Falling Sand Town was noisier at night than during the day.
The taverns along the street blazed with light. Drunken shouts mingled with the rattle of dice from gambling houses, drifting down the alleys toward the abandoned mine west of town. No one would have imagined that the underground auction watched by the entire Shinobi World was hidden deep inside that deserted mine.
Four black-robed ninja stood at the mine entrance, their auras steady, holding ninja tools inscribed with sealing patterns. Their wary eyes swept over everyone who approached. Only those carrying special invitations were admitted, allowed to follow the descending tunnel to the auction venue in its deepest reaches.
When Rinto handed over his invitation, the guard checked it three times, then looked him up and down several more times. The young man before him wore a coarse cloth jacket washed pale, his hood hiding half his face. He carried only an unremarkable cloth bag, without the slightest trace of a ninja's sharp presence. He looked entirely out of place among the masked bidders with their sinister auras.
But the invitation was genuine, a special invitation issued personally by the black market's boss. The guard dared not ask questions. He stepped aside and warned in a low voice, "No disturbances or private fights inside. Anyone who breaks the rules gets thrown out to feed the vultures in the desert."
Rinto walked into the tunnel without answering.
Damp, cold air carrying the smell of dust washed over him. Lamps along the tunnel walls cast a dim yellow glow. The farther he went, the clearer the hushed voices ahead became. After roughly two hundred meters, the space opened up before him-the abandoned cavern had been converted into a spacious venue, with upholstered chairs in front and tiered standing areas at the back. Windproof oil lamps hung from the ceiling, lighting the entire chamber.
Quite a few people were already seated inside. Most wore masks and bamboo hats, concealing themselves completely. They gathered in twos and threes, speaking quietly, their eyes full of wariness. Tobacco, medicinal herbs, and a faint bloody smell mingled in the air, lending an oppressive feel to the gathering of all sorts.
Rinto surveyed the room. Rather than heading toward the crowd, he went straight to the farthest corner and pulled up a chair. He rested his cloth bag on his lap, his fingertips unconsciously tracing Yin Release configuration patterns over its surface, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.
He had no interest whatsoever in the people around him or their whispers. He had come for only two things: the Second Hokage's Sealing Jutsu manuscript and the fragmentary Yin Release scroll related to Six Paths. Everything else, even secret Ninjutsu and top-tier ninja tools hyped to the skies, was no different from wastepaper and scrap metal in his eyes.
He had barely been seated for two minutes when footsteps approached.
"Mr. Rinto, it's been a while."
At the gentle, smiling voice, Rinto raised his eyes slightly and saw Kabuto Yakushi beside him. He wore an inconspicuous gray outfit, his usual harmless smile on his face, dressed exactly like the merchant Rinto had seen on the black market streets.
Rinto's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. His tone was flat. "What is it?"
"Nothing important. I simply didn't expect to see you here and came over to say hello." Kabuto glanced at the cloth bag on his lap, concealing the scrutiny in his eyes well. "Lord Orochimaru is also very interested in this auction. He sent me to see whether there was anything suitable. I didn't expect you to be interested in these lots too, Mr. Rinto."
"What interests me is none of your business." Rinto withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes again, the impatience in his voice unmistakable. "Don't stand here getting in the way of my work."
He had no desire to dance around with Kabuto, much less get involved with Orochimaru's people. Every extra word wasted time he could spend working out configurations.
Kabuto took no offense. Still smiling, he nodded. "Sorry for disturbing you. I hope you get what you want tonight."
With that, he turned and returned to the front row. As he sat down, he glanced toward Rinto again, the calculation in his eyes deepening. Lord Orochimaru had specifically instructed him to take whatever Rinto wanted if possible, and if not, to find out his limits. They had watched everything Rinto had done in Falling Sand Town over the past fortnight. He could casually undo ancient seals from the Land of Whirlpools and cripple an elite Root squad without forming hand seals. This man was worth more than every lot in the auction combined.
