The Black Hand Appears

The news of Taiichi's departure spread like wildfire.

The news that Konoha's "White Reaper" had angrily left the Land of Hot Water after failing to find anything during his investigation and being reprimanded by the Eldest Young Master spread like wildfire through official channels and certain clandestine channels.

Outside the Capital of Hot Water, in a secluded mountain forest, Taiichi, who had just "angrily left," had already returned using the Flying Thunder God.

A cold smile played on his lips; his perception, like an invisible spiderweb, covered the entire Capital of Hot Water.

He could clearly "sense" that, shortly after his departure, several secret messages were leaked out of the Daimyo's Mansion.

"The fish has taken the bait," Taiichi whispered. He Hand Seals, Chakra surged within him.

Shadow Clone Technique.

Bang bang bang bang—Eight plumes of white smoke exploded in succession, and eight Shadow Clone identical to Taiichi appeared around him. They all had the same sharp eyes and restrained aura.

"Target area: all areas with a high concentration of hot springs and caves in the northeastern mountains and surrounding areas, major transportation routes, and remote villages. Everyone, try to fly as high as possible and avoid being noticed."

Taiichi's voice was cold and clear, "Any abnormal Chakra fluctuations, gatherings of people, or suspicious activities detected must be immediately dispelled. Do not alert the enemy."

"Understood!" the eight Shadow Clone replied in unison, then transformed into eight blurry afterimages, like a gentle breeze merging into the forest, rushing off in their respective directions and disappearing into the depths of the dense forest in an instant.

Taiichi's true form stood up, his gaze fixed on the direction of Capital of Hot Water, his eyes deep. Now, it was time to test their patience and see who would finally give in first.

The cicada has shed its shell; the shadows have already taken hold.

An invisible net has quietly been cast across the sky and earth of the Land of Hot Water.

After Capital of Hot Water's "angry departure," the hustle and bustle of the Taiichi seemed to fall into an eerie calm. However, beneath this calm, undercurrents were surging.

Inside the Daimyo's Mansion, the lamplight flickered in the Second Young Master's secret room. A hint of barely suppressed smugness played on his lips as he lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, listening to his confidant's report.

"----My lord, it's confirmed. After leaving Daimyo's Mansion, Taichi Matsushita did not linger in Capital of Hot Water. He flew directly west at an extremely fast speed. Our spies along the way have confirmed that he has already left the country." The black-clad confidant knelt on one knee, his voice carrying a hint of relief.

"Hmph, 'White Reaper'? Nothing special."

The Second Young Master chuckled, picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and the icy liquid slid down his throat, but it couldn't extinguish the ambition in his heart. "He ran away with his tail between his legs after being scolded a few times by that idiot big brother. It seems that Konoha's reputation isn't so strong after all."

"Pass down the order so that they can breathe a little easier, but for now, hold back and observe for a few more days to make sure that troublemaker is truly gone and not just playing some kind of trick."

"Yes!" the confidant replied, his figure disappearing into the shadows.

The Second Young Master walked to the window, gazing at the capital city shrouded in the mist of the hot springs, his eyes gleaming with calculation.

Taiichi's departure means the greatest threat has been eliminated. Konoha will not send anyone more troublesome in the near future, after all, they have "completed their mission."

Next, it's time to clean up the mess, urge those lunatics to unleash their true "Undead Legion," and even force the old stubborn man to step down.

Once he has power, his elder brother and those old fogies who support him will all die.

He could almost see himself ascending to the throne of Daimyo, controlling the Undead Legion, and commanding the surrounding nations to submit.

Not long after, the stronghold of the Jashin Cult was discovered.

The cult leader, "Blood Crow," sat on the throne he had created, listening to the orders relayed by the Second Young Master's confidant. His face, covered by a raven mask, was expressionless, except for his scarlet eyes, which gleamed with ferocity and impatience in the darkness.

"Wait a few more days? Ha—" Blood Crow's voice was like the hooting of an owl, full of sarcasm, "Our Second Young Master is more timid than a mouse. He's scared out of his wits by just a name. But it's good, it's always better to be cautious."

Tell those fools out there to keep their tails between their legs these next few days. Anyone who ruins my grand plan will be skinned alive and their soul offered as a sacrifice to my lord!

"Yes, Master!" a gray-robed cultist below replied tremblingly, and hurriedly withdrew to relay the order.

Blood Crow stood up irritably, his scarlet robe fluttering even without wind.

He walked to the huge central altar, its surface covered in layers of solidified dark red, emanating a nauseating stench of blood.

