From the status panel, it was clear that his total chakra had surpassed the SSS tier, reag SSS+.

  An SSS-level amount of chakra was already on par with most of the Tailed Beasts. SSS+ meant he now had reserves parable to the Eight-Tails or ails. Still, SSS+ was not the system’s upper limit; he could tinue growing his chakra pool.

  Previously, even though he had Tailed Beast–level chakra and physical strength, he had a gring weakness: his ninjutsu development wasn’t very advahat problem had now been resolved quite nicely.

  After half a month of nonstop mission-grinding, most of his ninjutsu had reached A-rank. Moreover, he had raised the development level of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to A-rank, unlog most of its skills. The pranted by the fruit signifitly bolstered and plemented his ninjutsu.

  All of this only made Uzumaki Senshi thirst even more to grind missions aronger. As he stood there pounding on Kakuzu’s door, he thought to himself:

  “Let’s set a small goal—step into the Ten-Tails’ league as soon as possible! At least start reag Ten-Tails-level standards in chakra reserves, physical strength, and the power of my ninjutsu.”

  When Kakuzu did missions, he really focused on the job at hand. When Senshi did missions, he was like a student cramming practice tests, going crazy with the “grind.” As a result, while Kakuzu was worn out in both body and mind, Senshi felt it was barely even a start—how could this ‘Little Kaku’ be worn out already?

  At that moment, a man with pale skin, shoulder-length bck hair, and strangely bewitg eyes arrived at the pce where Senshi’s group was staying:

  Orochimaru—someone who could be sidered an old acquaintance of Senshi’s.

  Orochimaru always had a strong sense of purpose and pns. Another ninja might just be passing by, but if he showed up, there had to be a reason.

  Seeing Orochimaru, Senshi asked nontly, “What are you doing here?”

  For most ninja, Orochimaru was a dangerous individual. For Orochimaru, Uzumaki Senshi robably even more so. Flig out his long, narrow toh a sinister air, Orochimaru said:

  “I’ve e to discuss a business deal with you.”

  The sed Senshi heard those words, he ged his expression in a heartbeat—dropping his earlier indifference for a bright, enthusiastic smile.

  “O Snake Bro! You’re like my own brot any tough problems you need my help with?”

  At that sudden shift in attitude, Orochimaru’s eyelids twitched. Moments ago, Senshi had regarded him as a stranger, and now he acted all familiar.

  Orochimaru shook his head at Senshi’s question. “No ission. I’m here to buy her.” He raised his hand and poio Karin, who had appeared behind Senshi at some point.

  Karin, who had e out of her room when she heard noises, froze in panic. Lying in bed one minute, and now trouble had found her. Orochimaru was here to purchase her?

  She grew nervous because, after traveling with Senshi and Kakuzu and seeing Senshi’s ways, she knew money came before almost anything for him. She worried he might agree to Orochimaru’s proposal. Over the past weeks, she’d realized she couldn’t leave Senshi—she didn’t want to leave him.

  But Karin didn’t yet know her worries were groundless. Senshi wasn’t frantically doing missions for money—he wahe system rewards that made him stronger.

  Sure enough, when Senshi realized Orochimaru’s iio on a textbook-worthy dispy of ging faces again. Rolling his eyes, he turned away from Orochimaru, not even b to look at him.

  “Not ied.”

  He’d thought Orochimaru was bringing him a ission, but the guy just wao buy his little “mascot.” Although Karin hadn’t matured fully yet, she could still use Kagura’s Mio s the surroundings. She retty handy assistant. Besides, doing missions with Kakuzu—an old guy nearing a tury in age—could be a bit dull. Trying to talk about current news or iing tidbits would iably reveal a geion gap. Having a little girl around added a bit of fun. Why would he sell her?

  Even though Senshi refused ht, Orochimaru didn’t leave immediately. It seemed he still had further pns. He briefly sidered just taking Karin by force. But upon sensing that subtly dangerous glint in Orochimaru’s eyes, Senshi showed a smile.