The moment Kabuto left, Rinto felt several gazes land on him at once.
Across the venue, Kazama sat in the shadows with four elite Root ninja, his Sharingan staring fixedly through his mask at Rinto in the corner, his eyes filled with resentment and apprehension. After his humiliating defeat at Rinto's hands last time, Lord Danzo had punished him severely upon his return. This time, Lord Danzo had issued an absolute order: either capture Rinto and bring him back to Konoha, or seize whatever caught his eye. Under no circumstances could he be allowed to obtain any material that could increase his strength.
The other bidders around them were also whispering among themselves.
"Who's that kid? Kabuto actually went over to greet him personally?"
"I didn't get a clear look at his face, but he looks unfamiliar. Anyone who can get a special invitation definitely isn't ordinary."
"I heard about him. A few days ago in the black market, he casually crippled Scarface's gang and drove off Konoha's Root people. That's him."
"So he's that ruthless fellow... no wonder. Looks like there'll be a fight over tonight's good stuff."
Their voices were extremely low, only a little drifting over on the breeze, but Rinto acted as though he heard nothing. Eyes closed, he worked through the possibilities of combining Yin Release and Sealing Jutsu in his mind. When undoing the seal on the silk manuscript from the Land of Whirlpools, he had discovered many similarities between the underlying logic of Sealing Jutsu and his configuration system. If he could get the Second Hokage's manuscript, he might be able to incorporate that logic into his own configurations, saving himself many detours in both Yin Release applications and subsequent Senjutsu optimization.
Before long, a middle-aged man in a long black robe stepped behind the auction platform at the front. He was the black market's most famous auctioneer. He tapped his wooden gavel, and the venue instantly fell silent, every gaze focusing on the stage.
"Everyone knows the rules. Highest bidder wins. No banknotes-only gold, rare materials, and top-tier ninja tools. All sales are final. Settle your private grudges outside this venue." The auctioneer spoke quickly. Finishing his introduction, he immediately signaled for the staff to bring up the first lot.
The first lot was a fragmentary scroll of Sunagakure's secret Magnet Release teachings, with an opening bid of five hundred thousand ryo. The venue immediately came alive. Several merchants from Sunagakure and wandering ninja competed to bid, quickly doubling the price.
Rinto did not so much as lift his eyelids. Back in the Land of Waterfalls, he had already broken down similar magnetic chakra structures using Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear samples. This fragmentary scroll was utterly useless to him.
For the next hour or so, the auctioneer presented one lot after another: top-tier Explosive Tags, chakra samples containing kekkei genkai, ninja tools left over from the Shinobi World Wars, fragmentary secret scrolls lost by various ninja villages... Bids rose and fell throughout the venue. From time to time, people argued over a lot until their faces flushed, and the atmosphere grew increasingly heated.
Yet from beginning to end, Rinto remained in his chair in the corner, never moving or raising his eyes, like an outsider. Occasionally, he picked up his pen and sketched a few strokes of the configurations he was working through in his mind in the notebook he carried, without even looking at what was onstage.
The people around him went from paying attention to growing accustomed to it. They assumed he had come merely to watch, or was a big shot interested only in a particular final lot. No one disturbed him again.
Then the auctioneer cleared his throat and signaled for the staff to bring up a sealed metal box. His tone grew considerably more solemn. "Next is tonight's seventh lot-a fragmentary Sealing Jutsu manuscript by the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. Twelve pages in all, entirely handwritten, containing the fundamental sealing principles of Flying Thunder God and research notes concerning Impure World Reincarnation. Opening bid: three million ryo, or materials and ninja tools of equivalent value."
The announcement instantly sent the entire venue into an uproar.
The Second Hokage's manuscript! He was acknowledged throughout the Shinobi World as the greatest Sealing Jutsu master, the man who had invented countless forbidden techniques. Never mind three million ryo-plenty of people would fight over his handwritten manuscript even at five million!
