Chapter 155: Grinding Mission for Health Reason...

Itachi was in turmoil, doing his best to rein in his emotions.

Seeing his younger brother possibly heading down a dangerous path, he naturally wanted to step up and prevent that from happening.

Even though Sasuke and Naruto had grown extraordinarily powerful after using the Fusion Dance, going after Danzō before he was officially convicted of any wrongdoing would mean turning themselves against all of Konoha.

Whether or not they had the strength for that was almost beside the point; this was definitely not the path that Shisui (and Itachi himself) had wished Sasuke would follow.

As for the long-standing hostilities between the Uchiha and Konoha, Itachi didn't have a ready solution. At that moment, he turned his gaze toward Senshi, hoping he could guide Sasuke and steer him toward a more rational plan.

In Senshi's view, Sasuke indeed still needed further growth, rather than outright breaking with Danzō. As Itachi had said, without hard evidence proving Danzō was a criminal to Konoha, any move against him—given that he was a Hokage advisor—would be deemed an act of rebellion against the entire village.

After some thought, Senshi placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and said, "Sasuke, you don't yet have the power to go after Danzō. And with no clear proof that he's committed crimes against Konoha, if you and Naruto kill him together, Konoha will put a bounty on both of you. Are you really fine with dragging Naruto into this? Do you want to see the Uchiha clan labeled as traitors once again?"

Senshi's words only deepened Sasuke's pained expression. After learning the truth of his clan's massacre, the flames of vengeance had blazed in his heart, yet he could see now that even with Naruto's backing, acting rashly was impossible; he wouldn't allow his teammate to become a casualty of that revenge.

Gritting his teeth, Sasuke asked Senshi in desperation, "Sensei, then what should I do?"

Senshi answered seriously, "You and Naruto are already part of my mercenary group, and you two are growing quickly. Right now, your biggest priority is to keep doing missions, keep strengthening yourselves, and prepare for your revenge in the future. At the same time, you can quietly gather evidence that Danzō is undermining Konoha's interests. Once you have enough proof to bring him down, he'll be nothing more than a rat scuttling through the streets. At that point, you and Naruto can bring him to justice without putting yourselves at odds with the village."

Hearing this, Sasuke's gaze hardened. It dawned on him that someone like Danzō must be hiding all kinds of shady secrets. Otherwise, why had the Hokage and Konoha's top brass been keeping him so distant lately?

And given how coldly the Shimura family had been treated, Sasuke was certain Danzō was doing things behind the scenes to harm the village.

With that, he nodded solemnly. "Sensei, I understand. I'll do my best on missions and build my strength!"

As soon as Sasuke spoke, Naruto chimed in energetically, "Sasuke, I'll help you fight any powerful foe! Since we're in the Land of Water already, let's drop by the black market and see if there's anything we can do!"

Sasuke raised no objections. He threw a glance at Itachi, then left with Naruto. Having learned the truth about the massacre, most of his animosity toward Itachi had subsided, although he still needed time to come to terms with the fact that Itachi was the one who delivered the final blow.

Watching Naruto and Sasuke leave, Itachi approached Senshi to offer his genuine gratitude. "Lord Senshi, thank you for guiding Sasuke and for letting him learn the truth about the Uchiha's downfall. Cough, cough."

He couldn't finish before being overtaken by a fit of coughing. His condition had evidently taken a dire turn. Senshi was somewhat surprised and casually asked, "Is your illness really this serious?"

As he asked about Itachi's health, Senshi couldn't help pondering whether this might be an "opportunity."

Itachi, too, was startled, thinking his health concerns were private knowledge. Letting out a bitter smile, he said, "So your intelligence network really does live up to its reputation, Senshi. But seeing Sasuke grow under your guidance, and having resolved our misunderstanding, I'm already at ease."

He had long been plagued by illness and weighed down by the guilt of what had happened to the Uchiha. If there'd been another option back then, he would never have chosen that path—but circumstances at the time left him no choice.

The remorse he had carried for so long kept him from bothering about his failing health until it slipped past the point of no return.

Still, seeing his younger brother's growth and their mended bond brought him some comfort.

If Sasuke could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan before he died, Itachi even hoped he might help Sasuke acquire the Eternal Mangekyō. That would be ideal.

While these thoughts swirled within him, Senshi laid a friendly hand on Itachi's shoulder and said with a smile, "Come on, Itachi—don't be so down. There might still be a way to save you."

Itachi: (O_O)???

