Infinite Anime [217-218] (Patreon)

Chapter 217 – The Deal with the Raikage

After the battle ended, the surrounding Anbu and elite ninja all gathered, staring at the Raikage's severed leg with feelings of deep humiliation.

This was their Kumogakure stronghold, and even with so many people ganging up on the enemy, the Raikage still lost a leg. If word got out, what face would Kumogakure have left?

Only now did the younger ninja, who hadn't experienced the Third Great Ninja War, truly understand the weight behind the titles of the legendary war heroes from that era. "Calamity" Gusion, was indeed Kage-level strong!

Having witnessed Gusion's power, many ninja present, especially those unfamiliar with the details, were left with a new question: Why did someone as strong as Gusion—a war hero with such a record in the Third War—defect from Konoha?

Even the "Yellow Flash" might not be stronger than "Calamity." Yet, one became Hokage and the other a wanted criminal. The difference in their fates was staggering.

"Samui, post a bounty on the black market—entire territory, target: Gusion. Price: sixty million."

The Raikage, supported by Killer Bee, stood and gave his order.

"Sixty million?!"

Samui's usually cold expression broke in surprise. This was a rare sum for a bounty, usually only reserved for Kage-level shinobi from major nations.

That kind of money wasn't a small matter, and Kumogakure's finances hadn't exactly been great these past years. Could they really afford to spend this much on a bounty?

"Not many people can take this job," the Raikage said calmly. He wasn't just a brute—he had brains, which was how he became Raikage.

The bounty was just a statement. The black market wouldn't reveal who posted the bounty on Gusion; it would just leave outsiders guessing.

In truth, he didn't expect freelance bounty hunters to actually bring back Gusion's head. That was unrealistic.

"I see…" Samui understood. The Raikage wanted to make things difficult for Gusion, and show that Kumogakure took the attack very seriously—they were in a state of open hostility.

"Darui, arrange for someone to secretly contact Gusion. Tell him I accept his offer."

The Raikage's next command shocked everyone even more.

"Raikage-sama, do we really have to cooperate with 'Calamity'?!"

Even Samui, usually calm, became anxious. "He's too dangerous. And his demand—how can we agree to it? The Lightning Release Chakra Mode is an exclusive secret technique of the Raikage!"

The Raikage's face was grim as he gestured at his severed leg. "He's earned it."

This was the real deal. Gusion had shown his worth—he truly had the ability to infiltrate Akatsuki.

As a military power, Kumogakure had engaged in plenty of covert operations over the years, and Akatsuki, as an international mercenary group, was becoming more active.

Onoki had caused plenty of trouble with Akatsuki, but the Raikage was more concerned about the threat Akatsuki posed than his grudge with Onoki.

For such a dangerous organization, he needed a strong operative on the inside. Besides, he could never guarantee he'd never need to use Akatsuki as a mercenary group himself someday.

Of course, he wouldn't hand over the secret technique straight away. Gusion would have to provide valuable intel in exchange.

Kumogakure, in this arrangement, didn't really risk anything. Whether Gusion succeeded or failed in Akatsuki, it didn't affect them much. On the surface, he was a Konoha defector and Kumogakure's sworn enemy.

Samui, realizing the strategy, looked at the Raikage with new respect. She hadn't expected this seemingly blunt man to be so shrewd—truly, a simpleton could never become Kage.

Those closest to A knew he wasn't exactly a schemer, but years of clashing with Onoki had forced him to use his head, or he'd have been outmaneuvered long ago.

They still hadn't forgotten how the Third Raikage sacrificed himself to let Kumogakure's army retreat—holding off all of Iwagakure's ninja alone for three days before dying of exhaustion. That kind of hatred ran deep.

Right now, they didn't see Gusion as one of their own. From his past slaughter of Kumogakure ninja in the war, to his rampage today, he was still their enemy.

But not yet. Gusion still had use for them, so a temporary deal was possible.

Once Akatsuki's threat was gone, they'd consider how to deal with him.

…

After leaving Kumogakure, Gusion traveled through the dense forests of the Naruto world.

His initial stay in this world was three months, same as in One Piece. Escaping from Kumogakure was just the start—if he wanted more from this world, he needed the right angle.

First, he needed a base and up-to-date intel on this era.

