The Land of Rain

Uchiha Zhuang was intentionally training his abilities, strengthening his manipulation of natural energy, and his speed grew ever faster amidst the downpour. The cat ahead twitched its ears, let out a few meows, and darted into a dim alleyway. Uchiha Zhuang followed without hesitation, and the cat sat at the intersection of the alley waiting for him. Its anthropomorphic expression seemed to mock him before its paws pressed together; with a poof of white smoke, it vanished, leaving only a mint leaf that drifted slowly to the ground, dampened by the rain. Uchiha Zhuang approached slowly, picked up the leaf, and sniffed it. Hmm! It's for a proper cat, alright. Granny Cat and her kin had been on friendly terms with the Uchiha clan for generations, so Uchiha Zhuang was no stranger to felines.

Returning to the shop to reunite with Persia, the two continued toward their inn. Looking up at the sign for "Silver Dragon Azure Tiger," its characters appearing hazy and archaic through the misty rain, Uchiha Zhuang's sixth sense grew increasingly intense. Back in their room, Uchiha Zhuang frowned, sitting on the sofa in thought while Persia sat beside him, staring blankly at his profile. If the Azure Tiger was the cat, then what of the Silver Dragon? Could it be the White Snake? Did this place have some connection to the White Snake Sage? The Three Great Sages were virtually unheard of in the world of ordinary people; to be targeted by such power was unsettling. Was this surveillance without action merely a test? Was it fear of his strength? No, it was more likely fear of the rules in Amegakure. It seemed a deep exchange was inevitable tonight!

Uchiha Zhuang cast a sidelong glance at Persia. As for Persia, it's better to let her rest. With that woman there, I doubt any ordinary force could lay a hand on her. Uchiha Zhuang snapped back to reality, looking at the innocent-looking Persia and saying, "Let's bathe, Persia. Have you ever taken a bath?" Thus began their chaste activity of scrubbing and soaking in the hot spring. It was Persia's first time experiencing a hot spring; it felt scalding at first, but grew warm and comfortable as she settled in. Persia was pleasantly surprised, and even after Uchiha Zhuang had risen, dried off, and finished his sauna, she remained intoxicated by the waters. After his own sauna and a hot shower, Uchiha Zhuang dried his sturdy frame and donned a loose, soft bathrobe. Unaccustomed to flip-flops, he opted for his breathable and comfortable old Beijing cloth shoes. Seeing Persia still immersed in the spring, he reached out to pat her head: "Xia Mi, take good care of Persia. I have some problems to resolve and will return later." Ignoring the woman who suddenly opened her eyes, Uchiha Zhuang pulled the door open, stepped out lightly, and closed it behind him. He's a decent man after all, isn't he!? The woman seemed to be talking to herself.

He walked lazily into the inner tavern, found a seat with a clear view of the chef, checked the menu, and ordered several of the Land of Rain's famous sashimi and seafood dishes. He also requested a lemon sparkling water and waited for the meal. While he sat with his eyes closed in meditation, Uchiha Zhuang could perceive one gaze from the roof, two from outside, four or five from within the room, and another from the VIP private room—some felt benevolent, others neither good nor bad. "Hi! Sorry to keep you waiting, guest. Please try our house specialty sashimi and sparkling water." The alluring waitress approached to set down the dishes, the deep cleavage revealed as she leaned over fully visible. The rouge she had applied emitted a heavy scent of pheromones, and she seemed to lean in to blow a soft breath against Uchiha Zhuang's face. "Arigato," the laconic Uchiha Zhuang replied, remaining composed; a man who had seen the raging waves of the Pacific would never be moved by the tiny ripples of a small pond. Of course, he wouldn't turn down a free meal, and after a moment of mental distraction, he smiled and watched the waitress sway her hips as she walked away.