He froze for a second, thinking, But I'm already terminally ill—how can I be saved?

He hesitated and said, "My illness is extremely serious. As far as I know, it's incurable. Even Lady Tsunade, the best medical-ninjutsu user there is, probably can't save me."

But Senshi only waved a hand dismissively. "What's with calling that an incurable disease? It's just a minor ailment. Nagato was nothing but skin and bones—on the verge of dying—and I saved him, right? Now he's not only healthy, he can even stay up night after night, signing village paperwork!"

There was no missing Senshi's point:

If I could cure Nagato's condition, this 'little problem' of yours is obviously no big deal—am I right? Applaud already!

Clap, clap, clap! Karin immediately joined in with applause, wearing a serious face. "Senshi's really amazing; he's sure to find a way to get you back in shape!" As Senshi's capable little assistant, Karin naturally knew how to seize the moment to "advertise" for her boss.

Hearing their back-and-forth, Itachi's expression gradually shifted. Seeing his resolve wavering, Senshi pressed the advantage: "Itachi, don't you want to see Sasuke's development with your own eyes? He already knows the truth behind the Uchiha's massacre, so he's bound to go after Danzō and Obito for revenge. Don't you want to be healthy and fight side by side with him?"

Itachi: (O_O)!!

Senshi's words hit him right in the heart. He had never accounted for Senshi's "variable," nor did he anticipate how startlingly fast Sasuke could grow under Senshi's guidance.

Now Sasuke already had considerable strength, plus that weird fusion technique—which spelled boundless potential. Given more time, Sasuke would definitely surpass Itachi, even reaching unimaginable heights.

Realizing that, Itachi decided: He couldn't afford to die just yet. He had to see his brother's future for himself, stand at Sasuke's side when he took revenge on Danzō.

Frowning, he turned to Senshi and asked, "Lord Senshi, you truly have a way to cure my illness?"

At that moment, Senshi adopted a conflicted look. "Itachi, I do have a way, but…your condition isn't exactly easy to treat."

Itachi: (O_O)???

He was at a loss. A moment ago, Senshi said it was just a minor illness, and now it was "not that easy to treat"? Itachi pressed, "But Senshi, didn't you just say it was only some 'small problem'?"

Senshi sighed, speaking in a reproachful tone. "Itachi, I only said that because I worried you'd lose hope. Now that you've picked yourself up and want to fight, I have to be honest with you about the severity."

Itachi quietly griped. Plainly the earlier claim was more truthful, but Senshi's tone now made it sound like he'd been misleading him. With no choice, Itachi sighed. "So, Senshi, what exactly is my diagnosis? How do we treat it?"

Senshi dropped all pretense: "Your condition really is a terminal one. Anyone who gets it is fated to die young."

Itachi: (O_O)???

He felt a pit open in his stomach. If it's guaranteed death, then what's left to do? Yet Senshi pressed on, "Though normal treatments won't help, you seem to have forgotten who I am. I don't use standard methods, but extraordinary ones. From what I know, there are a few extremely rare items in the ninja world that can cure even your disease."

Senshi, in reality, hadn't thought of a specific method to treat Itachi yet, but that didn't matter—he'd figure one out after accepting the job. Listening, Itachi felt a looming sense of dread, but with no alternative, he steeled himself. The only question was how much Senshi would charge. Senshi's rates were steep, and after all these years of shirking missions, Itachi had hardly any savings.

Right then, as Itachi pondered how to negotiate, Senshi was doing his own mental calculations:

He's "a five-in-one disease magnet" with little money. If I can squeeze 300 million ryō out of him, that's enough. I'll first quote 500 million to give him room to haggle, let him bring me down to 300, and he'll think he's getting a good deal. With that in mind, Itachi asked, "Lord Senshi, how much do I have to pay so you'll cure me?"

Putting on a pained expression, Senshi said, "Itachi, I'm not overcharging for the sake of it. This disease of yours really is lethal. But fine, given our friendship, I'll give you the 'friend rate.' Just pay me 500 million ryō."

Itachi: (O_O)???

He was stunned. "Just pay 500 million ryō?" That "just" seemed way too casual. Resolutely, he began haggling: "Lord Senshi, isn't that quite high? With your skills, I'm sure 200 million ryō would be enough to fix me!"

He didn't have much confidence, but with commissions, it was always the same dance: make a lowball offer, keep bargaining, and hopefully reach a final figure both sides could accept.

Senshi: (O_O)???