Just reading the manga wasn't enough to understand the world's details, especially since this was a world other explorers had visited—plotlines might have changed.

The next day, Gusion reached the border of the Land of Lightning and stopped at a teahouse at the foot of a mountain.

"Hey, did you hear? The 'Calamity' from the Third Great Ninja War isn't dead! He was caught and hidden away by Kumogakure, but somehow broke out, went wild in the village, and even crippled the Raikage!"

"Seriously? 'Calamity'? Wasn't he a Konoha war hero?"

"I heard he died long ago! So he's alive, and the Raikage caught him?"

"Apparently, he was captured eight years ago and secretly imprisoned. Konoha already assumed he was dead, but now he's out again—this'll be interesting."

"Interesting? He was locked up by Kumogakure for years—he must hate us now. I heard he's a butcher, kills anyone he sees. Better not run into him."

"Yikes, now that you mention it, I'm getting chills…"

"What's 'Calamity' look like?"

"They say he's good-looking. I saw a wanted poster—looks a lot like that guy sitting in the corner…"

"Wait… could it be… him?"

"…"

Gusion sat quietly as the chatter around him faded, until everyone in the teahouse had fled.

He didn't care. Unlike in One Piece, being wanted in Naruto was bad news—there were plenty who'd really try for the bounty.

In a way, the Raikage's bounty helped him—boosting his reputation and attracting the bounty hunters he wanted to encounter.

Whoosh—

After finishing his tea and tossing a gold bean on the table, Gusion left. As he walked down a forest path, a figure emerged from behind a tree—it was a Kumogakure Anbu.

Gusion didn't attack. He figured Kumogakure wasn't stupid—if the Raikage couldn't handle him, they wouldn't send just one Anbu to kill him.

"Calamity, please don't attack. I'm here to deliver a message from the Raikage."

Sweating profusely under his mask, the Anbu was on edge, knowing Gusion could kill him in an instant.

The Raikage used a secret technique to track Gusion's movements, sending both a message and an Anbu to cover more ground and ensure contact before he left the Land of Lightning.

"How's the Raikage's leg?" Gusion joked.

"The Raikage is well. Here is his letter."

The Anbu stepped forward, handing him the handwritten note.

Gusion glanced at it, grinning wider. Just as he'd guessed, this open-world approach was the way to go.

The note was simple: The Raikage accepted his offer—he'd hand over the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, and even help him get other village secrets.

The condition: Gusion must join Akatsuki as Kumogakure's undercover agent, provide intel on Akatsuki, and try to influence its military actions to benefit the village.

As long as Gusion produced results, Kumogakure would reward him with secret techniques, with the Lightning Release Chakra Mode as a top prize for truly valuable intel.

After reading the letter, Gusion received a prompt from the Endspace:

[Hidden Quest: Cloud Undercover]

Objective: Join Akatsuki as Kumogakure's spy, and gather intel for the village.

Difficulty: Easy ~ Fatal

Reward: Secret techniques from Kumogakure, based on the value of intel provided. Rewards obtained can be taken out of this world without certification.

Failure Penalty: None

Note: Until your relationship with Kumogakure is severed, this quest is repeatable.

[]

Lightning crackled at Gusion's fingertips as he burned the note. "Now this is a proper deal. But the sincerity's still lacking. Go back and tell him—I want a down payment."

Relieved that Gusion agreed, the Anbu produced a talisman with a black lightning symbol. "This lets you contact the Raikage. Please keep it safe."

Gusion examined it—this was a legendary-level communication tool. The tech in this world was strange. No telephones, but secret arts to make these limited-use message charms.

The principle seemed to be using chakra to emit electromagnetic waves, resonating with a matching talisman—an advanced Kumogakure method no other village could easily match.

Compared to current ninja world comms—Konoha still used carrier pigeons—this talisman was top-tier.

If he joined Akatsuki as a spy but used pigeons, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu would catch him in no time.

After the Anbu left, Gusion headed for the border. Once he crossed, his adventure had truly begun.

He accepted the Raikage's mission not just for the secret techniques—though the Lightning Chakra Mode was tempting, he could develop similar abilities himself with the Raijin Fruit.

He took the mission mainly to earn some extra benefits, since he was planning to join Akatsuki anyway.