He picked up a piece of crystal-clear sashimi, dipped it in original soy sauce, and—mm!—delicious! Uchiha Zhuang savored the meal, quickly finishing the dishes, drank his sparkling water, and sat in silence. The alluring waitress returned to clear the dishes and served a pot of hot tea. Sipping the tea, Uchiha Zhuang recognized it as green tea with the crisp fragrance of nature; this was certainly not the kind of tea commoners could afford. It seemed the real host had arrived. As he pondered, a tall, enchantingly beautiful woman slowly approached and sat opposite him. Her slender, snow-white neck, deep cleavage, long and fair legs, and most lethally, her soul-stirring bright red lips, all radiated a danger that could make a man lose his reason. Her charming eyes sent out intense signals of pleasure, and Uchiha Zhuang barely managed to keep his composure, bowing his head in silence to silently tell his "little brother" to stop rising.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Her soft, sweet tone seemed to blow into the depths of his ears. The fragrance of orchids and the evening song of birds—everything was intoxicating, and the tingling sensation at his ear made his body tremble as if he were about to lose his resolve. With a shudder, Uchiha Zhuang slowly calmed down, feeling relieved. The beautiful woman frowned slightly, suddenly catching a fishy but familiar scent. She looked at Uchiha Zhuang with astonishment, then confusion, and finally, a face full of anger. At this moment, Uchiha Zhuang slowly brought out his right hand, wiped it with a napkin from the table, and then generously rolled up the already-used napkin into a large ball and placed it on the table. The moment the woman had appeared, Uchiha Zhuang realized he had fallen under a genjutsu! It had started the moment the waitress approached him. It was an incredibly sophisticated Pink Wonderland genjutsu! A seamless, all-encompassing illusion targeting sight, taste, smell, hearing, touch, and his sixth sense.

Yes, Uchiha Zhuang had realized he was caught, but his reason could hardly overcome his unbridled instinctual desires, and even chakra could not dispel the illusion. To escape the ambiguous situation, Uchiha Zhuang had no choice but to use his only countermeasure: "Ninja Art: Sage Mode!" After a series of intense one-handed seals, he successfully entered Sage Mode.

Lamenting the limited duration of Sage Mode, Uchiha Zhuang said sternly, "I don't have time to mess around with you. If you have a commission, state it directly. If there are treasures you want, I can find them for you, but please stop using such useless genjutsu. I have extensive experience with such techniques." Uchiha Zhuang stared straight into the woman's charming eyes, his face neither flushing nor his heart racing. The woman's slightly angry expression slowly softened, and she smiled, saying, "I must say, you are truly an interesting man. No man has ever escaped this technique before; you are the first I have ever seen." Taking the opportunity to lower her neckline even further, the woman leaned toward Uchiha Zhuang. He knew he wouldn't have a second chance! He slammed his hand on the table, and the Streamer Red Dragon greatsword appeared with a clang as he drew it, saying to the woman, "Why must a beautiful lady like you make things difficult for a small fry like me? I hear that Lord Hanzo of the Land of Rain is a man of extraordinary strength and a great hero. If you have any needs, wouldn't it be a win-win situation to seek him out?" His meaningful words did not stir any extra expression from the woman. She simply sat up straight and said seriously, "He is just a boring man." She then glanced at Uchiha Zhuang and added, "You are different. You are interesting. I noticed you the moment you entered the village. Are you willing to work for me? A samurai... who knows chakra?"

Uchiha Zhuang responded with a righteous air: "A man of honor walking through troubled times should act with justice! It is not excessive for a samurai like me to know a bit of chakra; after all, even a crab has two claws!" "Hmph, sophistry," the woman said impatiently. "Two suspicious outsiders who can use natural energy arriving in Amegakure—I imagine this is definitely bad news for the higher-ups of the village! They might try to recruit you as subordinates, but it is far more likely they will capture you for all sorts of interesting research! Now, won't you consider joining me instead? I might be able to give you what you want?" As she spoke, she puffed out her magnificent chest. Uchiha Zhuang felt his "little brother" rising again and knew his Sage Mode time was running out. He immediately refused righteously: "My companion and I are wandering samurai on a pilgrimage; we have absolutely no intention of getting involved in any affairs of Amegakure. If you have something you need us to do, you can notify me tomorrow morning. We will do our best to help you with one thing, and I hope you can understand our predicament." With that, he flicked his sleeves, sheathed his sword, and turned to leave, hurrying away from the woman who was a master of genjutsu.

The woman, who seemed to have lost the exchange but had actually gained a massive profit, felt delighted to have obtained help without a drop of blood shed. Her secret technique could effectively sense the presence of natural energy, and these two—especially this man—possessed an incredibly dense amount of it, almost as if it were about to compress into a solid form. It was fortunate that the person checking at the village gate was one of her own, allowing her to make the first contact. Now, she could certainly entrust a certain thorny matter to him. Yet, he had been able to break free from her "secret technique: Pink Wonderland"—there were very few powerhouses in this world capable of that.

She glanced casually at the paper ball Uchiha Zhuang had left on the table and was overjoyed; this was the genetic material of a powerhouse, which must be carefully preserved. It would surely be a precious treasure in the future. She ordered her servants to collect the paper ball and take it to the base. Then, with a flash of transformation, a giant white phosphorus snake revealed its true form. Her clothes fell to the ground, and the white snake slithered gracefully out of the VIP room, leaving the servants to respectfully clean up the scene.