Momentarily at a loss for words, he retorted, "Itachi, who haggles like that? People usually ask for 10% off—you want to cut the price in half! This is no small job. I can go as low as a 10% discount, 450 million ryō—no lower."

Itachi refused to budge. "Then how about half price, 250 million?"

With a firm shake of his head, Senshi said, "That's nowhere near reasonable. The best I can do is 20% off—400 million. That's my bottom line. I can't go any lower! Think about it: we're talking about a terminal disease no ordinary means can cure. If I take 400 million, that's basically the cost price for me."

Hearing that, Itachi wavered. 400 million already down from 500. Maybe I can push a bit further. He gritted his teeth and tried again: "Lord Senshi, let's settle at 300 million, 40% off. Cure me, and we have a deal."

"All right, all right. So be it."

[Mission Accepted]

[Client: Uchiha Itachi]

[Goal: Cure Uchiha Itachi's health problem.]

[Reward: 300 million ryō]

[Mission Rank: S-Rank]

[Mission Bonus: 300,000 Employment Points]

Senshi gave an exasperated sigh, patting Itachi's shoulder. "You're driving me into a corner, Itachi—I won't make any profit! But fine, 300 million it is, all in the name of friendship."

That left Itachi a bit confused. Perhaps he was being scammed; then again, maybe not. Moments earlier, 400 million was supposedly "just covering costs," yet now 300 million was acceptable.

He had no idea all of this was orchestrated from the start. Senshi had only planned to get 300 million out of him anyway. And with Itachi presently half-crippled by illness, once he was cured, it would be easy to wring out a similar sum from him again through future missions.

Once Senshi accepted the job, Itachi wasted no time. He immediately parted ways with Senshi, setting out to earn money. At roughly black-market prices, 300 million ryō meant killing about 8.55 "Asuma-level" bounty targets. Finding them was the real challenge, so he decided to accept any job—high- or low-paying—in hopes of raising 300 million quickly.

…

In Kirigakure, the Akatsuki Branch

Dawn was breaking under a still-dark sky, the village cloaked in a hazy gloom.

Hoshigaki Kisame lay snoring in his room. Ever since coming here, he'd been living the good life.

The branch's affairs were basically all handled by Itachi—who never liked going on missions anyway, spending days lazing around the office sipping tea.

That let Kisame take missions to his heart's content, raking in the money. He'd stayed out late again last night, tackling missions, only returning to rest in the wee hours.

But as he slumbered, Uchiha Itachi arrived silently outside his door. Without so much as a knock, he employed the "relatives-don't-mean-a-thing" type of kick, blasting the door open.

Bang!

The door crashed apart. Startled awake, Kisame bolted upright in bed. Seeing that the intruder was Itachi, his head spun with question marks. After a moment of confusion, Kisame rubbed his bleary eyes, complaining irritably, "What're you doing, Itachi-san? It's so early—don't I get to sleep?"

Glowering at Kisame, who was still sprawled in bed, Itachi felt both frustrated and exasperated. Stepping up beside him, he said in a stern voice, "Kisame, don't you want to earn more money, deepen your relationship with Senshi, and eventually have him willingly call you 'Boss Shark? Look at yourself—do you know what time it is? Yet you're still lazing around! Get up and come do missions with me!"

Kisame: (O_O)???

He rubbed his eyes again, half-thinking he was still dreaming. Since arriving in Kirigakure, Itachi had practically never gone out to do missions.

Why on earth was he so fired up at daybreak now? Drowsy, Kisame mumbled, "Itachi-san, missions aren't going anywhere. The Land of Water's black market has plenty. There's no rush."

But to Itachi, time was of the essence. He needed money urgently to fix his health—no time for sleep. Some might say that for a chef, midnight is the perfect time to start baking; for a gamer, 3 a.m. is peak focus hour. For Itachi, this was prime time to do missions, not to rest!

Seeing Kisame still not budging, Itachi wordlessly hoisted him up, preparing to drag him to the black market. Kisame was utterly baffled—had Itachi lost his mind? Was the world ending, that they needed to do missions at such an hour?

Meanwhile, in a different Kirigakure inn, Naruto was also up early, heading to Sasuke's door. He was all set to break it down with a "relatives-don't-mean-a-thing" kick when the door unexpectedly opened. Sasuke stood on the threshold, coolly saying, "Naruto, you're slacking. I've been waiting for you in my room for a while now."

