Chapter 31: Blood Gate·Stan
The scorpion contacted Nagato, and after Su Xiao waited for over ten minutes, the scorpion spoke.
“This mission doesn’t need to continue.”
The three had been traveling for days on a mission that suddenly stopped. Considering the type of commissions the Akatsuki accepted, this situation, though uncommon, had occurred before.
“Reason.”
This kind of abrupt mission cancellation was rare, so Deidara naturally wanted to know why.
“The leader tried to contact the client, but the client vanished without leaving any trace. Zetsu is handling it.”
The scorpion referred to Zetsu as Black Zetsu and White Zetsu combined; currently, the two were one entity.
“So, can we move freely now?”
Su Xiao planned to head to the Hidden Mist Village for some side work and also to pay a visit to Terumi Mei.
“No, we’re heading to the Hidden Sand Village.”
“Hidden Sand Village?”
Su Xiao’s heart raced, but he quickly steadied his emotions to avoid revealing anything to the other two.
“Find a safe spot. The leader has something for the three of us.”
The sudden halt of the mission in the Hidden Mist Village made Su Xiao smell a conspiracy.
Though he was disappointed he couldn’t stir up trouble in the Hidden Mist Village, the upcoming mission excited him.
He had already participated in two Akatsuki missions, performing well in both. On the second mission, he had sensed something was off early on. Given the scorpion’s personality, he would surely tell Nagato that Su Xiao had noticed the anomaly.
Assassinating the daimyo of the River Country, fighting the Legendary Sannin Jiraiya, heading to the Water Country to incite civil war, and killing two jonin from the Hidden Mist Village—these two missions had nearly offended half the major powers in the Naruto world.
But what you give, you also get. Now, Su Xiao had gained the Akatsuki’s initial trust.
Of course, in subsequent missions, the scorpion and Deidara would still monitor him, but that didn’t affect his plans.
The three moved away from the Hidden Mist Village. After all, they had killed two jonin there, and the Mist would soon discover it.
Killing those two jonin taught Su Xiao something: when plot characters helped in battle, the chance of obtaining treasure chests dropped significantly. Not just chests, but the amount of World Source also decreased, as with the daimyo of the River Country.
Finding a hidden cave, Deidara beat a bear inside until it questioned its existence, and then the three used the Astral Projection Technique.
At the usual meeting point, Tendo Pain was already waiting.
“Your work in the Water Country was tough.”
Since the three had traveled for nothing, Tendo offered verbal praise.
“What’s the mission in the Hidden Sand Village? Attacking it?”
Deidara glanced at the scorpion’s projection as he spoke. The scorpion was originally from the Hidden Sand Village.
“Did you finish investigating what I asked earlier?”
Tendo didn’t answer Deidara’s question but asked one instead.
“Yes. The jinchuriki of the One-Tail Shukaku is named Gaara, the current Fifth Kazekage.”
“Good. Your mission is to capture him alive. He must be taken alive.”
Tendo gave the order. Though Su Xiao didn’t speak, his excitement was indescribable.
It was finally starting. He had joined the Akatsuki, traveled the world on missions, and offended two major factions—all for this: capturing the jinchuriki.
“Looks like it’s beginning, hmm.”
Deidara was eager. He had only heard of jinchuriki and never fought one.
“Scorpion, this mission…”
Tendo stared expressionlessly at the scorpion. The scorpion’s ties to the Hidden Sand Village were deep. If he hadn’t defected, he could have vied for the position of Kazekage.
After all, the scorpion was the grandson of Chiyo, a “elder” of the Hidden Sand Village. Chiyo’s status in the village was second only to the Kazekage. If Chiyo had helped the scorpion rise, Gaara—whose father was dead and who was despised—would have had no chance.
Coupled with the scorpion’s strength and his parents’ deaths fighting for the village, his chances of becoming Kazekage were high.
Unfortunately, the scorpion’s parents died when he was young, deeply traumatizing him. From then on, he delved into achieving eternal life and transforming puppets into living, conscious beings.
Nagato sent the scorpion to capture the One-Tail because he was familiar with the Hidden Sand Village—an inherent advantage.
“No problem. I have informants in the Hidden Sand Village.”
Tendo nodded, and the meeting ended.
