Chapter 93: Tsuchi River Gorge
Yakushi Kabuto was finally able to leave.
After escaping from that narrow alley, Kabuto realized that the sweat pouring from his body had already soaked his clothes through.
"I must return to the Rock Village immediately!"
Kabuto's face was abnormally pale, almost devoid of any color: "I can't wait for the right moment any longer. I must find Dean Nono immediately!"
As Kabuto hurried back to the Rock Village to continue his search for the Dean, he opened a red scroll, wanting to see what mission had been assigned to him.
[March 16th, Night]
[Assassinate a defected Intelligence Department member in Tsuchi River Gorge.]
This mission was quite simple for Kabuto.
Although Kabuto himself was a medical ninja, he had always worked hard as a spy, and his assassination skills were no less than those of the Anbu members.
However
This mission sent chills through Kabuto's entire body.
Under normal circumstances, Kabuto wouldn't care about such a mission, but at this point in time, with a combatant of Akihara Kagura's caliber appearing here, why would there be a need for him, an intelligence officer, to risk an assassination mission?
Even more so
Why was this mission specifically written with a fixed time and place? Could it be that the member to be assassinated was definitely going to appear there at that time?
And
Where was the photo of the target he needed to assassinate?
Why could it be certain that the person appearing there was indeed the one he needed to assassinate?
Unless
The person to be assassinated was also arranged
This time, this place, and the sudden appearance of Akihara Kagura
All this information was telling Kabuto that the person he was ordered to assassinate on the scroll might very well be Yakushi Nono, whom he had been searching for.
If Kabuto hadn't obtained any intelligence from Akihara Kagura, he might not have thought of this issue; however, Kabuto was particularly cautious at this time, not wanting any trouble that could lead to his and Yakushi Nono's deaths.
"There's still time."
Kabuto clenched his teeth and destroyed the red scroll: "If I haven't found the Dean by then, I'll go there to see if the Dean appears there"
Kabuto still harbored hope for the future: "As long as I explain Shimura Danzo's conspiracy to the Dean, we won't end up killing each other"
On the other hand,
In the alleys of the border town.
Uchiha Itachi was somewhat helpless with Akihara Kagura: "Kagura-san, please do not violate the intelligence department's codes and regulations, it will put them in danger"
"I am their danger."
Akihara Kagura spread his hands, seemingly more helpless than Uchiha Itachi: "I will kill them sooner or later, do you really want to protect their safety?"
"I must protect the safety of my comrades."
Uchiha Itachi's expression immediately became serious: "Kagura-kun, I know you were once a ninja of the Root, and perhaps you still retain the Root's way of doing things"
Uchiha Itachi had long been familiar with the Root's modus operandi.
Uchiha Itachi also understood why Akihara Kagura was so unrestrained.
All along, only the Root in Konoha would engage in the killing of comrades without even needing the Hokage's approval, following only the orders of Danzo to kill.
"The Root can kill comrades, that's why I want to return to the Root"
Akihara Kagura shook his head, seemingly not caring at all about Uchiha Itachi's words: "If you think I'm wrong, then go report to Lord Danzo. Do you really think that by making a small report, you can secure the position of the future head of the Root?"
"I have never thought about the position of the head of the Root."
Uchiha Itachi rubbed his forehead and continued: "Kagura-kun, can you stop following me? I need to find the next intelligence department member and convey Lord Danzo's orders."
"It's already a violation of the regulations anyway"
Akihara Kagura shrugged, even more unconcerned: "One more time, one less time, it makes no difference to me. Let's go, let me see who the next person is"
Uchiha Itachi tried to convince Akihara Kagura of a principle: "Unless permitted, Konoha ninjas cannot casually know the identities of intelligence department members"
"This will endanger their safety."
Akihara Kagura finished what Uchiha Itachi wanted to say and dug in his ear: "I was originally here to endanger their safety, do you think I'm here to protect them?"
"..."
Uchiha Itachi felt trapped in a vicious cycle.
Uchiha Itachi, remembering what Hatake Kakashi had mentioned about Akihara Kagura and Yakushi Nono, asked in surprise: "You... should know each other, right?"
"It's been a long time, Dean Yakushi Nono."