Below the altar was the entrance to a huge incinerator, the fire of which had been extinguished for some time.

Nearby, several "sacrifices," chained up, emaciated, and with vacant eyes, huddled in a corner, emitting faint groans.

They were among the last few remaining, and in extremely poor condition, almost beyond value as "effective" sacrifices.

"Sacrifice—" Blood Crow muttered to himself, a barely perceptible anxiety in his voice. To communicate with the Evil God, one needed terrified souls as "fuel" and a "bridge."

He had originally planned to stockpile another batch before Taiichi arrived, but was forced to stop because Taiyi arrived too quickly. Now, the stock is almost depleted.

Now I just hope what's left can last a few more days. Otherwise----

A house in Iwagakure, the Land of Earth.

The heavy curtains blocked out most of the light, leaving only a few rays struggling to penetrate and casting blurry patches of light on the dusty floor.

Obito Uchiha leaned against the cold stone wall, his mask lying aside, revealing his face, torn by scars and etched with darkness.

He closed his eyes, but he wasn't resting. The gentle smile of the girl in his dream kept appearing in his mind, followed by—the Kunai that pierced through her chest!

"Lin----"

A low, painful, and hateful murmur echoed in the silent room. This unforgettable pain and regret constantly seared his soul.

Iwagakure, one of the sources of Rin's tragedy, became a nightmare from which she could not escape.

Having nothing better to do recently, he lurked here, like a venomous snake hiding in the shadows, patiently licking his wounds again and again, while scrutinizing the village, searching for any crack that could be torn apart.

Last time, he used the Mangekyo Genjutsu to subtly plant the idea in the mind of an elder of Iwagakure, urging Kitsuchi to suggest to Ōnoki that "for the sake of the village's future, he should step down at the appropriate time."

Unfortunately, that stubborn old man, Ōnoki, though advanced in years, still possessed a politically astute shrewdness as sharp as a fox.

Kitsuchi's tentative proposal not only failed to cause any trouble, but was also easily defused by Ōnoki, who even used it to eliminate the village's opposition.

The plan failed.

However, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

It's alright, he has plenty of time and patience.

Even the seemingly solid stone wall of Iwagakure will eventually develop cracks. He only needs to wait patiently, or—create the next opportunity himself.

Lin's vengeance must be appeased with the blood of the entire Iwagakure Village, even through destruction!

Just then, the floor in the corner of the room rippled silently, like water on which a pebble had been thrown.

With its pitcher plant-shaped head, Zetsu emerged slowly and silently, like a strange plant growing from the ground.

"Oh dear, oh dear, reminiscing about those unpleasant memories again, Obito?" White Zetsu teased in his characteristic flippant tone, breaking the heavy silence in the room.

Obito's gaze instantly sharpened like a knife as he swept it towards Zetsu. He silently put his mask back on and said coldly, "Get to the point."

"Don't be so cold." White Zetsu chuckled, swaying his half-body. "We can't gnaw on the rocks of Iwagakure for now, but I've found a more interesting 'toy,' which might—become a decent piece on our chessboard."

"Toys?" Obito's voice was completely flat, clearly indicating his reservations about the "interesting" part Zetsu had mentioned.

"The Land of Hot Water." Black Zetsu's deep, hoarse voice rang out, suppressing White Zetsu's will as he began to speak, "An organization called the 'Jashin Cult' is secretly conducting some—very interesting research."

"The Jashin Cult?" Obito frowned slightly, feeling unfamiliar with the name.

"A bunch of lunatics who worship so-called Evil God," White Zetsu chimed in, his tone exaggeratedly astonished, "They use living people for curse experiments, trying to create immortal warriors! Tsk tsk, what a crazy and audacious idea!"

"Immortal?" Obito's eyes finally changed slightly, no longer purely cold, but flashing with a glint of doubt and inquiry.

This word touched a deep corner of his heart. Lynn's death was the source of his eternal pain.

Immortality—if—he forced himself to suppress the absurd thought, his voice still cold and hard. "Absurd, there's no such thing as true immortality in the Ninja World."

"Hehe, don't jump to conclusions." White Zetsu shook his head. "According to the intelligence I 'Scout, they seem to have actually managed to figure something out."

Although most of them are failures, fearing fire and decapitation, and can only be considered half-finished products, they do possess regenerative abilities and numbness to pain far exceeding those of ordinary people.

More importantly, their experiment seemed to have received a genuine response from the Deity.

"Deity?" Obito pressed.

"Yes." Black Zetsu nodded in affirmation, "The so-called Evil God they speak of is not entirely fictitious."

