Sixia flashed through the battlefield like lightning, leaving a dizzying trail of afterimages.
Against Root's elites, the caravan guards, and the assorted ninja Shuinaihao had hired at great expense, his immense chakra reserves and terrifying physique, comparable to those of the successive Raikage, let him fight with ease.
In the blink of an eye, Sixia appeared before the Root squad leader.
His gaze was sharp as a hawk's, and he quickly identified his opponent.
A ninja of the Aburame Clan.
A huge insect jar was strapped to the ninja's back. Its mouth was slightly open, and the faint buzzing of venomous insects could be heard within.
But Sixia gave him no chance to unleash his secret techniques.
Moving like lightning, he lashed out with a knife-hand strike. Lightning Release chakra instantly coalesced into a brilliant bolt, slicing through the air with a piercing hum.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop!"
With a thunderous boom, the Aburame Clan's Root ninja flew high into the air like a kite with its string cut, then crashed heavily to the ground. He died on the spot without even letting out a scream.
Sixia's Lightning Release techniques were not only incredibly precise, but also packed with destructive power.
These ordinary Root members and hired ninja could not withstand a single blow from him.
A one-sided slaughter began.
Sixia tore into them like a tiger among sheep. As his figure flickered, every strike was precise and lethal.
Within a few short breaths, every enemy lay at his feet. The air was thick with the stench of blood and scorched flesh.
Watching from a distance, Shuinaihao's pupils abruptly constricted, and his heart nearly leaped out of his chest.
To him, Konoha Ninja-especially the Root elites under Danzo-had always been invincible.
Yet this seemingly young man had effortlessly shattered that belief with overwhelming force.
He was not from one of the great nations. Had he not witnessed it himself, he would never have believed a ninja this powerful existed.
Whoosh-
An afterimage flashed past, and Sixia stood silently before Shuinaihao.
Shuinaihao stumbled back a step in fright at the sudden turn of events. His face went white as paper, and cold sweat instantly covered his forehead.
"Y-you... what are you going to do?!" Shuinaihao's voice trembled, the words barely squeezing out of his throat.
His legs shook uncontrollably, making it difficult even to remain standing.
Sixia did not strike immediately. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and gave a meaningful smile.
His smile seemed gentle, yet it sent a bone-deep chill through anyone who saw it.
"Now that you've made contact with the Konoha Ninja, does that mean this escort mission is complete?" Sixia asked casually, as though the slaughter moments ago had been nothing more than a trivial errand.
Staring at that chilling smile, Shuinaihao felt every hair on his body stand on end.
He had no idea why Sixia would ask that question now.
"Y-yes... your escort mission is... is complete." Shuinaihao forced himself to nod, his Adam's apple bobbing as he stammered.
"Then where's my payment?"
Shuinaihao hurriedly pointed at a wagon nearby and said in a trembling voice, "The... the payment I promised you is in the wagon. All three hundred thousand ryo."
Sixia turned toward the wagon, his retreating figure utterly unhurried.
Reaching the wagon, he swept it with a keen gaze and quickly found a briefcase containing three hundred thousand ryo.
The case was heavy and cool to the touch.
The instant he picked it up, a system notification sounded in his mind:
[Mercenary mission successfully completed!] [Reward: 300 mercenary points]
The corners of Sixia's mouth lifted in a satisfied smile.
Briefcase in hand, he walked slowly over to the large wooden crate.
He reached out and lifted the lid, opening the crate fully with a creak.
A girl lay curled up inside. Her red hair shone like fire, and her eyes were filled with fear and unease, like those of a frightened kitten.
Her body trembled slightly as she hugged herself tightly.
"So it really is Karin Uzumaki," Sixia murmured, his suspicions confirmed.
Standing beside the crate, he looked at Karin with a complicated gaze, torn over what to do.
He had only wanted to grow stronger quickly through system missions, not interfere too much with the original story-especially the fates of its key characters.
Should I take this girl with me?
On second thought, though, Karin's abilities might be useful to him.
Besides, he now possessed enormous chakra reserves and a formidable physique comparable to those of the successive Raikage, along with an assortment of ninjutsu. Even against members of the Akatsuki, he would not necessarily be at a disadvantage.