Akihara Kagura, who had seen Yakushi Nono's photo before, casually wiped the blood on his arm: "The Dean might not recognize me, or even remember me..."
Yakushi Nono was momentarily puzzled.
Was this boy someone she knew? Or a child raised in the orphanage? Otherwise, why would he call her Dean? After agreeing to resume her role as a spy for Shimura Danzo, Yakushi Nono had not returned to the Konoha Orphanage for a long time. Was this child raised in the orphanage?
"Let me treat that for you first..."
Yakushi Nono, seeing the blood flowing from Akihara Kagura's arm, quickly conjured a pale green chakra in her palm.
"There's no need."
Akihara Kagura shook his head, slowly lifting his arm, the wound on it rapidly healing, a regenerative ability brought about by Hashirama cells.
"You are..."
Yakushi Nono racked her brains thinking about the children from the orphanage, which child could possibly have such miraculous healing abilities?
It seems...
Not a single one.
If he wasn't a child from the orphanage, then he must be a child from the village. Which family in the Konoha could possibly have a child with such miraculous healing abilities?
Yakushi Nono felt somewhat ashamed, feeling that she still couldn't remember, her years as a spy had indeed taken much of her effort...
"I'm truly sorry!"
Yakushi Nono's face revealed a gentle smile, as if such a motherly, tender, and loving smile could heal the pain in people's hearts: "I haven't been back to the village for a long time, I can hardly remember it, maybe you have grown up into a handsome young man"
"Thank you for the compliment."
Akihara Kagura nodded slightly, a sly smile appearing on his lips: "Dean Nono, you haven't changed at all, still as gentle as before"
"Kagura-kun"
Uchiha Itachi, standing aside, felt that their atmosphere was a bit peculiar and softly suggested, "We should leave now, and let Yakushi Nono-senpai go as well, to avoid being detected by the enemy"
"Yes, this is enemy territory."
Yakushi Nono quickly nodded, realizing this was not the place to reminisce, and said, "I have been away for too long, I must immediately meet up with the team here, lest they suspect my identity!"
For Yakushi Nono, now the most important thing was her last mission, because rescuing Yakushi Kabuto from the Root was the obsession she had for five years!
"Goodbye."
Akihara Kagura politely made way.
"Goodbye!"
Yakushi Nono quickly left.
After leaving the alley, Yakushi Nono remembered that she forgot to ask the name of the boy who came later, but this was just a minor impoliteness. The most important thing was Yakushi Kabuto! Inside this green scroll was her last mission! Yakushi Nono hurriedly found a safe place, opened the green scroll, and saw a combat mission that was somewhat challenging for her.
[March 16th, Night]
[Tsuchi River Gorge, assassinate a Defected Intelligence Department officer.]
Yakushi Nono saw a photo of the target to be assassinated printed inside the scroll, showing a young man wearing glasses whom she did not recognize.
"There shouldn't be any problem"
"It looks like the target is not very old"
"Although I am not good at fighting, the target's combat experience should not be very rich, and his strength should not be too strong"
On the other hand,
Akihara Kagura stood at the entrance of the alley, his eyes darkly watching until the figure of Yakushi Nono completely disappeared before slowly retracting his gaze.
"..."
Uchiha Itachi was always paying attention to the look in Akihara Kagura's eyes.
This teammate, when looking at Yakushi Nono, seemed to completely transform into a different person, exhibiting a calm and serene demeanor that did not match his usual personality. Clearly, Yakushi Nono was an important person to Akihara Kagura.
This matter was not something that could be easily delved into.
Uchiha Itachi calculated the purpose of his visit to the Rock Village; he had completed both tasks of meeting with the intelligence department members, leaving only one last mission.
Uchiha Itachi recalled the last blue scroll given to him by Shimura Danzo, which outlined his final mission.
That mission was also his assessment.
Once he completed that assessment, he would become a spy implanted in the Uchiha clan by the higher-ups of Konoha and would also become a pawn of the Uchiha clan within the Anbu.
[March 16th, Night]
[According to intelligence received from members infiltrated in the Rock Village Intelligence Department, there are two Konoha intelligence department personnel about to defect hidden in the Tsuchi River Gorge. It is imperative to kill both individuals to prevent the leakage of Konoha's secrets.]
