"This is..."
Pakura felt the Scorch Release flames enveloping her close-fitting mecha.
She held out both hands and gradually increased her Chakra input. Her eyes lit up at once:
"How is this possible?
Could this entire mecha be made of Chakra Metal?
No, ordinary Chakra Metal couldn't conduct Chakra this efficiently!
It's like an extension of the meridians in my own body. Not only is there no loss,
but it actually amplifies it enormously?
My best disciple, Mukai, how did you do it?"
Seeing Pakura like this, transformed into a figure of flame, Mukai curled his lip:
"Oh? Who was looking down on this mecha just now?
Sasori, I think it was Teacher Pakura, right?
Since she doesn't like this top-grade Chakra Metal mecha,
we can't force it on her. We'd better take it back, right?"
As Mukai spoke, he winked at Sasori.
Seeing how completely Pakura's expression had changed, Sasori also found it funny. He fought to hold back his laughter as he said:
"That's right, I can vouch for it. Teacher Pakura doesn't like this mecha.
So please put out the flames and give it back to us, Teacher Pakura!"
Sasori and Mukai had made the close-fitting mecha using the high-purity Chakra Metal near the electrode.
The pure Chakra Metal wire used in this mecha alone had consumed most of Mukai's stock.
Compared to the high consumption, its conduction and amplification effects were indeed astonishing.
The entire suit was a special piece of armor that fit like tight clothing. Its defensive capability might not match the Mountain God Mecha or the Zealot Mecha,
but its Chakra amplification was first-rate!
Pakura's face burned red, almost matching the flames around her body.
She naturally knew Mukai and Sasori were teasing her, but she had been the one to look down on it just now!
The two children had really put thought into it, even using Chakra Metal of this grade to make a mecha tailored just for her!
This mecha's name was White Phoenix, wasn't it?
The mecha this child named Mukai had made was practically a divine weapon for a ninjutsu user!
Seeing Mukai's haughty expression, she dispersed the flames around her and suddenly used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of him.
Mukai had been ambushed by Pakura's Poison Dragon Drill so many times that he reflexively covered his head.
But this time, Pakura didn't use the Poison Dragon Drill. Instead, she pulled Mukai tightly into her arms.
Mukai's face sank against the front of the mecha, and he couldn't feel the softness of her bosom at all.
Instead, the orange hair at her temples tickled him.
"Teacher Pakura, not so tight! I'm going to suffocate!"
Only then did Pakura release him, though she kept pinching his cheeks as she thanked him sincerely:
"Thank you! My best disciple!"
With that, she used the Body Flicker Technique to appear in front of Sasori and gave him a hug as well:
"Thank you too, skillful Sasori!"
Mukai doubled over laughing at the sight of Sasori standing there at a loss.
The members of this little team were much closer now than they had been at first.
Sasori was also trying to fit into the group. His subtle influence had finally had a positive effect.
All the hard work he had put into exploring the mysteries of Chakra Metal and the nature of Chakra had not been in vain.
That investment had been worth it!
Now it was time to go to the Land of Rain and make up for another shortcoming!
Let's go!
Northwest Land of Rain, Moon Sake Town
"After them!
Those little brats dared to ruin my plans. I'm going to catch them and sell them as slaves!"
A Rain Ninja whose face respirator had been cut wide open spoke in a furious voice.
Despite their skill at assassination, they had been ambushed by three little brats.
He didn't know what ninja tool the other side had used, but it had left his whole body paralyzed for quite a while, as if he had been hit by Lightning Release.
If they hadn't outnumbered their opponents, they might really have met their end here.
This Amegakure ninja squad had secretly controlled the town's sake brewery since the end of the Second Shinobi World War.
Ninja were blades in the hands of daimyo and nobles. The authorities in this world would never allow them to wield real power over a town!
Once word got out, ninja dispatched by the daimyo of various countries would hunt them down!
They absolutely could not let this information spread!
The ten Amegakure ninja split into three teams and pursued Yahiko and the others in the direction they had fled.
Through the heavy rain, the chase had led from Moon Sake Town into the mountains to the west.
These Amegakure ninja were all rogue ninja who had survived the Second Shinobi World War,
and they excelled at tracking and assassination.
Although Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato had been taught by Jiraiya, they could only be considered beginners as ninja.
They were also still young, and their stamina was no match for these adult ninja.
As they ran, Nagato suddenly said:
"Those rogue ninja are catching up!
I can sense their Chakra, full of malice, right behind us.
We can't flee north. The terrain in the Land of Birds is complicated; they'll catch us.
Run southwest. I can sense the Chakra of three ninja over there.
Of the three, two have Chakra I think I've encountered before."
Hearing Nagato, Yahiko stopped and braced his hands on his knees, panting as he spoke:
"Y-you know them?
Are they members of our Akatsuki?
We can't count on them. Even with them, we'd be no match for those rogue ninja!"
Nagato shook his head and looked through the long red hair hanging over his eyes at Konan, who was also gasping for breath:
"Konan, do you remember those two Sunagakure ninja?
Among the three people to the southwest, two of their Chakra signatures feel familiar."
Konan's hair was soaked by the rain. She looked up and asked in confusion:
"Could it be Mukai? Why would Mukai come here?"
Nagato had only scratched the surface of the Rinnegan's abilities. The fact that he could detect Chakra through sensing was already remarkable.
Naturally, he had no idea why Mukai and the others were here.
Konan pursed her lips and shook her head stubbornly:
"No, Mukai is a Genin too. I'm afraid he's no match for those rogue ninja.
If they run into them head-on, they might be killed to silence them too.
I have to warn them. We'll all run west, and if we have no other choice, we'll flee into the Land of Wind together!"
Konan's suggestion was fairly sound, and Yahiko and Nagato nodded.
The three changed direction and ran toward the border of the Land of Wind.
As they ran, Konan materialized a thin sheet of paper with Chakra,
then used Chakra to form a line of words on it:
"Mukai, there are rogue ninja ahead. It's dangerous. Follow the paper crane; we're fleeing toward the Land of Wind!"
Then, as if guided by a pair of invisible hands, the sheet quickly folded into an exquisite paper crane amid the curtain of rain.
Konan sensed the information from the paper crane she had given away before.
It seemed to be nearby, and an inexplicable sweetness rose in her heart.
So he's kept the paper crane I gave him safe all this time!
She waved her hand, and the folded paper crane seemed to come to life, flapping its wings as it flew toward Mukai and the others.
With the message sent, the three felt a little more at ease.
This way, Mukai and the others probably wouldn't run headlong into the rogue ninja.
As the three passed a mountain stream, Nagato suddenly darted to the front of the group and stretched out an arm to stop Konan and Yahiko:
"Be careful, there's a Chakra signature in the water!"
Before he finished speaking, a ninja in a diving suit, with a respirator clenched between his teeth, sprang out of the rushing stream.
He had already formed the hand seals while airborne:
"Water Release-Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"