timing! Location! The publisher's intention!

Ōnoki has a history of recruiting Bounty Ninja, and Taiichi has suffered from this before.

The current situation----

With the Iwagakure frontline under immense pressure from the Cloud Village's fierce attack, they will undoubtedly resort to any means necessary to seek external assistance.

The blatant and shameless act of recruiting Bounty Ninja on such a large scale could only be done by Ōnoki, the Tsuchikage.

The thought of being able to participate in the battle between Iwagakure and Cloud Village, and perhaps even cause some trouble, Taiichi filled Taichi with excitement.

Without hesitation, he slammed his hand on the counter. "I'll take it! Give me the Mission Scroll!"

"Yes!

The battlefield between Iwagakure and Cloud Village, a secluded Camp within Iwagakure.

A heavy and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air, and the already scarce trees of the Land of Earth were nowhere to be seen.

The entire area was a somber, earthy yellow. The rare glimpse of green peeking out from the cracks in the rocks was quickly trampled away by the ninjas coming and going.

--

Ryunosuke, or rather, Taichi Matsushita, who wore the imposing and fierce appearance of someone named "Ryunosuke," and his group gathered at this Camp under the guidance of the introducer.

The camp was already bustling with people, not a well-trained troop assembly, but a noisy atmosphere mixed with greed, vigilance, and desperados.

Scars, a single eye, grotesque tattoos, a weathered or blood-soaked Headband ----

This place is where the true "hyenas" of the Ninja World gather—hundreds of Bounty Ninja live on the edge of death.

Ryunosuke's arrival, with his nearly two-meter-tall, muscular physique and undisguised menacing aura, immediately caused a stir and drew wary glances from the crowd.

No one dares to look down on this recently emerging "humanoid beast".

"Damn, what a huge thing!"

"Is that Ryunosuke? That guy who's been making a scene at the Exchange Shop lately—"

"Stay away, this guy's not someone to mess with. I've heard he's a dangerous individual who's quick to kill—"

Whispers arose from the crowd.

Taiichi didn't care at all; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

He stood with his arms crossed, his eyes, disguised as fierce, actually containing calmness, silently scanning the so-called group.

Companion".

Indeed, these people were no ordinary low-level ninjas.

Each of them exuded a formidable aura, their eyes revealing a cold indifference to life and death, a disregard for personal gain.

With over a hundred people gathered together, this force was enough to make any ninja village take notice, so it's no wonder that Iwagakure would have designs on them.

Not long after, a burly man with a face as resolute as a rock strode in, escorted by a group of Rock Ninja. He was none other than Iwagakure's Jonin, the son of the Third Tsuchikage, Kitsuchi.

His arrival instantly silenced all the noise in the room.

All the Bounty Ninja's eyes were fixed on him, filled with scrutiny, greed, and a hint of barely perceptible awe.

Kitsuchi stood still, his deep voice booming like thunder through the camp, without any preamble. "Heroes of the bounty hunter world! I am Kitsuchi, and on behalf of Iwagakure, I welcome you all!"

He moved with lightning speed, sweeping across the entire area, his powerful aura causing some of the less skilled Bounty Ninja to flinch.

"I know why you've come—for profit! For substantial profit! This time, rest assured, Iwagakure will not mistreat any warrior who sheds blood for us!"

A Rock Ninja behind him stepped forward and unfurled a huge scroll with a whoosh, clearly listing the bounty amounts for killing Cloud Ninja of different ranks.

Prices ranged from tens of thousands of ryo for Genin to millions of ryo for Jonin, with even special pricing for certain special ninja from Cloud Village.

For example: Karui's ten million taels, Darui's five million taels----

A series of dazzling numbers instantly ignited the fire of greed in the eyes of most bounty hunters, and heavy breathing and suppressed excited growls echoed through the forest.

This is probably what they mean by a "carrot" dangling in front of everyone.

However, Kitsuchi's tone abruptly shifted, his gentle voice instantly turning as hard as granite. "But!"

His voice rose, carrying the unquestionable authority of a great ninja village.

"The battlefield is not child's play, much less a hunting ground for you to fight alone in the past!"

Here, the will of Iwagakure is an ironclad rule!

Having accepted the mission and received the deposit, you are now Iwagakure mercenaries!

Any act of desertion, disobeying orders, or even attempting to take advantage of the chaos or seize spoils of war—"

Kitsuchi Tu paused, his gaze sharp as a knife, and deliberately lingered for a moment on the faces of several seemingly unruly individuals, a powerful Chakra pressure subtly spreading out.

"----This will be considered betrayal! You've all probably heard about Iwagakure's methods for dealing with traitors. We will deal with them without hesitation, immediately and without mercy!"

This is the "big stick".

The chilling killing intent swept through like a real gust of cold wind, extinguishing the excessive fervor that had just risen in some people's hearts, making everyone's heart tighten.

Using a carrot and stick approach, combining kindness and severity, Kitsuchi has mastered this tactic with exceptional skill.

He warned potential troublemakers and wavers, and then used a huge bounty to firmly hook the ambitions of this group of outlaws.

The more you kill, the more bounty you get!

These words were like a spell, once again igniting a bloodthirsty glint in the eyes of most bounty hunters.

"Now, come with me! Let us go to receive your wealth and glory!"

Kitsuchi Tu waved his hand, said no more, and turned to lead the Rock Ninja force towards the actual battlefield.

