Chương 143

"Then why the hell are you beating all of us if you don't even care about the reports? This is what? A show of power?" Darui asked in quite the disgruntled tone. He really was pissed at the moment.

"No no.. My colleague had taken the reports, and he hid it here. My job is to take it and deliver it to the right person. It's you guys who came barging in. I was just doing my job." Rei replied.

"Oh! So it's our fault that we tried to stop you from taking the logistical and security reports of our village which is in our nation? Well then fuck me, for being a patriot." Darui said and the way Darui mocked himself it almost made Rei laugh. But of course this was a very professional setting and he couldn't just show that he found it very funny.

"Besides your colleague is very stupid. He left the detection seal on too. He must really be new in this business."

"Oh! Is it? I will pass on the criticism. Thanks though." Rei said as he raised his eyebrow internally as Darui mentioned that.

"So I will be leaving now. Please don't try to stop me."

"Hah! We can't even if we want to. You have proven quite the adversary for us." Darui said.

"Yeah sorry about that. No hard feelings though. Give my regards to Raikage and Bee. I will ask for their forgiveness next time we meet." Rei said as he jumped up on a nearby tree trunk. The squad, who had been watching and hearing their interactions were dumbfounded. They almost went after him but Darui stopped him. Instead he shouted back.

"Next time they meet you, you will probably be dead."

"Naah.. I'd win." Rei shouted back as he vanished into the steep mountains and cliffs, covered by foliage. The silence settled in as Darui slowly got up, helped by the rest.

"Captain.. Are you.. alright?"

"Do I look alright? My rib cage is broken at multiple places and my shoulder is definitely dislocated. What kind of monster was this person.." Darui mumbled by the end.

"Should we inform Raikage? I am sure he will come down himself to bring the criminal back.." The squad member said.

"No. No need. I will take the responsibility for the failure of the mission. Gather everyone up and send them to the infirmary. The reports contains the logistical routes and security reports. We will change the whole logistical routes and about security I will talk with Raikage. You don't need to report this. I will personally go and tell Raikage what had happened."

"Captain.. Are we really letting him go?" Another squad member asked.

"Then what do you wish to do? Haven't you seen how he toyed with us? He wasn't going for the kill even though he had just faced so many of us. If he really wanted a war, he could have brought it here and ended it. Sometimes stepping back is the best course of action if you want to survive. Besides the reports didn't contain any of the top secrets. Just some information which we can change in due time." Darui replied.

"It's not worth dying for. Neither for me, nor for all of you. Don't let pride take control over your brain. We are powerful.. Not invincible.."

"I understand."

Rei didn't slow down until the battlefield had disappeared far beyond his sensory range. Only after crossing several mountain ridges did he alter his direction toward the secluded cave where Dajimu remained hidden beneath layers of camouflage. As Rei approached, the Root operative immediately emerged from concealment, his tense expression melting into utter disbelief.

His eyes instinctively dropped toward the large metal cache now resting upon Rei's shoulder, then wandered across the younger shinobi's body, searching for grievous injuries that simply weren't there. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Considering the size of the cache, Dajimu knew there had been no possible way for Rei to conceal it while running, yet somehow the impossible had become reality once again.

For several long moments, Dajimu simply stared. He had sensed the violent tremors echoing faintly through the mountains earlier and had fully expected Kumogakure to capture or kill whoever returned for the reports. Countless questions rose within Dajimu's mind. How had this shinobi escaped? How had he transported the cache? Had he fought an entire pursuit force alone? More importantly, just how powerful was the young shinobi standing before him?

No, he was sure that Kumogakure would rain an assault and he was sure that they did. So how was this guy still alive? Did Konoha produce another monster while he was away? Was that the reason the Root had sent an additional mission along with it? Rei noticed the disbelief reflected in Dajimu's eyes but offered no explanation whatsoever. Instead, he calmly handed over the waterproof cylinder before speaking in an even voice.

"Questions can wait. Kumogakure will eventually reorganize. We need to leave the Land of Lightning immediately." Dajimu silently accepted the answer. Years within Root had taught him when curiosity became dangerous, and this was undoubtedly one of those moments. He wasn't sure what kind of person this fellow Konoha shinobi but one thing he knew for sure that this person was scary.

Rei naturally assumed the lead, avoiding every established road and instead guiding them across forgotten hunter trails, steep ridges, and narrow mountain paths that ordinary travelers would never attempt. Every few kilometers he paused only long enough to expand his sensory perception, ensuring no pursuit had slipped onto their trail before continuing onward through the dense wilderness. They had to take random detours, something Dajimu almost protested against but Rei insisted.

Rei was moving as if he could feel where people were from kilometers away. It amazed Dajimu and made him see a glimpse of what this shinobi that Konoha had sent could do. Throughout the entire journey, Dajimu found himself observing Rei more than the surrounding landscape. By the time they finally crossed the border into the peaceful Land of Hot Water, both men allowed themselves the first genuine sigh of relief since the mission had begun. The Land of Hot Water lived up to its name.

Steam rose lazily from scattered hot springs hidden among rolling hills, while the tension that had accompanied them throughout the Land of Lightning gradually faded. When he had arrived through this place to the Land of Lightning, he didn't get much time to appreciate the surroundings but now he did. After taking a day's rest to recover their strength, Rei and Dajimu resumed their journey toward the Land of Fire.

The peaceful scenery almost made it difficult to believe they had escaped a battlefield only days earlier. At least to Dajimu. He would try to infer what he did when he got the cache, but Rei would refuse to speak. And just follow the way back home. Halfway through a quiet forest trail, Rei suddenly stopped. Dajimu instinctively halted behind him, immediately slipping into a guarded stance. His eyes swept across the trees before returning to Rei's unmoving back.

"Is something wrong?" he asked quietly. Rei didn't answer. Instead, his gaze remained fixed ahead while his sensory perception stretched through the surrounding forest. For several long moments, only the rustling leaves and distant birds disturbed the silence. Then two chakra signatures stepped out from opposite sides of the path. The first was a blond teenager with a confident grin plastered across his face, one hand resting inside a clay pouch hanging from his waist.

And the other was hunched back with long strands of hair stroked back. His face was covered from mouth and one couldn't help but look into the lifeless eyes and the steel looking tail swaying from the other side of his clothes. Both wore identical black cloaks adorned with red clouds. Akatsuki.

"So you're the guy worth all that money, hm?" the blond youth said with an amused chuckle, looking Rei up and down.

"Didn't expect someone this young." The other guy spoke in a very deep and rought tone.

"The bounty says alive or dead," he said calmly.

"Dead is usually less troublesome." Rei looked from one figure to the other before speaking for the first time.

"You both have come a long way to get me haven't you?" Rei replied. Dajimu meanwhile stepped back. He didn't know who these people were but his instincts were telling him that they were dangerous.

"OH! You seem to know us.. We are already that famous? Hmmm.." Rei looked at the blond guy like he was looking at some kind of idiot.

"You aren't famous as of yet, but I can make you. Do you want me to make you famous? Famous enough to reach the eyes of your lover?" Rei asked with a smirk on his face. The blond guy who had a smile on his face, because he found his target quite easily and also this being his first mission after joining this exclusive group, he was quite excited. Only for him to be mocked by this very young shinobi.