"Your bounty is quite high," Daniel chuckled, ruffling Sasuke's hair after hearing the information Zabuza had gathered from the black market.
Sasuke scowled and swatted Daniel's hand away, causing Karin to giggle softly. Since joining the group, Karin had initially been cautious and withdrawn, a habit she developed during her time in Grass Village. But after spending time with Daniel and the others, she started to feel more comfortable and opened up.
For a mere Genin, Sasuke's bounty was abnormally high, but that was because of his Uchiha lineage and, more importantly, his Sharingan. Like in the world of One Piece, the Naruto world had bounty hunters who specifically targeted high-value individuals. Kakuzu, for example, was a bounty hunter even before joining the Akatsuki, and even after joining, it remained his primary occupation.
However, the five million bounty didn't truly represent Sasuke's full value. As the last surviving Uchiha, capturing him and selling him to a rival village could fetch an even higher price. Of course, doing so required one to have the power to protect themselves from being double-crossed, as black market dealings often ended with the seller being betrayed.
Unlike in One Piece, where the Marines typically paid bounties fairly, the Naruto world was different. Samurais despised ninjas for their low moral standards, and even now, that disdain persisted. Ninjas were often underhanded, and rules were rarely followed, especially in smaller countries where there was no law enforcement to keep them in check.
The Uchiha clan had once overseen Konoha's police force, and while they were often viewed as arrogant, they also maintained order in the village. The fact that so many clans within Konoha disliked the Uchiha showed just how effective their policing had been.
"This bounty exchange system is fascinating. Was it created by the higher-ups of the Five Great Nations?" Daniel had learned more about the bounty exchange system through Zabuza, who had frequently used it during his time as a rogue ninja. Zabuza, like many other rogue ninjas, often turned in the bodies of bounty targets for money.
Zabuza didn't know who ran the exchange system, but based on the people listed as bounty targets—including high-profile figures like Asuma Sarutobi, Chiriku from the Fire Temple, and even Kakashi—Daniel suspected the system was backed by the higher-ups of the Five Great Nations.
After all, the individuals listed weren't limited to one village. Ninjas from all five villages appeared on the bounty boards. Knowing which targets were valuable was crucial for rogue ninjas like Zabuza, allowing them to prioritize their hunts effectively.
Even Zabuza and Kakuzu themselves had bounties in the exchange system.
The exchange system operated as a neutral entity, not caring who brought in the bounties or whether the targets were themselves listed. It was a simple transaction: hand over the body, receive the money, and no questions asked.
Daniel believed the system was likely created to control the strength of the ninja villages. After all, only someone with immense resources—like the Five Great Nations—could offer bounties as high as 35 million for someone like Asuma.
For comparison, an S-rank mission might only pay in the millions, making the bounty on Asuma worth several dozen high-level missions. This level of wealth wasn't something an ordinary organization could afford.
The Five Great Villages tolerated the existence of the bounty exchange because it was useful for them as well. They could use it to place bounties on enemies while keeping their hands clean.
"I guess not even the Akatsuki have fully broken free from the limits of being ninjas," Daniel mused, scoffing at the thought of the system. In his eyes, no organization was truly invincible. Even an organization as powerful as HYDRA had been reduced to a shadow of its former self. Compared to HYDRA, the bounty exchange was nothing.
Daniel had once thought it strange that someone like Kakuzu, with his immense power, would bother going to the exchange to collect bounties. Why not just rob the place? But that was the limitation of ninjas—no matter how strong they were, they still operated within the confines of the system, taking on missions and accepting payment like mercenaries.
"No one ever thinks to become the one who creates the rules?" In the world of Naruto, countless powerful figures had risen—Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, even Orochimaru with his scientific genius—but none of them ever considered breaking free from the established system. The daimyos of the Five Great Nations maintained control over the villages because they were the rule-makers.
In fact, there were instances in history where daimyos could decide the fate of entire ninja clans. Take the Ketsuryugan clan, for example. The daimyo of the Land of Lightning had hired the Uchiha clan to exile them to the Valley of Hell, resulting in their near extinction, similar to the fate of the Uchiha themselves.
"Got it?" Daniel asked as he sat across from Sasuke, drawing diagrams in the dirt during one of their rest breaks.
"Yeah, it's simple. Ninjas can't just keep taking missions and living by the rules set by others. They need to break free from that framework and become the ones who make the rules," Sasuke replied confidently.
"Good. That's enough for today's lesson. Take a break," Daniel said, satisfied with Sasuke's response.
Along their journey, Daniel not only trained Sasuke physically but also educated him about the history and politics of the ninja world. He explained the flaws of the Five Great Nations, the reasons behind the Uchiha massacre, and how the world's systems of power and economics functioned.
Sasuke was a quick learner and had a natural talent for grasping complex ideas.
"Let's see if Naruto can still talk no jutsu his way through this," Daniel thought, smiling to himself as he watched Sasuke head off for physical training.
In the original story, Sasuke had been swayed by Naruto's ideals because he was uncertain about his own path. Even Uchiha Madara had chosen the path of Infinite Tsukuyomi, despite knowing its flaws. Why? Because achieving true understanding between people was impossible in reality. Infinite Tsukuyomi offered a world where everyone's dreams could coexist, even if it was just an illusion.