Even if the Raikage hadn't asked, he'd have gone—Akatsuki had plenty of good stuff. Rinnegan wasn't realistic yet, but he might be able to get his hands on some Hashirama cells.

Gusion considered the Sage Body and the various bloodlines—Rinnegan, Sharingan, and such. He still had an empty bloodline slot, so he planned to acquire a good one here if possible.

After fighting the Raikage, Gusion realized even his dynamic reflexes could fall behind high-speed foes, so boosting his vision was necessary.

He wasn't interested in flashy eye techniques, but couldn't deny that advanced eyes offered superior insight—hugely helpful in battle.

Joining Akatsuki also had another benefit: after a day of intel gathering, Gusion found Akatsuki's activity level was much higher than in the original.

They might start collecting Tailed Beasts early. His Soul Devourer ring needed to devour various energies to level up—just feeding it lightning was too slow.

Though the Tailed Beasts all originated from the same source, their chakra had unique properties. If he let his ring absorb each one, it might evolve to "Dark Gold" level within this world!

Chapter 218 – Itachi Uchiha's Dilemma

Land of Earth, an underground exchange point.

A man in a black cloak with red clouds entered, face covered, wearing a slashed Hidden Waterfall Village headband—marking him as a rogue ninja.

He greeted the manager and placed a severed head on the table. "Here's the target."

"It's him, all right. Kakuzu, you're as efficient as ever."

The manager grinned, signaling for someone to bring the payment. Kakuzu's reputation preceded him—he was famous among bounty hunters: efficient, ruthless, and lethal.

Whenever there was a high bounty, those without strong escorts didn't last long—they'd soon lose their heads to Kakuzu.

Kakuzu counted the five million ryo, satisfied, and closed the case. "Got any big targets?"

"You came at the right time! There's a major new bounty—though it's a tough one."

The manager spread out the bounty notices, pushing one forward. Gusion's face stared back.

"Sixty million? Didn't the Hokage's son only fetch thirty million?"

Kakuzu's eyes lit up at the sum, but he voiced his confusion.

"Check the details, Kakuzu. You may not know his name, but you've heard his title—he's 'Calamity'."

Kakuzu recognized the title—though he didn't remember the real name. He'd lived a long time, but hadn't been active during the Third War. Most battlefield prodigies were flashes in the pan.

But the file said this "Calamity" had even injured the Fourth Raikage. That piqued Kakuzu's interest—this was a worthy hunt.

Sixty million could fund plenty of Akatsuki's future operations.

Kakuzu, as Akatsuki's treasurer, loved money but also focused on building up the group's funds.

He took the bounty notice and headed straight for the Land of Lightning to investigate leads on "Calamity."

Compared to the little jobs, he wanted to hit it big—sixty million in one go.

…

Three days after Gusion's breakout from Kumogakure—Konoha Village, Uchiha District.

On the training grounds, a young boy held a kunai, focusing hard before hurling it at a target.

Thunk—

The kunai struck the outer rim, and disappointment flashed in his eyes.

But the sadness only lasted a moment. A large hand landed on his head, making him smile.

Standing behind him, a teenage boy gently ruffled his hair. "Sasuke, that's better than yesterday."

"Onii-chan!"

Sasuke called out with affection. He admired his brother and cherished their rare time together—Itachi was always busy, harder to see lately.

Itachi, still in his Anbu uniform but with his mask tucked away, saw the messy training ground and Sasuke's dusty, scraped knees—clearly, Sasuke had trained hard.

"Can you still walk?"

"I'm fine!" Sasuke straightened up.

He took a step forward, but his legs wobbled. Itachi caught him before he fell.

Sasuke blushed, but Itachi crouched to give him a piggyback. "Let's go home for dinner."

Sasuke, soothed by his brother's gentle voice, rested his chin on Itachi's shoulder. "Okay."

The brothers walked the sunset path, wildflowers at their feet. Sasuke's face was all happiness, but Itachi's expression, unseen by his brother, was heavy.

"Onii-chan, you said you'd be off tomorrow and teach me shurikenjutsu. I was really looking forward to it."

Sasuke hoped for his brother's guidance—not just to get stronger, but to spend time with him.

"Something came up. Sorry, Sasuke. Next time."

Itachi gave his usual reply—not that he didn't want to, but there was always an urgent mission.

Lately, too much was happening. His mind was a mess, and he couldn't relax with his brother.

