Got Any Work for Me, Brother Kakuzu?

After finishing their meal, the two washed up briefly by the stream, then entered the camping Safe House.

The camping Safe House had two rooms, one large and one small.

Karin went into the smaller room and lay down on the little bed.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke.

"My name is Karin Uzumaki. What's yours?"

Sixia's voice came from the adjoining room in the camping Safe House.

"Sixia. Uzumaki Shixia."

Now that she knew Sixia's name, Karin addressed him directly and spoke earnestly.

"Sixia, I don't have any money right now, but I'm useful. I can earn lots and lots of money to pay you back."

Uzumaki Shixia couldn't help laughing at her words.

Karin spent the entire night on edge.

She had made plenty of promises.

But they were all just words.

Saying she was useful did nothing to prove it.

That left Karin deeply uneasy.

She was afraid Sixia would be gone when she woke up.

Sixia, on the other hand, slept very well.

With his current strength, he wasn't worried about any trouble arising.

The night passed without incident, and morning came.

Sixia took Karin to wash up by the stream, then they continued on their way.

After following Sixia for a while, Karin gradually grew more comfortable.

She asked, "Sixia, where are we going?"

Uzumaki Shixia answered casually, "We're going to Amegakure's black market to pick up jobs."

Karin nodded at his answer.

She hoped she could be of use.

As they approached Amegakure, they were nearly at their destination.

Sixia took Amegakure's Forehead Protector from his ninja tool pouch and put it on.

Karin was curious about everything in Amegakure.

She followed behind Sixia, looking all around.

When they passed a stall selling fried meatballs, she couldn't help swallowing.

Sixia casually took a hundred ryo from his wallet and handed it to the vendor.

"Two portions of fried meatballs."

The vendor took the money and deftly handed Sixia and Karin a portion of fried meatballs each.

Karin was delighted, but when Sixia looked her way, her pretty face flushed and she quickly glanced elsewhere.

"I... I'll be useful. I'll pay you back someday."

Sixia smiled, not taking it to heart.

As he led Karin onward, he spoke.

"Karin, stay here for a while. I'm going to the black market to pick up a job."

Karin shook her head as she chewed a meatball.

"I'm coming with you!"

Since Sixia was going to the black market to find work, she certainly didn't want to stay here alone.

She was still hoping to make herself useful.

"You're no damn use right now. If you come along, I'll have to look after you."

Karin had yet to fully develop her abilities.

Having her follow him was still somewhat dangerous.

But the moment Sixia finished speaking, Karin threw herself at his leg and clung to it without another word.

Sixia scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh, this pretty much counts as hiring me to protect you."

"And protecting you won't be easy. That'll cost extra!"

Sixia was only joking, of course.

But Karin clenched her little fists.

"I... I'll pay you back!"

Sixia hadn't expected Karin to take it so seriously.

So he took her along to the Amegakure Black Market.

On the way, he could buy Karin a set of clothes.

After browsing in a clothing shop for a while, Karin chose a light purple outfit.

She seemed particularly fond of light purple clothes.

After paying, Uzumaki Shixia considered things for a moment, then took Karin to Amegakure's Ninja Tool Shop to replenish his ninja tools.

Since he had snatched Karin up first and brought her along, he couldn't let her potential go to waste.

Karin's abilities were quite good. He could train her properly and keep her at his side as an assistant.

Only after finishing all that did Uzumaki Shixia take Karin to the Amegakure Black Market.

The closer they got to the Amegakure Black Market, the fewer ninja they saw around them.

And nearly all those ninja exuded a vicious air.

Most ninja who made a living at the Amegakure Black Market had blood on their hands.

Before long, the two spotted a familiar face.

Of course, that familiar face also noticed Uzumaki Shixia.

There weren't many familiar faces who could stay active in the black market for long.

Who else could it be but Kakuzu?

"What's wrong? Why are you so tense?"