  Siaining the Naruto-adapted Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he hadn’t met any oppo woing all-out against. Orochimaru, being one of the Legendary Sannin, was certainly formidable. But ahought suddenly crossed Senshi’s mind: he remembered how the first “long-term ission” he had taken had yielded insanely good rewards. The memory left him wanting more. Could he possibly lure Orochimaru into giving him a simir long-term job?

  As Orochimaru was about to lose patiend strike, Senshi held up a hand:

  “Wait!”

  Orochimaru paused, Karin got even more nervous. She looked at Senshi with anxious eyes and whispered, “Are…are you really going to sell me?” Tiny tears glistened in her red eyes.

  Seeing her pitiful face, Senshi found it amusing. He couldn’t resist flig her on the forehead.

  “What’re you even thinking? How could I possibly sell you?”

  Karin rexed a little, feeling a warm glow in her heart. Yet, recalling how Senshi usually did things, she couldn’t help but add timidly, “But…what if he offers more money…?”

  Senshi froze, thought about it seriously, then said with equal seriousness, “Well, my principles and bottom line are always…flexible, but this time it’s noiable.”

  If it were any other matter, sure, add money and they could talk. But selling Karin? That profited him nothing. He already had more mohan he knew what to do with.

  Realizing he wouldn’t budge, Orochimaru sidered—then dropped the idea of seizing Karin on the spot. While Senshi’s transformation when he ed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, he’d seen how powerful the young man had bee. Forcibly taking a subject from him might be more trouble than it was worth. It’d be better to hire him to capture other test subjects instead.

  With that, Orochimaru smiled chillingly. “In that case, why not accept a ission from me to capture children from other ninja vilges—kids with Kekkei Genkai? I’ll pay you 200,000 ryō for each suitable target.”

  In Orochimaru’s mind, given how greedy Senshi seemed, there was no way he would refuse.

  [Long-term issioed!]

  [t: Orochimaru]

  [Objective: Orochimaru hires you to capture children with Kekkei Genka

  [Reward: 200,000 ryō per child]

  [Mission Rank: B]

  [Mission Bonus: 200 ission Points per child]

  Seeing the system prompt, Senshi was a bit taken aback. Orochimaru really was a fortune. But kids snatched that way would certainly face a grim fate.

  “That is a mighty tempting offer. But I refuse!”

  “I’m not about to do something that depraved.”

  He left it at that, not wanting to speak further for fear that he might actally say “Add more money.” Even so, no amount of money would entice him on a mission like that.

  Orochimaru’s eyes lingered on Senshi. After a moment’s hesitatiourned away without a fight.

  Swish—

  He had just turned when, with a fsh of Body Flicker, Senshi appeared behind him. Orochimaru smirked slightly. “Something else?”

  Senshi nodded solemnly, then unched into a self-promoting spiel. “Lord Orochimaru, since you’re so ied i subjects, what about me? Strictly speaking, I’m perfectly suited to be one of your experiments.”

  Orochimaru: “…”

  Did he look like an idiot to be told something like that? Or was Senshi’s mind truly abnormal? You really couldn’t apply on logic to this ninja.

  Unfazed, Senshi went on, “I’m also a desdant of the Uzumaki , my body is quite special, and I possess a certain degree eive and healing ability. I’d think I have a lot of research value, no?”

  At that, a wicked grin tugged at Orochimaru’s lips. pared to analyzing those physical traits, he was now more intrigued by the uwisted way Senshi thought. In the shinobi world, plenty of people had bizarre mis, but seeing that plus extraordinary power—Orochimaru had only entered two such cases: this Uzumaki Senshi and his loathsome old teammate, Jiraiya.

  As Senshi tried to pitch himself as Orochimaru’s test subject, Karin could do nothing but cover her face—she was too embarrassed to watch.