Tomorrow's mission was especially dangerous—he might not even survive.

"Oh…" Sasuke was disappointed but didn't complain. Exhausted from training, he soon fell asleep on Itachi's back.

Itachi carried Sasuke along the path, sunset fading into darkness, his Sharingan spinning into new shapes.

He wasn't in the mood for fun. Just days ago, his most respected elder and closest friend, Shisui Uchiha, had died.

Shisui's death opened Itachi's eyes to Konoha's darkness and filled him with despair. The pain and turmoil awakened his new power.

Itachi saw things were heading for the worst. Shisui failed to persuade Danzo and even lost an eye. The situation was now out of control.

With Shisui dead, the clan was agitated. The hawks were secretly mobilizing for a coup.

Itachi loved the village and his family—he was torn and in pain.

The night Shisui died, the Third Hokage summoned him for a seemingly peaceful conversation—a test of loyalty.

Itachi answered perfectly, expressing his true feelings. He didn't want war. If necessary, he'd use his new power to suppress a revolt.

The Third promised that Sasuke would be spared, and taken care of. That brought Itachi some comfort.

But he was suffocating under the pressure. After all, he was only thirteen—being forced to massacre his own clan was too cruel.

Luckily, international events had shifted—the legendary Konoha hero "Calamity" wasn't dead, but had caused chaos in Kumogakure. This shocked all five great shinobi villages.

Kumogakure publicly condemned Konoha for letting a rogue ninja wreak havoc, demanding an explanation.

Anyone who knew the truth would call this shameless—Kumogakure secretly captured and imprisoned Gusion for eight years. But with no evidence, it was just politics.

Konoha knew the rough story, but could only accept the blame—Gusion was, after all, their defector.

With Konoha needing to reassert strength after the Fourth's death, the "Calamity" affair had to be handled carefully.

But Gusion was already a powerful ninja, and now had injured the Fourth Raikage. Ordinary Anbu squads couldn't hope to handle him.

So the task fell to Hokage's elite Anbu—Itachi himself.

Itachi was smart. He saw that the Third didn't fully trust him. After all, his claim he'd kill his entire clan wasn't that credible.

Now, with the "Calamity" incident, the Third was clearly testing him.

If he could kill or capture Gusion, Konoha's international standing would rise, and they could answer Kumogakure's demand. Huge political gain.

If he failed and died, the Uchiha would lose a major asset—if they did rebel, it would be easy to suppress.

Itachi saw through the Third's calculations, but felt he had no choice. The clan had no chance in open conflict—even with the Mangekyo Sharingan.

A friend in Anbu hinted that the Third had already summoned Jiraiya back to the village. If it came to a fight, Itachi couldn't hope to beat one of the legendary Sannin.

The clan crisis weighed on Itachi, but this mission was also a chance to breathe.

At least he could leave the village for a while, get some fresh air, and leave the family mess behind.

"Calamity" Gusion… once Konoha's hero—why did he defect?

…

Gusion moved fast these days, ignoring distractions as he rushed toward the border of the Land of Fire.

He wasn't heading for dangerous Konoha—he'd left the Land of Lightning, and to reach Amegakure from there, he had to cross the Land of Fire's border.

The area where many small countries met: the borders of Land of Fields, Land of Frost, Land of Waterfalls, Land of Grass.

The Land of Fire owned the central, prime land; the smaller border countries survived at its whim. In war, these small countries became Konoha's buffer zone.

Weak nations had no real sovereignty. The Second and Third Great Ninja Wars had been fought in these territories—the five great villages wouldn't let war touch their own lands.

That's why Nagato and his friends hated the big nations—their wars destroyed the small countries' homes, leaving them destitute.

As Gusion passed through these small countries, he saw other explorers—some from Endspace, some from Divinespace—but no one made a move.

Clearly, it was early days. Once alliances solidified, future meetings would be deadly—killing hostile explorers had double the chance to get a Deadman's Chest—a huge temptation.

Crossing the border between Land of Fields and Land of Fire, Gusion was heading through a forested gorge toward the Land of Waterfalls, when several kunai flew at him, thudding into nearby trees.

He stopped, eyeing the four masked figures surrounding him. Judging by their gear and masks, they were Konoha Anbu—cold and silent, they'd clearly set a trap to take him out.