"Three and a half million ryo!" someone in the front row immediately called. It was a black market merchant from the Land of Fire.
"Four million ryo!" Kazama immediately followed, his voice icy behind his mask. He even shot a challenging glance toward Rinto. Lord Danzo was determined to obtain this manuscript. Its Sealing Jutsu contents would be immensely useful to Root.
"Four and a half million ryo!" The Iwagakure contingent refused to be outdone. The Second Hokage's Sealing Jutsu was a supreme treasure to any ninja village.
The price soared, reaching six million ryo in moments. The bidders gradually dwindled until only Kazama and two merchants from the Lands of Fire and Earth remained locked in contention. Kabuto occasionally raised the bid from the front row, but did not pursue it relentlessly. Clearly, he was testing whether Rinto would act.
Just as Kazama called out, "Seven and a half million ryo!" and thought victory was assured, a voice finally came from the corner.
Rinto finally raised his head, toying with a piece of crystal jade the size of a fingernail. His tone was calm, and he did not even glance at the platform. "Three fixed-configuration ninja tools, one each for Wind Release, Lightning Release, and Earth Release. Inject chakra to instantly unleash Jonin-level Ninjutsu, with no dissipation. Reusable over a thousand times."
The previously noisy venue instantly fell silent.
Every gaze turned toward Rinto in the corner. Even the auctioneer froze for a moment.
Everyone present was a black market veteran and knew all too well what those three tools were worth. Everyone in Falling Sand Town knew that a big shot had recently brought out fixed-configuration ninja tools that sold for over a million ryo apiece, with demand far outstripping supply. After all, such a tool gave an ordinary person or a Genin a trump card capable of instantly unleashing Jonin-level Ninjutsu. On the battlefield, it could save a life, making it far more valuable than gold.
Three of them, each reusable a thousand times-their value already far exceeded eight million ryo.
Kazama's face darkened instantly, his hand clenching his bidding paddle tight. The limit of his funds was eight million ryo. With this move, Rinto had cut off his path completely. Besides, even if he could offer more, the black market preferred hard currency like this. The auctioneer would certainly prioritize the ninja tools.
The auctioneer quickly recovered and called loudly, "Any higher offers? The three top-tier fixed-configuration ninja tools this gentleman has offered are worth far more than eight million ryo!"
The venue was utterly silent. No one would clash head-on over a fragmentary manuscript with a big shot who could casually produce top-tier ninja tools like these. Besides, this was the ruthless fellow who could casually cripple a Root squad. A manuscript was not worth offending him over.
Kazama gritted his teeth, but ultimately made no further bid. Lord Danzo had ordered him to seize the manuscript, but he dared not cause trouble inside the venue. The black market's rules were clear. If they attacked here, its guards could hack them straight to death.
"Going once! Going twice! Going three times! Sold!" The auctioneer brought down his gavel. "This Sealing Jutsu manuscript of the Second Hokage belongs to this gentleman!"
The staff immediately brought the sealed metal box down to Rinto. He casually handed over three ninja tools he had engraved beforehand, accepted the box, and stuffed it straight into the cloth bag against his chest without looking. Then he lowered his eyes again, as though nothing had happened.
The gazes around him grew even more wary. What exactly was the background of someone who could casually produce ninja tools of that caliber?
Seated in the front row, Kabuto tapped his knee lightly, unable to conceal the surprise in his eyes. He knew Rinto's fixed-configuration ninja tools were powerful, but had never expected him to perfect them to this degree. Reusable a thousand times—this was no ordinary improvement to ninja tools, but a complete overturning of their underlying logic. Lord Orochimaru had good reason to want his technology.
The auction continued. Several more rare materials and kekkei genkai samples were sold, but Rinto still did not move or even raise his head. He merely stroked the metal box lightly, already wondering whether the Sealing Jutsu in the manuscript could optimize his Senjutsu Anchor structure.
