Three days later, as dusk settled over the horizon, the group of four finally arrived at Uzushio Village.
Due to Jiraiya limping along the way, they were half a day behind schedule.
Uzushio Village was quite different from Konoha. There was no Uzukage (Spiral Shadow), nor were there any of the public facilities commonly found in Konoha. What stood out the most was the overwhelming presence of red-haired individuals.
In this village, other ethnicities were rare. The majority of its population consisted of the Uzumaki Clan.
After a brief verification of their Konoha headbands and mission scroll, the group was led by the guards to the village chief's residence, located at the very center of the village.
The village chief, Kaishō Uzumaki, was a young man with strikingly bright red hair. He was dressed lavishly, adorned with gold and silver, and carried an air of arrogance that he couldn't quite conceal.
However, the moment he heard the name Tsunade, his demeanor underwent a dramatic transformation. His attitude softened, and he adopted a polite and refined manner.
He immediately extended a warm welcome to the group and instructed the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous feast featuring Uzushio Village's finest delicacies.
After the meal, Kaishō personally arranged a spacious and luxurious room for Tsunade. As for Rinjin, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, they were assigned a standard guest room.
His reasoning? "Three men? Just squeeze in together. That'll do."
This blatant favoritism left Jiraiya seething with frustration. Sitting cross-legged on the tatami mat, he vented his anger loudly.
"That damn village chief! It's obvious he's got his eyes on Tsunade! And Tsunade, that idiot, didn't even reject him. And us? Three guys shoved into one room, while there are plenty of empty rooms! What a bastard!"
After his rant, Jiraiya turned to look around, only to find that the room was now empty. Both Rinjin and Orochimaru had vanished without a trace.
At that moment, Rinjin was leisurely wandering around the village chief's grand residence.
Before long, he found himself under the window of a brightly lit room, where two voices were engaged in a heated discussion.
"Big Brother, Konoha only sent four people this time, and three of them are just brats! It's infuriating—they clearly don't take our issue seriously!"
"Indeed!" came a haughty voice. "But among the ones they sent is Tsunade, the granddaughter of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Princess of Konoha. That's quite a pleasant surprise."
"Big Brother, are you saying...?"
"The disappearance of those peasants living near the village is of little consequence.
What truly matters is establishing a good relationship with Tsunade and bringing her into Uzushio Village as my wife.
Once that happens, our ties with Konoha will become even stronger."
"Big Brother, you're absolutely right! Ever since the Second Hokage passed away and that Hiruzen Sarutobi took over, our relationship with Konoha has been deteriorating year by year. We must seize this opportunity."
Squatting beneath the windowsill, Rinjin couldn't help but smirk in amusement.
These two fools were thinking too small. Why not just send a girl from your clan to Konoha and marry her off to Hiruzen Sarutobi's eldest son? Wouldn't that be more direct and effective?
These guys clearly underestimated Hiruzen Sarutobi's tenure. Currently, it's Year 24 of Konoha. That guy's going to be in power for at least another thirty years.
As Rinjin silently mocked them in his mind, a crisp voice suddenly echoed in his head.
"Rinjin, I don't like this guy!"
"Why? I think he's got some interesting ideas," Rinjin replied curiously.
"I don't know. I just feel like their simplistic schemes are an insult to my intelligence!"
What do you mean, an insult to your intelligence? Have you been hanging around me so long that you've started looking down on such basic plots?
Cat-Cat, you're getting cocky!
With that thought, Rinjin put on a stern face and whispered a reprimand:
"Cat-Cat, I need to correct you!
You must understand that the simpler the plan, the more it tests the schemer's skill and the greater its chances of success!"
Hearing this, Cat-Cat scoffed disdainfully, rolled over, and ignored him.
Seeing this, Rinjin chuckled softly, gently poking his stomach as he teased:
"What's wrong? Did a little criticism upset you?
How about I wiggle my hips and sing you a lullaby to make it up to you?"
"Get lost, you pervert!" Cat-Cat huffed indignantly.
