Kakuzu and Takigakure

Chiba Shun pondered for a moment. The Rabbit Goddess was Kaguya, the progenitor of chakra. He had not expected anyone in the ninja world to still worship her.

Was it something people did voluntarily? Or was it Black Zetsu's handiwork? Or had Kaguya done this herself?

Could Kaguya's power directly influence the ninja world?

Driven by that curiosity, Chiba Shun agreed to let the three kids take part in the festival.

The three kids had little interest in the Rabbit Goddess. Their attention was entirely on the snacks and street performances.

Chiba Shun, meanwhile, carefully observed the Rabbit Goddess statue in the center of the town shrine, as well as the female priestess beside it, who looked to be in her fifties or sixties.

The Rabbit Goddess statue differed greatly from the Kaguya Chiba Shun remembered. It was somewhat plump and looked kindly.

Its eyes were not Byakugan either, but ordinary eyes.

Its clothing, however, was very classical and somewhat resembled the Kaguya-hime from the original work.

What caught Chiba Shun's attention most was the ornament carved onto the statue's forehead.

Having seen Kaguya-hime in the original work, Chiba Shun felt deeply uneasy. It was as if that ornament was an eye—the Rinne Sharingan.

He did not know whether it was merely psychological, but Chiba Shun always felt as though she were scrutinizing him with that eye.

After taking only a few hurried glances, Chiba Shun left the shrine and went shopping with the three kids.

However, the moment he stepped outside, Chiba Shun sensed someone watching him.

This gaze felt different from the sensation brought on by the Rabbit Goddess's forehead ornament.

Chiba Shun felt that the earlier sensation might have been psychological, but this time, someone was truly watching him.

He suddenly turned and looked toward the old priestess.

She was not looking at him. Another illusion? Or had she already withdrawn her gaze?

Before Chiba Shun could analyze the reason, Ayana was already urging him onward.

Without dwelling on it further, Chiba Shun moved away from the shrine that made him uncomfortable.

Someone was actually selling long swords at the festival in the Land of Iron.

Chiba Shun was quite interested.

Most of the long swords he had were ordinary. He could not afford a chakra-conducting blade, so he could look here for something affordable and worthwhile.

After visiting several shops, Chiba Shun finally spent twenty thousand ryo on a weapon of decent quality.

As for everything else, he either did not like it or did not think it was worth the price, so he made no further purchases.

The three kids, on the other hand, bought a huge pile of snacks.

Chiba Shun never objected to food. It was something that could improve a ninja's strength, so he generously paid for them.

After spending the entire day shopping, the four returned to their lodgings. Following a night of rest, Chiba Shun set out with the three of them for the Land of Waterfalls.

Beyond the Land of Iron lay the Land of Waterfalls, the only small or medium-sized nation with a Tailed Beast.

As a result, Takigakure had a rather strange sense of its own standing.

They wanted their country to hold the same status as the Five Great Nations, but their strength simply was not enough. They were not even a match for Amegakure.

Still, one thing was good: public order in the Land of Waterfalls was much better than in the Land of Moon or the Land of Hot Water.

During several days in the Land of Waterfalls, Chiba Shun and the others did not encounter a single enemy.

Just as Chiba Shun began to think they would face no danger in the Land of Waterfalls, an intense burst of chakra suddenly erupted far away from him and the three kids.

All four looked in that direction.

The three kids' eyesight was limited, and they could not make out anything. Chiba Shun, however, quickly reached a conclusion.

Someone was fighting with Fire Release and Wind Release ninjutsu.

Chiba Shun judged that both the Fire Release and Wind Release techniques far surpassed his own A-rank Earth Release: Mountain Earth Technique.

With Wind Release and Fire Release combined, the wind fueled the flames. Even across several mountains, Chiba Shun and the others could still feel the crushing pressure.

That level of strength was definitely Kage Level!

At this time, there were far fewer Kage Level experts in the ninja world than there would be later.

Chiba Shun quickly ran through the possible candidates in his mind.

Based on elemental affinities alone, he could rule out the Third Raikage, Third Kazekage, Third Mizukage, Danzo, Tsunade, Chiyo, Hanzō, and every Jinchūriki.

That left only Hiruzen Sarutobi, Ōnoki, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Kakuzu!

Kakuzu. It had to be Kakuzu! Kakuzu, with five hearts and Earth Grudge Fear!

Chiba Shun suddenly remembered that his bounty on the underground black market was ten million ryo, enough to draw Kakuzu's attention!

His disguise might fool ordinary bounty hunters, but it certainly could not deceive that undead old monster, Kakuzu!

Whether Kakuzu was coming for him or not, he had to prepare for the worst!

Chiba Shun did not dare face Kakuzu.

At this point, Kakuzu surpassed Chiba Shun in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and tactics.

Even his Body Flicker Technique was far beyond Chiba Shun's.

If he encountered Kakuzu, Chiba Shun felt he would have no chance of survival.

Moreover, Chiba Shun suspected he might not even be able to break through Kakuzu's defenses!

He did not have Lightning Release. Once Kakuzu used his hardening technique, could his Earth Release do anything against him?

With that thought, Chiba Shun immediately began thinking of a solution.

He did not need long. This was the Land of Waterfalls, near Takigakure. The only people who could save him were the Taki Shinobi.

Chiba Shun immediately ordered the three kids to turn with him and sprint directly toward Takigakure.