Another half hour or so passed before they finally reached tonight's final lot.
The auctioneer's tone grew even more solemn as he signaled two guards to carry up a reinforced crystal cabinet. Inside, laid over moisture-resistant silk, was a yellowed, tattered silk manuscript.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight's final lot, lot number nine-a fragmentary scroll of Six Paths secret teachings. It comes from an ancient forbidden site in the Land of Fire and records the Sage of Six Paths' secret Yin-Yang Release teachings. It is the only surviving original record in the Shinobi World directly related to Six Paths." Even the auctioneer's voice trembled slightly. "Opening bid: five million ryo, or rare materials, ninja tools, or secret techniques of equivalent value."
The entire venue fell deathly silent. Even their breathing grew quieter.
A fragmentary scroll from the Sage of Six Paths!
Who in the Shinobi World did not know that the Sage of Six Paths was the progenitor of chakra, the founder of Ninshu, and the consummate master of Yin-Yang Release? Most accounts of him were legends. Even the ancient texts of Konoha and the Uchiha contained only a few scattered lines, let alone an original fragmentary scroll directly recording secret Yin-Yang Release teachings!
A full ten-odd seconds passed before someone broke the silence, calling a bid in a trembling voice. "Six million ryo!"
"Eight million ryo!"
"Ten million ryo!"
The price rose like mad, breaking fifteen million ryo in moments, with plenty of bidders still participating. Even if the scroll was fake, even if it contained only a line or two of useful information, it was worth the gamble. After all, it belonged to the Sage of Six Paths.
Kazama did not rush to bid this time. He simply stared fixedly at the scroll onstage, his palms drenched in sweat. Lord Danzo had set a limit of twenty million ryo, but judging by this, that amount would not be nearly enough.
Kabuto finally dropped his casual manner as well and began bidding. Every increase was steady, precise, and ruthless. Clearly, Orochimaru had given him ample authority, and he was determined to obtain this scroll.
The price soon reached eighteen million ryo. The bidders gradually dwindled until only Kabuto, Kazama, and a member of a shrine maiden family from the Land of Hot Water remained in a three-way deadlock.
"Twenty-one million ryo." Kabuto called the price with a smile, his relaxed tone carrying unquestionable confidence.
Kazama's face went completely pale. Twenty-one million ryo was already far beyond Danzo's limit. He had no way to match it. The person from the Land of Hot Water also shook their head and withdrew.
The auctioneer raised his gavel and was about to call the bid when the voice in the corner sounded again.
Rinto finally raised his head once more, glancing at the crystal cabinet onstage. His tone remained calm, yet instantly silenced the room. "Five sets of elemental fixed-configuration ninja tools. Each set contains the five basic configurations: wind, fire, lightning, water, and earth. Plus one Ice Release fixed-configuration ninja tool. In addition, one defensive-configuration ninja tool capable of withstanding Jonin-level Ninjutsu head-on."
Even the sound of breathing stopped throughout the venue.
Five sets of basic ninja tools meant twenty-five pieces. Adding the Ice Release and defensive tools made twenty-seven top-tier fixed-configuration ninja tools. What did that mean? They could directly equip an elite squad of over twenty people, every member capable of instantly unleashing Jonin-level Ninjutsu of different elements. On the battlefield, that could directly change the course of a battle!
Never mind twenty-one million ryo-even fifty million might not buy that many top-tier ninja tools. After all, money alone could not produce such things.
The smile on Kabuto's face instantly froze.
He had never expected Rinto to throw out so many ninja tools at once. Lord Orochimaru had authorized him to go no higher than thirty million ryo, but the value of what Rinto had offered was already twice that. There was no way to match it. Besides, even if he could offer a higher price, he might not win—the black market valued hard currency that directly increased combat strength most of all.