When Daniel returned to where Zabuza, Haku, and Karin were resting, he saw Zabuza sitting on a tree branch, while Haku was patiently teaching Karin basic ninja techniques.
Karin could extract chakra, but that was the extent of her abilities. She couldn't perform even the most basic ninja skills like walking on trees or water. She hadn't learned the Three Basic Jutsu—transformation, substitution, and clone techniques—which, in Daniel's opinion, were essentially godlike abilities in the ninja world.
But in the Naruto world, the Three Basic Jutsu were taught to every child in the ninja academies of the Five Great Villages.
"Let's get moving," Zabuza said as he jumped down from the tree. The group continued on their journey. Daniel didn't share his teachings with Zabuza or the others. Sasuke, being young and adaptable, could absorb these advanced ideas, but Zabuza's personality was already set. His loyalty to the Mist Village, and his failed coup, showed that he was still trapped within the traditional ninja mindset.
Zabuza, like Kakashi, acted primarily for his village.
In the Land of Rivers, atop a mountain overlooking a distant town, a cloaked figure in a black robe with red clouds stood motionless, gazing at the horizon. His face was hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat, but the pale, flawless right hand visible at his side bore a ring with the kanji for "vermilion." He was none other than Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi had been standing there for quite some time when footsteps approached from behind. He didn't move or react, remaining silent.
The newcomer wore a matching black cloak with red clouds and had a ring on his left hand inscribed with the kanji for "south." He was none other than Kisame Hoshigaki.
"You're late. Did something happen?" Itachi asked calmly as Kisame came to stand beside him.
"Sorry, I heard some interesting news," Kisame replied with a grin.
"Oh? What kind of news?"
"I thought you were the last of the Uchiha clan, but it turns out there's another survivor in Konoha."
Itachi's heart skipped a beat at Kisame's words, though his expression remained unchanged. He had long trained himself to suppress his emotions.
"Konoha has issued a wanted notice for a rogue ninja named Uchiha Sasuke. Who is he?" Kisame asked, curiosity in his tone.
"He's my younger brother," Itachi answered without hesitation. He had no reason to hide the truth.
"Your brother, huh? He must be quite the ninja if he's causing Konoha so much trouble," Kisame remarked, a hint of admiration in his voice. For Konoha to be so publicly concerned over a mere Genin defector seemed over the top.
Before Itachi could respond, a voice echoed in his mind.
"Meeting time."
The same voice reached Kisame as well, and both of them fell silent. In the blink of an eye, the two Akatsuki members vanished from the mountaintop and reappeared in a hidden cave. They took their seats along the cave wall, joining the other holographic projections of the Akatsuki members.
"Report on the status of your missions,"
the leader's deep voice commanded.
"Can I change partners? Every mission with him is a pain. He stinks like death," Hidan complained.
"Hidan, shut up before I kill you," Kakuzu growled.
"Enough," the leader barked, silencing them both.
One by one, the Akatsuki members reported on their completed missions, the room growing quieter with each report.
"Zetsu, anything worth noting?" the leader asked after the reports were finished.
"Nothing significant from the Five Great Nations. The only notable event is Konoha's wanted notice for Uchiha Sasuke," Zetsu's dual voice reported.
"This is worth investigating. Itachi, Kisame, you're closest to Konoha. Handle this," the leader ordered.
"No problem," Kisame replied with a smirk.
Back in the forest, Zabuza's deep voice echoed through the bamboo grove as he activated his Hidden Mist Jutsu, filling the area with a dense fog. Within moments, the sounds of dying screams rang out as his Silent Killing Technique claimed its victims.
As an S-rank rogue ninja, Zabuza's skills were nothing to scoff at. His Silent Killing Technique was near unbeatable unless the enemy had a way to track him. Only a few, like Kakashi, could stand against him in the mist.
So far, along their journey, Daniel hadn't needed to intervene, as Zabuza and Haku had easily handled all their enemies.
"Another squad of bounty hunters, huh? This makes the fourth one already. It looks like Konoha's using them to wear us down," Zabuza growled, exhausted but victorious. He had taken a few hits and was bleeding in places, but his strength remained formidable.
"So that's why Konoha made such a big deal about Sasuke's defection," Daniel mused. Initially, he had found it odd that Konoha was making such a public spectacle over Sasuke. Now, it made sense.
They had been attacked by multiple waves of bandits and bounty hunters, but now it seemed that rogue ninjas had joined the fray. The bounty on Sasuke was serving as bait, drawing in enemies to weaken their group.
"I sense more enemies approaching," Karin warned suddenly.
Before anyone could react, a dozen figures appeared from all directions. Their speed and precision far surpassed that of the previous attackers.
"The ANBU have finally shown themselves," Daniel remarked, eyeing the masked ninjas. The white animal masks and the way they moved in unison left no doubt—they were from Konoha's elite assassination squad.
In an instant, the ANBU launched their attack. The sky darkened as a hail of kunai, shuriken, and senbon rained down on Daniel's group, so densely packed that evasion seemed impossible.
"Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness!" Haku swiftly formed hand signs, creating a protective dome of ice around the group.
Despite the ANBU's barrage, Haku's ice shield held firm, even with the explosive tags mixed into the assault. However, the strain was evident, as Haku's chakra reserves were nearly depleted.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!" As soon as the barrage ended, shadows from multiple ANBU members shot out, racing toward Daniel and his group, aiming to bind them in place.
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