Crack!
A crisp shattering sound rang out.
Two precious hearts were lost for nothing, before the mission was even complete.
Kakuzu was so heartbroken he could barely breathe. He stared coldly at Sixia, his gaze chilling.
Yet Sixia did not attack again. Instead, he reined in his presence, shrugged, and spoke in a light, teasing tone.
"Still want to keep going? We all make our living on the black market. There's no need to fight to the death over a little mission pay. Why don't we both take a step back and call it a day?"
"If you ever need my help in the future, I'll give you a friendly ten-percent discount."
His words hung in the air.
Kakuzu listened with a deep frown, a jumble of emotions stirring inside him.
He took a deep breath, struggling to calm his anger.
Then he gave Sixia one last cold look, turned, and left.
Recalling how Kakuzu had slaughtered people as effortlessly as chopping vegetables just moments ago,
Shuinaihao and the others still felt their hearts pounding.
The caravan guards and the ninja Shuinaihao had painstakingly hired through various channels only now began to come to their senses, as though waking from a dream.
"We... we're alive... It feels like someone dragged us back from the gates of hell."
"The ninja the boss hired is incredible! He knows so many Ninjutsu, I could barely believe my eyes!"
"Thank goodness he was here. Otherwise, we'd all be dead!"
Their eyes were filled with the relief of having survived.
They seemed to be reliving the terror of being at Kakuzu's mercy.
Yet just then,
Shuinaihao suddenly lost his temper.
As the employer, he was seething with resentment.
"How could you let him get away?!"
Shuinaihao roared.
During the fight, Sixia had clearly held an overwhelming advantage, beating Kakuzu into a miserable state.
If he had been willing to make the effort, he could easily have stopped that man from leaving!
But that bastard Kakuzu had killed so many of his guards, and Shixia had simply let him walk away?
Shuinaihao's blood pressure skyrocketed.
Hearing Shuinaihao's roar, Sixia merely raised a hand and picked at his ear.
"Mr. Shuinai, you only hired me to rescue your men. Hunting someone down or capturing him wasn't part of my job. Haven't I saved everyone? Not a single one missing. Now that the job's done, isn't it time you paid that two-hundred-thousand fee?"
With that, Sixia held out his hand, palm up, and leisurely waited for Shuinaihao's response.
Shuinaihao's face turned livid. Though he was burning with anger, he could only grit his teeth and pay the fee.
This bastard was even more terrifyingly powerful than Kakuzu. Shuinaihao did not dare try anything.
As the payment reached his hands, the system notification sounded right on cue.
[Commission Mission successfully completed!] [Reward: 200 Commission Points]
Claiming the system reward left Sixia feeling refreshed, and a satisfied smile curved his lips.
The employer's payment was not what mattered.
The system's bonus reward was the real prize.
After claiming his reward, Sixia glanced at his system panel, already forming new goals and plans.
[Name: Uzumaki Shixia] [Sex: Male] [Age: 18] [Commission Points: 721] [Chakra natures: Fire (D rank), Wind (B-Rank), Lightning (S-Rank), Water (C rank), Yang (D rank), Yin (D rank)] [Total chakra: SSS-Rank (Your chakra reserves have reached the "chakra by the ton" standard. Truly astonishing.)] [Physical strength: SS rank (Your strength and speed far surpass those of an elite jonin)] "Talents" [Heavenly Thunder: Greatly increases affinity with Lightning Release and raises the chance of obtaining lightning-type rewards in draws.] [Kekkei genkai: None] "Ninjutsu" [Substitution Technique: B-rank proficiency] [Lightning Release: Lightning Ball: C-rank proficiency] [Lightning Release: Lightning Clone: D-rank proficiency] [Lightning Release: Earth Flow: A-rank proficiency] [Lightning Release: Lariat: S-rank proficiency] [Lightning Release: Lariat: A-rank proficiency]
After reviewing his stats panel, Sixia looked delighted. Just another three hundred points, and he could do another ten-pull.
Once he finished checking the panel,
he noticed Shuinaihao staring at the fallen bodies of his men with a complicated expression.
Reading Shuinaihao's thoughts, Sixia curled his lips into a playful smile.
"If you really can't let this go, just say the word. I'll bring him right back and leave him at your mercy. You can take whatever revenge you like."
Shuinaihao snorted. "You'd be that generous?"
Sixia rubbed his fingers together.
"Fixed price: four million! Of course, if you only want his head, two million will do."
"Or if you've taken a liking to his abilities and want to recruit him, I can bring him back in one piece too. Friendly price: six million!"
Even though he had expected something like this, Shuinaihao still widened his eyes in disbelief at Sixia's words!
"Six million?! Are you kidding me?"
Sixia, however, looked perfectly serious.
"Come on, Kakuzu caused terrible losses among your men, and you're just going to let him stroll away?"
"You can stomach that? I certainly couldn't."
"Besides, six million is already ninety percent off. Anyone who knows the business would have to pay at least sixty million."
Shuinaihao laughed in anger.
He felt as though all his years had been wasted. This was the first time he had ever met someone so shameless!
"Weren't you the one who let him go?!"
"And that price would be more than enough to hire three special-grade jonin from Konoha for a mission! Why would I hire you?!"
Sixia could barely resist mocking him.
Special-grade jonin?
Why not a special-grade chef while you're at it?
You even pinch pennies over a few tens of thousands of ryo.
With that level of knowledge, you'd still be a third-class citizen even if you fled to Konoha.
Meanwhile, several figures watched them secretly from a distant thicket.
They wore white animal masks and gray sleeveless ninja armor, with long ninja swords strapped to their backs.
"The guard is too powerful. The plan has changed."
"Lord Danzo's orders: activate the backup plan!"
Shuinaihao's caravan resumed its journey.
Shuinaihao had actually played a little trick with this mission!
His goal had never been to seek protection, but to enter the Land of Fire and make contact with a secret organization.
Shuinaihao was indeed a merchant.
But the goods he traded were people!
People with special talents!
He had already made several deals with Konoha's ninja.
They had promised him
that once this mission was completed, he could officially become a citizen of the Land of Fire.
As the caravan traveled on, Shuinaihao remained cautious, unable to stop himself from looking around every so often.
He was deeply puzzled.
Has something gone wrong?
According to our agreement, this should be the meeting point.
At that thought, Shuinaihao could not help taking out his map and examining it carefully.
Sixia was sitting at the front of Shuinaihao's carriage.
As the caravan moved forward, he leisurely continued pitching his services to Shuinaihao.
"Are you sure you won't reconsider?"
"I'm not bragging about my strength. I'm genuinely no worse than an elite jonin from Konoha."
"As for the mission fee, I can give you a friendly rate since you're a returning customer."
Sixia was desperate to grow stronger!
The shinobi world was hardly a peaceful place.
It was a world fraught with danger, with an outrageously high birth rate.
It looked peaceful on the surface, but beneath it lay treacherous schemes and surging undercurrents!
Who knew how many forces were stirring in the shadows?
And in a few more years, the shinobi world would even face an alien invasion!
Only by becoming strong enough
could he survive better in this world.
Inside the carriage, Shuinaihao paid no attention whatsoever to Sixia's words.
Instead, he sneered inwardly.
Enjoy your arrogance while you can.
You squeezed two hundred thousand ryo out of me and still dared to let Kakuzu go!
Do you really think you can take my money that easily?
While Shuinaihao was secretly mulling over these thoughts,
a group of Konoha ninja finally appeared a short distance away.
Before you continue