Chapter 58: Steady Progress

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Resets Weekly! [Monday]

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The next day, after a full night of rest, the 108 Rain shinobi gathered once again.

They had been divided into three squads based on their abilities, with Ryukō, Setsuna, and Violet serving as captains, each leading 36 members.

Facing the blond, masked boy before them, their respect was genuine and heartfelt.

After all, hearing legends was one thing—witnessing them firsthand was another.

Naruto distributed specially crafted kunai to each shinobi, taking the opportunity to memorize their faces and chakra signatures.

When he finished, Naruto turned his back to the group and said, "The kunai you're holding bears my space-time jutsu formula. If you encounter danger, channel your chakra into the kunai. I will sense it and come to your rescue immediately."

There was a little-known fact about the Flying Raijin Jutsu.

After Rin's death, Minato, filled with guilt for not arriving in time, made a modification to the Flying Raijin's formula. By actively channeling chakra into the marked kunai, the recognition of the signal could be enhanced.

While not foolproof, it significantly increased the chances of a successful rescue.

Naruto continued, "However, as shinobi, you will inevitably face life-and-death crises. I want you to treat this kunai as your absolute last resort. Do not rely on it excessively, neglecting teamwork and the improvement of your own skills. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lord Pain!"

The Rain shinobi solemnly stowed away their kunai.

Violet stared at the kunai, her thoughts racing. This technique... I've heard of it before. It's the Flying Raijin Jutsu of Konoha's Fourth Hokage. How does he know it? Who is he really? Is he truly Pain?

Setsuna, one of the squad captains, stepped forward and asked, "Lord Pain, what mission do you have for us?"

At that moment, Konan approached.

Rustle, rustle, rustle! With a wave of her hand, sheets of paper flew through the air, automatically binding themselves into booklets.

The shinobi took the booklets, puzzled. "Lady Angel, what are these?"

Konan replied coldly, "These are rosters containing the names, appearances, and abilities of the shinobi you may encounter in your missions. Use them to evaluate your own strength and determine which opponents you can engage and which you must flee from on sight."

The rosters were compiled by Naruto overnight, covering almost every notable shinobi in the current ninja world.

To ensure maximum accuracy, the portraits in the rosters were hand-drawn by Konan herself.

The original roster was kept by Naruto, while the ones distributed to the shinobi were duplicates created using Konan's Paper Ninjutsu.

Yes, Konan could duplicate anything related to paper, including explosive tags.

By creating an original explosive tag with her own paper, she could produce infinite copies using her abilities, though this required a corresponding amount of chakra.

The infamous 600 billion explosive tags were the result of her years of meticulous preparation.

After uncovering Obito's abilities, she had worked tirelessly, day and night, to create them.

600 billion tags—if given more time, she could have made even more.

The Rain shinobi quickly flipped through the rosters.

"So comprehensive! It even includes the Kage and jonin from the major villages!"

Unsurprisingly, a masked man in the roster caught their attention.

"What is this? Phasing through objects? Teleporting at will? Is this some kind of joke? Are we really going to face someone like this in the future?"

Konan said, "The possibility isn't zero. In any case, he's far beyond your current abilities to handle."

"If you can't escape, I hope you'll take your own lives." This was something Konan later told them in private. Knowing that Obito possessed abilities she couldn't fully understand, she was deeply wary. She didn't want Naruto to risk an early confrontation with Obito while trying to save subordinates.

One of the shinobi from Squad One, a rather brash man, pointed at another entry and said, "Wait, is this thing even a ninja? It has barbs growing out of its crotch!"

Konan's gaze immediately turned toward him, not looking particularly friendly.

Ryukō, the captain of Squad One, scolded him. "Watch your mouth! You're speaking in front of Lady Angel!"

The man quickly apologized. "S-sorry! That was out of line!"

Retracting her gaze, Konan explained coldly, "That's White Zetsu, a key pawn of our greatest enemy faction. They use it for intelligence gathering. White Zetsu has countless clones that can communicate telepathically, though this ability has a range limit. Occasionally, when isolated, they may fail to relay information in real-time."

She continued, "Additionally, they excel in disguises using the Spore Technique and can move quickly underground. Their chakra is undetectable."

The Rain shinobi were shocked. "Undetectable chakra? Doesn't that mean they could be right next to us without us knowing?"

"As for how to detect them," a low, raspy voice interrupted, "allow me to teach you."

A man with flowing, elegant hair approached through the rain, holding an umbrella.

Naruto turned toward him. "Orochimaru, what are you doing here?"

Orochimaru smiled. "Just getting some fresh air. I happened to see something interesting. So, these are the newly formed Rain ANBU?"

Naruto replied softly, "Yes. Intelligence is the foundation of development. It's crucial to start cultivating it now."

Orochimaru nodded. "Indeed."

Not only did Orochimaru share one of his key research findings on detecting White Zetsu, but he also provided each shinobi with a specially developed poison specifically designed to counter White Zetsu.

"Naruto-kun, I hope you don't mind me meddling."

"Not at all. You've been a great help. This will significantly enhance our strategic advantage."

Naruto turned to the Rain shinobi. "From now on, during your missions, gather information on the major ninja villages, surrounding factions, and our enemy faction, Dark Akatsuki. Whether or not you obtain useful intel, you must report back regularly."

"Yes!"

"Go. I have high expectations for you!"

"Understood, Lord Pain!"

The shinobi dispersed. Violet, after adjusting her mask, glanced back at Naruto's retreating figure before leaving.

---

That night, Naruto and Konan stood atop the tower, gazing at the rain.

Naruto said, "Finally, one major task is complete. Konan-nee, you've worked hard."

Konan replied, "It's what I should do."

Naruto nodded. "For now, there's nothing in Amegakure that requires my immediate attention. It's time for me to focus on my own growth."

Konan asked, "Are you planning to visit another village to acquire more secret techniques?"

Naruto shook his head. "Obito and Sasuke are about to make their moves. At this time, it's unwise to create new enemies."

"Then how will you improve?"

Naruto explained, "The Lightning Release Chakra Mode enhances reflexes and physical capabilities through Lightning chakra, but it also places immense strain on the body. Every technique has its self-protective mechanisms, and the body's strength limits the technique's potential."

"My current physical strength isn't enough to unleash the deeper power of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. In other words, I'm still at the initial stage."

"Next, I must train my body. That's why I'm going to that place."

Konan asked, "What place?"

Naruto's gaze turned resolute. "Kumogakure—Hell Valley."