That's something that existed in the ancient times of the Ninja World, before the Sage of Six Paths, or even earlier.

They were once the rulers of this land, wielding power beyond that of criminals. Their so-called "immortality" might simply be a rudimentary manifestation of their power.

However, as the long years have passed, they have long since declined, with only a few survivors hiding in the corners of the Ninja World, clinging to life by the sacrifices of believers, far from being true "Deity."

As Black Zetsu spoke of these things, there was a hint of pride in his voice, though Obito was unaware of it at the time.

He was processing the information that Jue had brought.

Ancient beings? Gods clinging to life? Experiments with immortality? These words, combined, challenged his preconceived notions.

"A god clinging to life—"

Obito repeated Black Zetsu's words in a low voice, his tone carrying an indescribable complexity—a mixture of sarcasm and a subtle stirring of emotion that even he himself was unaware of.

"So, such things really do exist in this world."

"So," White Zetsu leaned closer, his tone seductive, "What do you think, Obito? Isn't this Jashin Cult interesting? Their research, though rudimentary, is quite effective. Aren't we recruiting people right now?"

Obito's light shifted away from Zetsu and shone out the window again, as if piercing through the thick stone walls and the swirling sandstorm, revealing the distant Land of Hot Water.

After a moment of silence, Obito's voice rang out, cold and resolute. "Interesting. Go and make contact with them, Zetsu. Let's see what this so-called Jashin Cult is really like, and whether it can be used for my purposes."

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, and opened it only a crack, letting a sliver of the yellowish-brown world outside seep in. "A group of madmen pursuing immortality—perhaps, they can stir up a stagnant pool."

At the same time, the corners of Jue's mouth curled upwards, revealing a tacit and eerie smile.

"Understood. I'll arrange it." White Zetsu's voice was light and cheerful.

In the northwestern part of the Land of Hot Water, there is an ordinary town that has prospered because of its hot springs.

During this time, Taiichi's true form was not idle either. He transformed into a young scholar traveling around, dressed in simple clothes, carrying a simple bag, and mingling in the bustling streets. He concealed all Chakra fluctuations, like a drop of water flowing into the sea.

Taiichi walked among the crowd, his keen senses capturing every sound and every clue around him.

He needs more grounded information, to learn from the grassroots level about clues that might be covered up by the authorities.

Outside the hot spring inn in the small town, a group of travelers who had just come out of the hot springs were gathered together, whispering about something, their faces filled with fear and mystery.

"Have you heard? In Maple Leaf Village next door, they heard strange noises again the other night! It sounded like something was howling, it was really creepy!"

"Yes, I heard about it too! Someone even saw a dark shadow drift past the back mountain and disappear in a flash!"

"Sigh, this world—ever since the incidents in Tsukimi Village and Keishi Village, everyone's been living in fear. The government's investigations have been endless, but they haven't found anything!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! I heard—it wasn't done by a human!" A gaunt old man lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously, "It's divine punishment! It's messengers serving Evil God, choosing believers with pure souls!"

"An 'Evil God'? What's that?"

"I'm not entirely sure either, but it seems to be a very ancient and powerful Deity —one who can grant believers the power of immortality!"

The old man looked around, then carefully pulled a crumpled piece of paper with crude paint from his pocket. "Here," he said, "I secretly picked this up. It's marked on it—"

Taiichi approached subtly, his footsteps sweeping across the piece of paper with a sharp, piercing light. The paper was rough, and a perfect circle with an equilateral triangle drawn on it in dark red paint.

Below the symbol, written in crooked handwriting, "Embrace the Evil God, serve my lord, offer your devotion, and you will attain immortality."

A faint, seductive Chakra lingered on it, but its essence was strangely familiar to Taiichi, originating from the same source as the violent and evil aura he had sensed in Tsukimi Village and the trading post.

"Evil God — the Jashin Cult, so that's how it is." Taiichi suddenly realized.

So it was them, the Jashin Cult! And they were even spreading their beliefs among the people, bewitching and misleading them!

"Old man," Taiichi stepped forward, a gentle and harmless smile on his face, "This Evil God you mentioned sounds very mysterious. May I take a look at this piece of paper?"

The old man glanced at Taiichi warily, but seeing that he was young and kind-looking, like a scholar, he hesitated for a moment before handing it over anyway.

Taiichi took the piece of paper, his fingers gently brushing over the symbol. His senses instantly penetrated it, confirming the Chakra residue once again, and also erasing the bewitching power within.

This kind of thing shouldn't be kept to harm people.