Orochimaru looked around but found nothing unusual.

Kakuzu stared in Sixia's direction as he spoke to Orochimaru.

"Straight ahead. About fifty meters away."

Orochimaru followed his gaze and spotted the wandering ninja he had seen a few times in the black market.

"Is he the one who took two of your lives?"

Orochimaru regarded Sixia with a hint of curiosity.

Each of Kakuzu's hearts was another life.

Yet in his previous encounter with Uzumaki Shixia, Kakuzu had not only failed his mission but also lost two hearts.

None of the crates the two had picked up contained the goods their employer wanted.

By now, Kakuzu knew that the goods their employer wanted were actually a red-haired girl.

At that thought, Kakuzu lowered his gaze.

Then he saw Karin beside Uzumaki Shixia, wearing a light purple jacket and glasses, her long red hair hanging straight.

"Orochimaru, the little girl beside that brat is the target our employer wants!"

Orochimaru turned his gaze toward Karin.

"So, are we going to make our move in the black market?"

That question wasn't easy to answer.

Kakuzu had experienced Uzumaki Shixia's strength firsthand, and fighting at the Amegakure Black Market wasn't a good choice either.

Let's test him first.

Having made up his mind, he moved.

With his target clear, Kakuzu appeared directly in front of Uzumaki Shixia, blocking both Sixia and Karin!

Knowing how powerful Uzumaki Shixia was, he remained on full alert even as he stopped him.

Beside him, Orochimaru kept his arms hidden beneath his robe, ready to turn them into snakes and strike at any moment!

Orochimaru had heard Kakuzu mention Uzumaki Shixia's formidable strength more than once. Facing a ninja of that caliber, he wouldn't let his guard down either.

But what happened next took Orochimaru completely by surprise.

Though Kakuzu had suddenly blocked his path, Uzumaki Shixia didn't turn hostile.

Instead, he stepped forward, seized both of Kakuzu's hands, and spoke with a beaming smile.

"Lord Kakuzu! What a pleasure!"

"Got another job for me already?"

"I knew you were something special, Brother Kakuzu. Who in the black market doesn't know you?"

"Got any work for me, Brother Kakuzu?"

"If you've got a job, you can count on me. My success rate is currently one hundred percent. Guaranteed results."

Uzumaki Shixia's barrage of chatter left Kakuzu utterly confused.

What the hell was he talking about?

What work was he supposed to have for him?

Orochimaru was equally baffled. Was this flippant ninja really the powerful opponent who had taken two of Kakuzu's lives?

At such close range, he even seemed completely unguarded!

If Orochimaru launched a sudden sneak attack now, he might well kill him with a single strike!

A short distance from the three, Karin was also dumbfounded by the scene before her.

She could sense intense hostility toward Sixia from both Kakuzu and Orochimaru.

She had assumed a vicious battle would break out as soon as the three met.

But what happened next went completely beyond anything Karin had imagined!

Anyone who didn't know better might have thought they were fellow townsmen meeting far from home.

The smile on Uzumaki Shixia's face was utterly sincere, without the slightest trace of pretense.

That left Kakuzu startled and surprised, while also putting him quietly on his guard.

When something was this strange, there had to be a catch. Who knew what Uzumaki Shixia was up to this time?

Orochimaru had been watching Uzumaki Shixia closely all along!

At such close range, his opponent remained utterly unguarded.

He was very confident he could turn Uzumaki Shixia into a corpse.

Still, Orochimaru didn't attack.

He could tell that, at least for now, Uzumaki Shixia bore them no hostility.

Kakuzu recalled how wild and defiant Uzumaki Shixia had been when they first met.

Then he looked at the young man before him, wearing a somewhat mercenary smile.

Well, he couldn't seem to connect the two at all.

They were practically different people!

But Kakuzu had no intention of exchanging more pleasantries with Uzumaki Shixia. He simply shook his head.

"I'm not here to hire you."