415 Learning Ninjutsu in a Glance

After confirming that the technique used by the perpetrator was Explosive Clay, Shinju made a call to Iwagakure.

The phone rang several times before Ōnoki finally picked up.

"I'll get straight to the point. A child from Konohagakure has been abducted. The people who took the child used Explosive Clay."

"Tsuchikage-sama, I hope you can give me an explanation."

On the other end of the line, Ōnoki's voice sank.

"After Deidara defected, Iwagakure no longer has anyone who can use Explosive Clay…"

"Shinju, could you be mistaken?"

Shinju didn't continue the conversation. He ended the call with a sharp click.

What he had seen while reading memories—there was no way it was wrong.

Still… that old man Ōnoki probably wouldn't lie either…

"Shikamaru, send ANBU to pursue them. They shouldn't have gotten far yet."

"Oh, and tell Orochimaru about this. The one in the prison."

...

Tsuchikage's Office.

After hanging up, Ōnoki leaned back in his chair, looking utterly exhausted.

"Tell them to be more careful… How did Shinju figure it out so quickly…"

From the darkness of the room, a voice answered, "He's just a junior, yet he dares to treat you with such disrespect… Why don't we—"

Ōnoki raised a hand, stopping the person hiding in the shadows.

"Enough. Don't even think about that kind of thing!"

"And one more thing! I created you to protect humanity, to protect ninja. You must not harbor even the slightest thought of harming humans! (ꐦ ಠ 皿 ಠ)"

"Especially when the other party is a human hero—do you think he's someone to be trifled with?"

After speaking, a thoughtful look appeared in Ōnoki's eyes.

"Still… if only I'd been able to mix his cells in when I created you back then… your strength could have risen to an entirely new level. (◍ ´꒳` ◍)"

"Notify Quartz and Mica. Have them detour through the Rain Country on their way back, and on the condition that they ensure their own safety, bring that child back as quickly as possible… Only with that child can you become perfect artificial humans…"

After saying all this, Ōnoki seemed to age several more years in an instant.

He had upheld the Will of Stone his entire life—never imagining that he would make such a choice in the end…

"It's all so the younger children can live better lives…"

...

Konohagakure Prison.

Orochimaru, who was usually calm and collected, stomped in fury after hearing that his child had been taken.

"Call Shinju over here to see me!"

"He actually lost even my child—how exactly is he doing his job as Hokage?! ╰_╯"

"I'm furious! Let me out right now! That child is the culmination of my experiments over many years! It absolutely cannot fall into outsiders' hands! It's the key to humanity opening a new chapter in life science! Ծ‸ Ծ"

Every word Orochimaru said reached Shinju's ears.

...

Hokage's Office.

Shinju felt increasingly irritated as he looked at the documents on his desk.

"It's already been several minutes. Still no news from ANBU? (｡•ˇ‸ˇ•｡)"

Shikamaru said, "Do you hear what you're saying?"

"The enemy is unknown, and we don't even know which direction they fled in. How could they be that easy to find?"

Shinju frowned. "Didn't I tell them to search along the route from Konohagakure to the Land of Earth?"

Shikamaru replied, "But they could've taken another route too. They might've made a huge detour."

"Shinju, don't be so anxious. Sai and the others are already in action. Not everyone in this world has power like yours…"

After hearing this, Shinju let out a long sigh and accepted reality.

...

Half a day later.

The latest report from ANBU came in. They had encountered the kidnappers in the Rain Country and clashed with them.

In the end, the group of ninja still managed to escape, and several ANBU members involved in the pursuit were injured.

The moment Shinju received the news, he called Naruto in to stand in for him, then used the Flying Thunder God to instantly move to Sai's side.

...

Rain Country.

"How bad is it?" Shinju asked, frowning.

Sai was covered in grime, his head lowered in shame.

"We failed to capture them… There were four people in total who took the infant, along with a bunch of monsters that were neither human nor ghost. Those monsters were incredibly powerful—their bodies were made of earth…"

"Also, those four were exceptionally strong."

A female ANBU at the side continued, "There were three men and one woman among the four. Two of them fought—one was the Explosive Clay user, and the other specialized in taijutsu. His fists and kicks were like steel, terrifyingly strong!"

"I understand. Go back to the village and rest properly."

Shinju nodded and stood up, activating Dual Sage Mode as he spoke.

He'd originally thought that now that he was Hokage, he could avoid acting personally whenever possible.

But his subordinates were just too unreliable…

After today was over, he'd definitely have to properly train the other ninja of Konohagakure!

After that, Shinju began sensing all chakra signatures within a hundred-li radius!

Because he had previously come into contact with the artificial human Eikoku, Shinju remembered his chakra signature. Once Dual Sage Mode was active, finding it was easy…

...

A small city-state somewhere in the Rain Country.

Just like its name suggests, the Rain Country received far more rainfall each year than other nations.

At this moment, a fine drizzle was falling over the small city.

Four people whose attire clearly set them apart from the locals walked along the streets.

Among them, a man with a bowl-cut hairstyle and bandages wrapped around his face showed a smug expression.

"Konohagakure's got a big reputation, sure, but the pursuers they sent were pathetically weak… They probably couldn't even beat a boy…"

Behind the bowl-cut man, a girl holding a small umbrella and wearing a frilly dress said,

"Quartz has a point. Those ninja didn't even give me the urge to add them to my collection. ¯\(ツ)/¯"

Her face was also wrapped in bandages. Moreover, even though she was in the middle of a bustling street, her eyes were tightly shut, as if hiding some secret within them.

The artificial human Eikoku lay swaddled in her arms.

"We can't let our guard down. We won't truly be safe until we reach the Land of Earth…" said the long-haired man among the four, who seemed more composed.

"Master definitely won't allow people from the Land of Fire to enter the Land of Earth… You know, barging in like that would be no different from declaring war…"

The long-haired man had just finished speaking when he looked up the road ahead, his pupils suddenly shrinking!

(ಠ .̫.̫ ಠ)

In the drizzling rain, Shinju stood alone at the end of the long street, blocking the four's path!

Sage chakra draped him in a blood-red cloak!

At the same time, that chakra barrier shielded him completely from the rain!

"Give me the child."

Shinju's tone was calm.

The girl holding the child took half a step back. "You're Shinju?"

"I heard you have a beautiful eye. Give it to me. (๑ت๑)"

Shinju didn't respond. The girl opened her eyes.

Her eyes had no pupils—like a purple abyss that dragged anyone who looked into them down with a single glance!

But compared to Shinju, her level of dōjutsu was simply not enough.

With just one look, Shinju reflected the genjutsu she cast on him right back at her!

The girl froze on the spot!

Immediately after, Shinju used Universal Pull, drawing Eikoku straight into his arms!