"Heh," Rinjin grinned, tiptoeing away from the village chief's residence.
As he strolled through the village—which was about three-quarters the size of Konoha—Rinjin occasionally formed hand seals, leaving behind a few two-person clones.
Not far behind him, a shadowy figure quietly followed his every move.
Unknowingly, Rinjin arrived at a large warehouse.
Standing before it, he could faintly sense an immense pull emanating from within. A smile crept across his face as he murmured to himself:
"Raw iron, and a considerable amount of it.
I've underestimated Uzushio Village. They're wealthier than I thought.
Impressive! Truly impressive! When the time comes, I'll drain them dry in one fell swoop!"
Muttering to himself, Rinjin turned and left the area.
As he wandered the streets, his attention was suddenly drawn to a vibrant red lantern.
On the lantern, bold orange paint spelled out the words "Song" and "Wine."
Hey! A Kabukichō!
Rinjin's eyes lit up, and he immediately entered a state of deep self-reflection.
Is my resolve still firm?
Is my mind still clear?
Is my will still steadfast?
The answer: No!
The path of ascension is long, and the mind is easily clouded by worldly desires.
Though I am meant to be unfeeling, how can I resist the temptation of love?
Damn it! Since my taijutsu has reached a certain level, I must awaken my true nature and solidify my resolve!
With that thought, Rinjin puffed out his chest, donned a righteous expression, and strode decisively into the establishment named Kawaii Honjin.
The moment he stepped inside, a wave of perfume and alcohol hit him like a tidal wave.
Everywhere he looked, he saw alluring figures, their faces partially obscured, and long, pale legs on full display.
Taking a deep breath, a mischievous grin spread across his face.
Good!
Very good!
Exceptional!
The melodious laughter of women filled the air. Before he knew it, Rinjin's muscular arms were enveloped in the warm embrace of two fair-skinned beauties.
Dazed and starry-eyed, Rinjin was whisked away to a private room by the two red-haired women.
Without hesitation, he pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket, firmly declaring his unwavering resolve.
Seeing this, the two women became even more enthusiastic, their hands trembling as they held their glasses of wine.
...
At some point, a sudden downpour began in Uzushio Village.
Being close to the ocean, the rain came as swiftly as lightning and as fiercely as a storm.
The flowers and plants outside were drenched, and the twin red blossoms growing by the back wall of Kawaii Honjin bore the brunt of the relentless wind and rain.
They swayed and drooped, battered and exhausted, but when the storm finally passed, the flowers stood tall once more.
Their red petals and green leaves seemed even more vibrant than before.
...
The night after the rain was cool and refreshing.
Whistling a tune, Rinjin leisurely exited through the back door of Kabukichō.
"I possess a single immortal root, yet it is shackled by worldly burdens.
Today, as the dust settles, light emerges, and the sun rises over a thousand mountains!"
As Rinjin finished his poetic musings, a round of applause suddenly erupted from the shadows.
"Strange as it sounds, your words are quite poetic!"
Startled, Rinjin instinctively nodded in agreement before turning to see who had spoken.
It was Orochimaru!
Moments later, Orochimaru shifted his tone, flashing Rinjin a sly smile.
"Shouldn't a ninja remain vigilant during a mission? Don't you agree, Rinjin-kun?"
"Not at all!" Rinjin replied without hesitation, his resolve unwavering. "This is your mission. I'm just a bodyguard."
Hearing this, Orochimaru's smiling expression froze, his lips twitching in exasperation.
But being the refined individual that he was, even at a young age, he quickly regained his composure.
"Rinjin-kun, you haven't changed a bit. To me, whether you wear that mask or not, you're still the same."
Oh? This guy sure knows how to put on a show.
Feigning embarrassment, Rinjin scratched his head and replied:
"Well, you see, I've got a couple of pimples on my face, so I figured I'd wear a mask to cover them up.
Ah, youth! So full of troubles!"
At this, Orochimaru's face darkened completely, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
This guy... he's on a completely different wavelength!
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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