Hundreds of Bounty Ninja, like a pack of wolves that have smelled blood, howled and followed closely behind.

Taiichi was also mixed in with the crowd, his burly figure standing out conspicuously. He wore a "Ryunosuke- style" sneer on his face, but inwardly he was calmly analyzing the impending storm.

As we passed through the last mountain ridge, a deafening roar, shouts of battle, and explosions of Ninjutsu rushed towards us like a tsunami, instantly overwhelming all our senses.

The sight before them made even these bounty hunters, who were used to seeing killing, gasp in shock.

The operations of the Shinobi Army are different from the individual battles of ninjas.

The earth is groaning! As far as the eye can see, the land is no longer intact, but scarred and ravaged by countless powerful Ninjutsu.

Huge rock fissures, Black Lightning zones stretching for hundreds of meters, deep ravines carved out by raging torrents, and the remains of forests still burning with inextinguishable flames—

The air was thick with gunpowder smoke and a nauseating stench of blood, making even breathing feel viscous and heavy.

The core area of the battlefield is a battlefield that seems straight out of a myth!

"Roar!"

"Awoo!"

A soul-stirring roar echoed through the heavens.

The Four-Tails Sun Wukong, with his lava ape-like body wrapped in scorching lava chains, unleashed a rain of fire with every punch and roar.

At this moment, he was engaged in a fierce battle with the agile and swift Two-Tails Matatabi, whose body was engulfed in eerie blue flames.

The collision of lava and catfire created a shockwave that disturbed the peace for kilometers around.

On the other side, the Five-Tails Kokuō, a pure white behemoth shrouded in steam, charged with unparalleled brute force against the even larger Eight-Tails Gyuki, like a moving mountain.

The Gyuki's tentacles lashed out like giant whips, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the air.

Kokuō countered with his hard horns and bursts of steam.

The earth cracked and collapsed beneath their feet!

Four Tailed Beast! This is the first time since the outbreak of the Third Shinobi World War that four Tailed Beasts have simultaneously engaged in battle on the same battlefield!

Their battle is devastating and crucial; whichever side emerges victorious first will influence the entire war effort.

However, beneath the Tailed Beast, there is another protagonist on the battlefield: a human with extreme speed and terrifying strength!

Third Raikage A!

He was like a humanoid Lightning Release Chakra Armor, his figure trailing blinding blue lightning as he rampaged through the Iwagakure's territory!

He didn't need any fancy Ninjutsu; his Hell Stab, hailed as the "Strongest Spear," and his Lightning Armor, the "Strongest Shield," were enough to tear apart any obstacle.

"Boom!"

The solid Earth Style Wall was like paper before him, easily pierced!

"Aaaaaah!"

Several Rock Ninja who attempted to form a defensive formation were instantly pierced through along with their weapons by the power of Hell Stab.

Explode!

Wherever Raikage went, he left behind only a bloody path paved with broken rocks and charred corpses!

No one could stop him for even a moment! He was like a scalding hot knife, piercing deep into the defenses of Iwagakure with unstoppable momentum!

His presence greatly boosted the morale of Cloud Village, putting immense pressure on Iwagakure.

The arrival of the Bounty Ninja squad did not result in them being directly deployed to the core battlefield, which was like a meat grinder.

Kitsuchi knew perfectly well that no matter how strong this rabble was, they would only be cannon fodder in a battle between Tailed Beast and the Raikage.

Their value lies in surprise attacks and harassment.

The order was issued quickly.

Hundreds of bounty hunters were quickly dispersed, like water droplets merging into sand, and scattered into various elite Iwagakure squads that had been prepared beforehand.

The mission objective is clear: to outflank the enemy from the flanks, attack the Cloud Village's relatively weak Resupply lines, support troops, or flank positions, relieve pressure on the main battlefield, and create chaos.

Taiichi was also assigned to an Iwagakure squad.

However, the team's mission was exceptionally deep and dangerous.

They were ordered to sneak into the vicinity of the Cloud Village's main camp to carry out harassment and sabotage operations, and to draw some of the Cloud Village's forces back to reinforce them.

Taiichi grinned maliciously and patted his chest, indicating that he would take care of it.

His arrogant and bloodthirsty demeanor even made the Iwagakure Jonin was leading him frown.

Soon, Taiichi's squad encountered the Cloud Ninja.

At this moment, the Iwagakure of Jonin finally understood the source of Ryunosuke's arrogance.

Upon spotting the enemy, Ryunosuke immediately charged out to fight.

Earth Style: Rock Armor, empowering oneself.

Earth Style: Earth Style: Earth Dragon Spear - Breaks the enemy's formation.

Earth Style: Earth Clone, to confuse the viewer.

The key is that these three Ninjutsu were executed exceptionally quickly, all of them being released during the Body Flicker.

Once he got close enough to the enemy, his battering ram-like fists began to smash wildly.

As the Rock Ninja squad prepared to join the battle, he had already single-handedly taken down a Cloud Village squad.

Now, even if the Iwagakure Jonin a temper, he could only obediently suppress it, after all, strength still reigns supreme in the Ninja World.

However, what the Iwagakure Jonin n't know was that Taiichi had taken down more than just one Cloud Village squad.

While they were engrossed in the battle, he had already completed the exchange between his main body and his Shadow Clone.

In other words, everything the Iwagakure of Jonin saw was merely the work of Taiichi Shadow Clone, while his true body had already used Earth Style to arrive at the main battlefield.

This is the real purpose of his trip.