As he ran, Chiba Shun silently thanked the friend who had alerted Kakuzu and forced him to use such powerful ninjutsu.

If not for that person, he would have been finished once Kakuzu reached him.

The three kids did not understand what was happening, nor did they dare ask. They could only run after Chiba Shun.

Hayata had too little chakra. Before long, he exhausted it completely, and Chiba Shun had no choice but to carry him on his back.

Fortunately, Chiba Shun and the others were in the central region of the Land of Waterfalls, not too far from Takigakure.

Kakuzu would need to put some effort into tracking them, so Chiba Shun finally reached Takigakure's gates before Kakuzu could catch up.

When two Taki Shinobi Chunin saw someone rapidly approaching, they immediately shouted for him to stop.

Chiba Shun stopped. Without waiting for them to question him, he said, "Takigakure's S-rank rogue ninja Kakuzu has returned. He wants revenge on you for betraying him back then!"

The two Chunin exchanged glances. Neither had heard of Kakuzu.

Chiba Shun said, "He is an expert with strength equal to the Kage of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Report this to your leader!"

This time, the two Chunin finally reacted.

They wanted to confirm it, but Chiba Shun directly left with the three kids from one side. He planned to circle around Takigakure.

The two Chunin hesitated. One of them said, "You keep watch here. I'll report to the leader."

The other opened his mouth. He wanted to report to the leader too. How dangerous would it be to stay here?

Chiba Shun had no idea what kind of panic Takigakure's upper ranks went through afterward.

After running several miles with the three kids, he heard a disturbance behind him.

Chiba Shun glanced back as he ran, then swallowed hard.

The Seven-Tails!

Taki Shinobi, thank you!

At this point, Chiba Shun had basically confirmed it. Kakuzu was definitely coming for him!

Kakuzu had surely followed the traces he left behind to outside Takigakure, then clashed with the panicked Taki Shinobi.

The three kids also realized something was wrong. The chakra of a Tailed Beast was far beyond their imagination, and the suffocating pressure made their legs go weak with fear.

Only after Chiba Shun repeatedly urged them did the three barely manage to follow him away from Takigakure.

In order to escape the Land of Waterfalls quickly, Chiba Shun even took out soldier pills.

Of course, he did not need them himself. They were for the three kids.

It was the first time the three had eaten soldier pills, and they were even somewhat excited.

There was actually something in this world that could instantly restore stamina and chakra after being eaten.

However, the three kids soon could not stay excited.

Because soldier pills had side effects.

Not long after the four entered the Land of Grass, the effects of the soldier pills wore off.

The three only felt waves of exhaustion rising from deep within their bodies.

Chiba Shun disguised himself and the three kids as ordinary people, then entered a city in the Land of Grass to rest for five days.

Only after five days of replenishing themselves with food did the three kids recover.

Only then did Ayana dare to ask about Kakuzu.

Chiba Shun said flatly, "He is an S-rank rogue ninja, and his strength is on the same level as Lord Raikage's."

"Also, he likes money. He was most likely coming for me, intending to kill me for the bounty!"

"Fortunately, the people of Takigakure helped block him. Otherwise, this time would have been dangerous."

Upon hearing the words "S-rank rogue ninja," the three kids' newly recovered complexions immediately turned pale.

Their Ninja Academy textbooks had mentioned S-rank rogue ninja.

Chiba Shun had written directly in the textbooks that so-called S-rank rogue ninja were rogue ninja their villages could not handle.

They were powerful, cruel by nature, and every one of them was an utterly vile criminal.

He described them that way because he had considered that Konoha, the Sand Shinobi, and the Iwa Shinobi would all produce S-rank rogue ninja in the future.

When the time came, everyone would compare them and think: Sure enough, only our Kumogakure is righteous.

The other ninja villages were all breeding grounds for demons!

However, when Ayana and the other two heard Chiba Shun say that Takigakure had helped him hold off Kakuzu, their expressions became very strange.

You were clearly the shameless one who lured him to Takigakure, yet you said Takigakure had helped you!

Then Ayana remembered something else and asked, "Teacher Shun, what was that enormous monster?"

"Its chakra was so powerful. Even from that far away, I felt like I was suffocating."

Chiba Shun thought for a moment and said, "This is not mentioned in the village's teaching materials, but you should indeed learn about it."

"That thing is called a Tailed Beast. There are nine Tailed Beasts in the ninja world, from the One-Tail all the way to the Nine-Tails."

"Other than the Seven-Tails in Takigakure, all the other Tailed Beasts are in the hands of the Five Great Ninja Villages."

"Our Kumogakure has two Tailed Beasts, the Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails."

Ayana asked, "Then, Teacher Shun, have you ever seen the village's Tailed Beasts?"

Chiba Shun recalled his helplessness during the Eight-Tails' rampage. He nodded and said, "I saw it once. When the Eight-Tails went berserk, the village lost several hundred ninja. It was also in that battle that Lord Raikage promoted me to Jonin."

The three kids nodded, half understanding.

Then Hayata suddenly asked, "Teacher Shun, where did that monster come out from? Why didn't we see it when we were at Takigakure's gates?"

"With such a huge body, could it have been hiding underground?"

Chiba Shun shook his head and said, "Tailed Beasts are generally sealed inside ninja by the major ninja villages."

"Ninja with Tailed Beasts inside them are called Jinchūriki. Jinchūriki can use the power of Tailed Beasts to a certain extent."