…

Black Market, Land of Water

Naruto strolled down the street, arms folded behind his head, with Sasuke at his side. They planned to grind out a bunch of missions, then see about their next steps. With countless tasks available, many were well-suited to them: big payouts, quick completion—high efficiency.

As they walked, Naruto casually asked, "Sasuke, how many scratchcards do you figure Karin's saving now? If she's hoarding them, might she get some truly amazing prize?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No idea. But stockpiling them shouldn't affect her odds. She's already plenty strong; it doesn't really matter to her if she saves them or not. We're different. Whenever we get a scratchcard, we should just use it right away. Converting them into immediate strength is what's key."

Naruto nodded in agreement, but sighed wistfully, "I wish I could get another top-tier reward like my Aura Sphere."

Hearing that, Sasuke fell silent in thought. They'd gone through so many scratchcards, yet never drawn big prizes like "Thunder Punch" or a "Three-tomoe Sharingan." It seemed scratchcards served primarily for incremental growth; snagging powers on that level likely required Senshi's help.

As Sasuke was pondering this, Naruto suddenly proposed, "Sasuke, maybe we can hire Sensei to train us again? We've earned quite a bit lately—no point just sitting on all this cash. Eating at Ichiraku won't use it all up."

Sasuke nodded. "We can consider that."

They were chatting away when two figures in red-cloud cloaks appeared at the other end of the street, heading their way: Hoshigaki Kisame and Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke was surprised to see Itachi. "Why's he in the black market too?"

Even though Sasuke understood his brother's circumstances, the tension between them made him uneasy and unsure what to say. Kisame had noticed them as well, especially Sasuke's resemblance to Itachi, so he asked, "Itachi-san, why does that brat look so much like you?"

Itachi answered flatly, "He's my younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke."

That said, Itachi approached Sasuke. "You two came to the black market early to do missions?"

Sasuke nodded, countering with, "Why are you here so early?"

Face impassive, Itachi offered an excuse: "I've made a habit of early missions."

Naturally, that was just something he said to keep Sasuke from suspecting his failing health. Standing to the side, Kisame watched the exchange, stifling a grin—Itachi had no such "habit" at all. He'd barely stepped foot in the black market before. Still, Kisame didn't expose Itachi's fib, just looked on with amusement at the brothers.

Itachi and Sasuke fell into a brief silence until Itachi spoke first. "Sasuke, let's both work hard at missions and keep building our power."

Sasuke nodded gravely. "Yes."

They parted ways soon after. Once Naruto and Sasuke were out of sight, Kisame asked curiously, "Itachi-san, why is your little brother here in the Land of Water?"

Itachi replied impassively, "He's one of Senshi's students. He's just in the black market taking missions—probably has something to do with Senshi."

Of course, he wouldn't tell Kisame that Sasuke had initially come to confront him. Kisame was only casually asking, so he didn't press the matter. Arriving at the black market, Kisame couldn't wait to pick up commissions. While Kisame claimed his tasks, Itachi followed suit. He had to make money the same way Sasuke did, so he could reach his goals and eventually settle accounts with Danzō.

…

Konoha's Root Base, Danzō's Office

"Achoo!"

Danzō suddenly sneezed, feeling an unaccountable sense of foreboding. He hadn't stayed in the hospital the whole time—shortly after the Chūnin Exams ended, he'd returned to Root. Frowning doubtfully, he wondered, Why am I feeling such a crisis?

He couldn't answer himself. Perhaps it was just a product of his many worries and the pressure they caused.

Currently, the "Konoha F3" were focused on Orochimaru's development of the Eternal Chakra Elixir, the huge potential of Naruto and Sasuke, and Konohamaru's Wood Release. This had nudged the "theft of one billion ryō from Konoha's treasury" into the background for the time being, giving Danzō more freedom to maneuver.

Yet thinking about Konohamaru, that brat who roamed the village freely using Wood Release, grated on him. He had spent one billion ryō and still didn't manage to obtain Wood Release, while that kid had easily gained it. Of course, Konohamaru had achieved it thanks to two things: Hiruzen Sarutobi paid money, and Hiruzen was the Hokage.

Danzō realized that if he wanted Wood Release from Senshi and a closer partnership with him, he had to become Hokage.

The thought took shape, and he began to scheme about seizing the Hokage title for himself. To ensure success, Danzō decided to reestablish contact with the masked man who had once helped him annihilate the Uchiha.

Though that man claimed to be Uchiha Madara, Danzō knew better—he'd actually seen the real Madara in person. After all, the masked man's hairstyle was nothing like Madara's!

~~~

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