He gritted his teeth, but ultimately said nothing more. Lord Orochimaru's orders were to seize it, but there was no way to act inside the venue. He could only wait until they were outside and find another way.
The auctioneer's face flushed as he shouted excitedly, "Any higher offers?!"
The venue was utterly silent. No one dared compete, and no one could afford to. Everyone stared at the unremarkable young man in the corner, with nothing but shock left in their minds. What sort of monster could casually produce so many top-tier ninja tools?
"Going once! Going twice! Going three times! Sold!"
The gavel struck heavily, sealing the deal.
The staff carefully carried the crystal cabinet down to Rinto. He accepted it and opened it for a look. Only after confirming that the silk manuscript inside was genuine, that its ancient seal script shared similarities with the writing of the Land of Whirlpools and that it was indeed exceedingly old, did he nod in satisfaction. He handed the prepared ninja tools to the staff and casually stuffed the crystal cabinet into his cloth bag as well.
With the two documents he wanted most tucked against his chest, Rinto did not want to stay another second. He rose, picked up his cloth bag, and headed straight out of the venue without looking at anyone, as though the bidding that had shaken the entire room had nothing to do with him.
All he could think about now was hurrying back to the laboratory, undoing the seals on the manuscript and fragmentary scroll, and examining their core contents. The Second Hokage's Sealing Jutsu principles and the secret Yin-Yang Release teachings of Six Paths-these two things could take his research a major step forward.
Only after Rinto's back disappeared into the tunnel entrance did the venue erupt again. Everyone discussed the mysterious young man, curious about his origins.
Kazama immediately rose and signaled his teammates. They silently followed. Kabuto stood as well, gave a few quiet instructions to the people behind him, and followed them out with an inscrutable smile curling his lips.
The wind in the tunnel carried a chill. Rinto kept walking, having long since noticed the tails behind him. His brow furrowed, impatience rising within him.
Annoying. I'd only just gotten the documents, and flies were already following me. More wasted time.
He did not look back. Instead, he quickened his pace, wanting only to return to his rented room rather than waste time with these people outside.
He had just left the mine entrance and had yet to head toward town when a pale purple sealing barrier suddenly lit up across the clearing ahead, instantly enclosing a hundred-meter radius. Kazama emerged from the shadows with six elite Root ninja. Each held a sealing kunai, their Sharingan lighting up together as they stared fixedly at him.
"Rinto, hand over the manuscript and fragmentary scroll." Kazama's voice was sinister. "Lord Danzo said that as long as you hand them over and return to Konoha with us, everything that happened before can be forgiven."
Rinto's gaze chilled. He was about to speak when more footsteps came from the shadows beside them.
Kabuto strolled out with several Sound Ninja, still smiling. Rather than looking at Rinto, he addressed Kazama. "Jonin Kazama, isn't it rather improper for so many people to surround one man?"
A three-way standoff instantly formed, the tension in the air growing thicker.
Rinto's brow furrowed more tightly. Just as he was about to take action and deal with these nuisances, a hearty laugh suddenly rang out from a nearby dune, drifting over on the wind with a slightly irreverent lilt.
"Well, well, quite a party! Am I late?"
Rinto abruptly raised his head and looked toward the dune.
A white-haired man with red markings on his face squatted atop the dune, carrying a large scroll over his shoulder and smiling down at them. It was none other than Jiraiya, one of the Sannin.
Kazama's and Kabuto's expressions instantly changed. What was Jiraiya doing here?!
Rinto was taken aback as well. He had heard Jiraiya's name but had never met him. He had not expected to encounter this member of Konoha's Sannin under such circumstances.
Jiraiya jumped down from the dune and reached the barrier in a few steps. With a casual slap, he punched a large hole straight through the sealing barrier that could trap a Jonin, as though it were made of paper. He scratched his head, his gaze settling on Rinto, and said with a smile, "You're Uchiha Rinto? I've been looking for you for days."