After Ryuzetsu left, Hidden Leaf's reconnaissance team immediately withdrew from Grass Village, retreating to a relatively safe distance.
That night.
The group refrained from lighting a campfire for warmth, instead hiding in a small grove, enduring the chill of the night.
Yakumo, with her Koryugan, kept a constant watch on their surroundings, her scrutinizing gaze alert for any potential threats.
In the grove, Tsunade and Kakashi exchanged hushed words.
Kakashi said, "The best-case scenario would be capturing an Akatsuki member and extracting intelligence about the organization from them."
Tsunade pondered for a moment before responding, "Based on the intelligence we've gathered, the Akatsuki has between fifteen and twenty-five members, nearly all of whom possess elite jonin-level strength. Some even reach the level of the Five Kage. No matter how cautious we are when dealing with this group, it's not excessive. So, for this mission, we'd better avoid reckless actions and focus on completing the reconnaissance task."
"Understood," Kakashi nodded.
Though he vaguely sensed that the Akatsuki's internal structure must have issues and that not all members who had appeared could be treated as a unified whole, he couldn't afford to be wrong.
Thus, he didn't press further and instead agreed with Tsunade's more prudent strategy.
At that moment, Shizune approached hurriedly and whispered, "Lady Tsunade, we just received a message from the village. The Hokage has sent invitations to the other four Kage, and a joint force is being rapidly assembled. We've been instructed not to act rashly and to prioritize gathering intelligence."
Tsunade nodded. "Reply to the village that we'll strictly adhere to the mission requirements."
Leaning against a large tree nearby, Shinji observed silently.
In this team, he had no authority to speak and was seen as someone the Advisory Council had forced in to pad his resume and earn merits.
Thus, he wisely kept quiet, listening intently to the intelligence being shared and refraining from offering opinions lightly.
"Someone's approaching!"
Suddenly, Yakumo, stationed in the treetops for lookout, issued a warning.
In an instant, the Hidden Leaf shinobi in the grove went on high alert, Shinji included.
Moments later, two figures approached the grove under the cover of darkness. Leading the way was none other than Ryuzetsu, who had returned to Grass Village earlier that day. Following her was a figure wearing an animal mask and a lavish robe.
Upon meeting, the masked figure introduced themselves. "Greetings, Hidden Leaf shinobi. I am Ichiro Hirayama!"
'Ichiro Hirayama' was the name signed on the top-secret scroll.
Undoubtedly, the person Ryuzetsu had brought was the elder of the "Flower of Grass" faction who had sent the plea for help to Hidden Leaf.
Tsunade remained vigilant. She had Ichiro Hirayama write a few characters, which she compared to the handwriting on the top-secret scroll. Only after confirming their authenticity did she speak. "I'm Tsunade, the leader of this reconnaissance team."
Ichiro Hirayama, having naturally heard of Tsunade's reputation, immediately said, "I never expected one of Hidden Leaf's 'Sannin' to come in person. On behalf of Grass Village, I extend our highest gratitude to Hidden Leaf!"
Clearly, he assumed Hidden Leaf's swift response, including sending a powerhouse like one of the Sannin, was in return for his betrayal of all Grass Village spies embedded in Hidden Leaf.
Tsunade said calmly, "Tell us about the situation. What exactly is happening in your village?"
Ichiro Hirayama, naturally, wouldn't mention the spies at their first meeting, as it was hardly a glorious topic. Instead, he detailed the anomalies of the "Fruit of Grass" faction and the mass disappearances of people within the Land of Grass to Tsunade and the others.
Meanwhile, as the Grass Village elder met with Tsunade, Ryuzetsu approached Shinji and bowed deeply. "Shinji, thank you so much this time. You're a benefactor to our Grass Village!"
"No need to thank me! If anything, I should be thanking you. You gave me the chance to participate in such a high-level mission!"
As Shinji spoke, his gaze gradually shifted past Ryuzetsu, toward Grass Village.
He truly had reason to thank her, for through his "Lampbearer" senses, he had detected the polluted aura emanating from Grass Village, leaving him with no doubts about the ghosts' infiltration.
Nearby, after listening to Ichiro Hirayama's account, Tsunade and Kakashi exchanged a glance.
From his description, the "Fruit of Grass" faction in Grass Village was indeed highly suspicious, but the situation seemed better than they had feared. At the very least, the "Flower of Grass" faction hadn't been completely eradicated and still maintained considerable control over Grass Village.
Ichiro Hirayama added, "The key lies with the 'Box of Ultimate Bliss.' I suspect the mass disappearances are tied to the 'Fruit of Grass' faction's attempt to prematurely open the 'Box of Ultimate Bliss.' They've all gone mad!"
"Box of Ultimate Bliss…"
Tsunade's brows furrowed slightly. Hidden Leaf wasn't entirely ignorant about the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
In fact, the shinobi world was home to many such "hidden dangers"!
Examples included the "Sprite," previously sealed in the Land of Demons and later released by the Akatsuki, and the "Dragon Vein," sealed by the Fourth Hokage in the ruins of Roran. These were all highly unpredictable threats capable of reshaping the shinobi world's balance.
However, these dangers were often ancient, with much of their related information lost, and most remained sealed. Unless something went wrong, the five great shinobi villages preferred not to meddle with such troublesome matters.
The Land of Grass's "Box of Ultimate Bliss" was one such danger!
Thus, upon learning that the Akatsuki might be targeting the Box of Ultimate Bliss, Tsunade felt uneasy.
The Akatsuki was already a headache on its own. If they got involved with something like the Box of Ultimate Bliss—a terrifying weapon with clear historical records—the upcoming operation to suppress the Akatsuki could face significant complications.
Realizing this, Tsunade said to Ichiro Hirayama, "The main force is still assembling. I hope your 'Flower of Grass' faction can provide more intelligence to assist us in eliminating the Akatsuki!"
Ichiro Hirayama immediately assured her, "Rest assured, our 'Flower of Grass' will fully cooperate with you!"
In the underground chambers of Grass Village…
Muku, with a lifeless expression, stared blankly at the "Box of Ultimate Bliss" before him.
Beside him stood Kokushibo, the "Upper Rank Two," dressed in a samurai's haori, alongside several elders of the "Fruit of Grass" faction.
One of the elders reported to Kokushibo, "The plan is proceeding smoothly. As you predicted, Muku is an ideal candidate for bearing the power of the Blood Demon Art. He has now consumed ample blood, and the chakra within him is incredibly abundant—surpassing even that of a Jinchuriki!"
Kokushibo nodded. "Then begin. Let me witness the true form of your Land of Grass's war weapon!"