"Fine. I'll take her," Sixia said, finally making up his mind.
He bent down and gently hoisted Karin onto his shoulder.
Without another word, he swiftly left, his figure vanishing into the woods like the wind.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Kakuzu quietly returned, but this time, he was not alone.
Close beside him followed an effeminate man wearing a striking Akatsuki cloak.
The man's skin was unusually pale, his eyes as cold as a snake's, and a faint smile played at his lips.
Without a doubt, he was Orochimaru, one of the Sannin renowned throughout the shinobi world.
Kakuzu's earlier withdrawal had not been a true retreat. He had gone to fetch reinforcements.
He had never suffered such a setback, and he would not easily let off the wandering ninja who had left him in such a sorry state.
Kakuzu and Orochimaru raced through the forest at astonishing speed. With their rapid movement, the scenery seemed to fast-forward, rushing backward around them.
As they sped along, Orochimaru rasped, "That wandering ninja is Sixia Uzumaki from Amegakure, isn't he?"
His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of barely concealed interest.
Ever since witnessing the power of Nagato's Rinnegan, Orochimaru had developed a keen interest in the Uzumaki Clan.
He had already struck a deal with Danzo, reserving several members of the Uzumaki Clan as research subjects.
Naturally, Sixia-a capable ninja who took jobs on the black market-had also caught his attention.
"That's right. It's him," Kakuzu replied coldly, his tone edged with teeth-grinding anger.
"I really underestimated him before. If he hadn't suddenly interfered, I would have completed the mission already."
At this, Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, an amused smile curling his lips. His tone held a trace of surprise and mild mockery.
"Oh? You couldn't handle him?"
"And you needed my help?"
Kakuzu's expression darkened slightly, and he quickly corrected him.
"It's not that I can't beat him."
"I simply made the most sensible decision based on the situation on the battlefield."
"In a one-on-one fight, I might have to battle him for a long time before a winner emerged."
"But there's no reason for me to do that. Together, we can subdue him quickly."
He paused, then continued with cold rationality, "If this caravan can afford to hire a ninja of that caliber as a guard, its cargo must be worth a fortune. And the thing our employer wants is in this caravan too."
"If we successfully seize the caravan, we won't have to worry about operational funds for a long time."
At the mention of operational funds, a gleam flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
As the Akatsuki's financial manager, Kakuzu had always spared no effort in raising money.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, was absorbed in all manner of experiments and research. His in-depth investigation of the Uzumaki Clan, in particular, required substantial funding.
This operation was undoubtedly a rare opportunity.
Orochimaru asked offhandedly, his tone somewhat careless, "Then are we going to kill him when we get there?"
Kakuzu answered without hesitation.
"It would be best if we could kill him, so he won't interfere with our missions again."
"If we really can't kill him, driving him away will do."
"After all, our target this time is the cargo, nothing else."
After hearing Kakuzu out, Orochimaru nodded lightly, then fell into a brief silence.
His thoughts raced as he began calculating how to use this opportunity to conduct more extensive research into the Uzumaki Clan.
After racing onward for some time, both men stopped in unison, their gazes fixing on the road a short distance away.
The caravan's wagons stood quietly in the middle of the road, while its guards lay sprawled across the ground, long since dead.
Not a single person in the entire caravan had survived!
Even more surprisingly, several Konoha ninja lay among the guards.
Orochimaru surveyed the surroundings, his brows drawing together slightly as he spoke with a hint of surprise.
"Are these... Root ninja?"
Kakuzu also looked puzzled, but he did not dwell on the question. Instead, he quickly turned his gaze toward the wagons.
The corners of his mouth lifted, revealing a rare trace of delight.
"Ha ha..."
Kakuzu let out a low, strange laugh-an unusual occurrence for him.
He was so pleased because the scene before him meant that while the others had fought, he would reap the rewards.
Sixia had dealt with both the caravan guards and the Konoha ninja, yet the gold, silver, and jewels in the wagons remained untouched. This was an unexpected windfall.
Orochimaru's pupils narrowed slightly into slits, a trace of bewilderment and surprise flashing in his eyes.
He had expected a fierce battle when he joined forces with Kakuzu this time. Instead, by the time they arrived, Sixia was already nowhere to be seen.
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