…
Inside the cave, the three opened their eyes.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. More traveling.”
Deidara crafted a clay bird, and the three boarded it, disappearing into the night as they crossed the sea toward the Wind Country.
Su Xiao was going to capture the One-Tail jinchuriki, Gaara.
…
Within the Fire Country, a temporary camp.
This camp had just been set up, with over a hundred tents. People of various appearances walked between them, gathered in small groups, some drinking and chatting, others playing cards. These were all contractors.
Inside the large tent at the camp’s center sat a bare-chested, muscular man covered in scars. A half-dressed woman leaned against his chest, her eyes hazy with desire. The tent reeked of a strange odor, and it was obvious what they had just done.
“Boss.”
A man in a black robe rushed into the tent. His face was hidden under a hood, but his eyes glowed like two green flames.
“What is it?”
The sudden intrusion annoyed the muscular man, but when he saw who it was, he pushed the woman off him as if discarding a toy he was done with.
“Stan, can you drop that habit? Think this is a massage parlor? You’re paying the marital tax!”
The hazy look in the woman’s eyes vanished. Though she had a pretty face, her fierce aura was unmistakable. The muscular man, Stan, forced himself to stay calm.
This infamous leader of the Blood Gate Adventurers had a secret: he was afraid of his wife.
That wasn’t his fault. Anyone with a wife like his would be scared. She was a woman who could tear apart a mecha with her bare hands, incredibly violent.
“Hello, sister-in-law.”
The green-eyed man quickly greeted her.
“Ghost Eye, if this isn’t important…”
Stan’s wife, Yinglan, stared at Ghost Eye, her look clearly saying, “If it’s not, I’ll tear you apart.”
Ghost Eye swallowed hard and looked to Stan for help.
“Rebelling?”
Stan turned to Yinglan, who lowered her head, her earlier fierceness gone.
In front of others, Yinglan always respected Stan, letting him have the final say. Only in private did she act tough with him.
The members of the Blood Gate Adventurers were all terrified of this sister-in-law. If anyone betrayed the group, Yinglan would personally handle the cleanup.
“What is it?”
Stan threw on a coat and habitually touched the scar on his face, a wound he had gotten before entering Reincarnation Paradise. It ran from under his eye down to his neck.
“The Water Country mission failed. It’s dead in the water.”
“Failed? Did the Akatsuki find out?”
Stan stood up. He feared someone in the Akatsuki—the monster who could take on Konoha alone.
“Impossible. We set up multiple layers of insurance. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have contacted the Akatsuki.”
Hearing Ghost Eye’s words, Stan nodded.
“Forget it if it failed. I was hoping to make a profit in the Water Country, but if it’s not in chaos, it’s worthless.”
Stan decided not to stay in the Fire Country. There were too many contractors here. Three large adventure groups were annoying each other, and no one had gained anything. He planned to pull out. As for Gulu, he had given up—she was too hard to find.
“Have you found out about the contractor who joined the Akatsuki?”
“No.”
Ghost Eye lowered his head.
“What about Zimo’s matter?”
“Still… still haven’t found out who did it.”
Cold sweat beaded on Ghost Eye’s forehead as a pressure descended on his shoulders.
Ghost Eye looked up in panic, his body trembling. Stan’s eyes had turned golden, shining like gold.
“Stan, calm down. Don’t kill your subordinate.”
Yinglan gently pushed Stan’s back.
“Ghost Eye, get out.”
“Yes, yes.”
Ghost Eye fled the tent, his expression strange.
“Calm down, Stan.”
“I am calm. Ying, go kill Ghost Eye.”
“Why…”
“Kill him.”
“Okay.”
Yinglan didn’t ask further. She stood and walked out of the tent, leaving Stan alone inside.
“Ghost Eye, I once said that no matter what others offer you, I’ll triple it. What did the God King give you to make you betray me so quietly?”
Crack! The space around Stan cracked, golden light faintly seeping through the fissures.
Stan, leader of the Blood Gate Adventurers, had once fought the second seat of the Traveling Group, tearing off two arms and one leg. He ruled the group with force, and in the group, his word was law—anyone who disobeyed died.
If the God King led with charisma, Stan was the opposite. He didn’t care what his subordinates thought; anyone who didn’t listen was killed.