As the sun sank beyond the horizon, Shawn stepped out of the Land of Fire and entered the Land of Waterfall.
This country was a natural basin, surrounded by mountains on all sides—easy to defend, difficult to assault.
The terrain of Takigakure itself was the same.
A great basin enclosing a smaller one, with the village ringed by cascading waterfalls.
Infiltrating such a place silently was far more difficult than it looked.
Shawn did not immediately move to assassinate the Takigakure minister.
Instead, he traveled through the night and arrived near Takigakure at around eight in the evening.
Within a forest clearing, he sat down to rest.
Once his stamina recovered to peak condition, he split off six clones to continue training.
After swallowing several soldier pills, Shawn climbed to the mountain ridge, gazing down at Takigakure from afar as scattered lights dotted the darkness.
However, his knowledge of Takigakure was still minimal, so he did not rashly infiltrate the village.
After observing for a while, Shawn chose a spot and lay in wait.
Unknowingly, dawn arrived.
At around ten in the morning, Shawn locked onto a Takigakure ninja squad.
He followed them in silence. Only after they had moved some distance away from the village did Shawn split off Wood Release clones and launch his ambush.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
Shawn and three clones attacked simultaneously from four directions.
Howling winds collided, violent air currents surging together, instantly throwing the Takigakure ninja into chaos and disrupting their footing.
Immediately afterward—
Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!
Shawn raised his hand. Thick vines burst forth from his palm, surging like a massive python opening its jaws as they swept toward the four Takigakure ninja.
"Watch out!"
The squad leader shouted, swinging his blade wildly as wood chips flew.
But his slashing speed was far slower than the vines' growth.
Forced to retreat again and again—
Suddenly, another vine erupted from the ground behind him, wrapping around his legs and yanking hard. He crashed down, instantly bound by layers of wooden restraints, completely immobilized.
Wood Release: Adamantine Wooden Restraints!
Not only the squad leader—
The other three were swiftly captured by Shawn's clones as well.
Next came interrogation.
Since Shawn was not proficient in genjutsu, he resorted to more traditional questioning methods.
Naturally, the techniques were… somewhat rough.
Unwilling to watch, Shawn left the entire process to his clones.
Half an hour later, the clones dispersed, returning with a flood of information.
Including:
A rough map of Takigakure
Profiles of Takigakure's leader and several jōnin
Unfortunately, the most important information—
The Earth Grudge Fear Technique (Jiongu)—
Was completely absent.
These four chūnin simply did not have clearance for such secrets.
After a moment's thought, Shawn decided to infiltrate Takigakure itself.
Judging by how Konoha handled classified techniques, a secret like Jiongu would either be kept in the village leader's office—or somewhere immediately adjacent for close guarding.
According to the prisoners, Takigakure did not have a centralized archive like Konoha.
Which made the leader's office the most likely location.
Entering Takigakure openly proved easy.
Shawn casually posed as a mission client and passed through the gates without difficulty.
He even posted an actual mission in Takigakure.
Because—just like Konoha—missions were issued at the village's core structure:
The Takigakure Leader's Office Building, equivalent to Konoha's Hokage Tower.
Additionally, the fewer jōnin present in the village, the safer his operation would be.
Spending a little money for that advantage was nothing.
Most of it had come from those four Takigakure ninja anyway.
After issuing the mission, Shawn found a secluded spot and waited, training quietly.
It had to be said—
Three Hearts, Two Minds, combined with clone training, was terrifyingly efficient.
The only regret was chakra quantity.
Shawn couldn't create dozens or hundreds of clones like Naruto.
Nor had he mastered the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique.
Night fell.
Shawn arrived outside the Takigakure Leader's Office Building.
Only a few lights remained lit inside.
"When I get back, I really need to check whether I have any sensory talent," Shawn thought.
"No sensing ability means far too little sense of security."
Previously, during team operations, reconnaissance had always been handled by Aburame Feiichi.
Aburame clan shinobi made excellent sensory types.
Inuzuka Ryo could track as well, though his strengths lay elsewhere.
After observing for a moment—
Shawn's figure left a faint afterimage under the moonlight as he silently infiltrated the building.
Most of the structure was made of wood—
An ideal environment for him.
Though he lacked White Zetsu's ability to travel freely underground, Shawn could merge his body into wood, using it to conceal himself.
Takigakure guards were present, but Wood Release allowed Shawn to bypass them with ease.
After nearly half an hour of searching, Shawn finally located the records room.
Switching on a small flashlight, he began carefully searching for records related to Earth Grudge Fear.
"…Hm?"
"…It's not here?"
Shawn frowned.
Was it stored elsewhere?
Or had there only ever been a single copy—taken by Kakuzu, leaving nothing behind?
As the thought crossed his mind—
Movement behind him.
Shawn spun around just as a flash bomb was thrown in.
There were alarm seals on the records!
His mind reacted instantly. Shawn shut his eyes as his body sank into the wooden floor.
Bang!
The flash bomb detonated, turning the dark room into blinding white.
Shadows rushed in—only to find the room empty.
"He got away!"
"After him!"
Voices rang out as figures streaked past under the lights.
Once outside the building, Shawn sprinted toward the village exit at full speed.
Behind him, pursuers converged from multiple directions.
"Stop him!"
Shouts echoed.
Ahead, Takigakure ninja leaped onto rooftops to intercept.
Shawn narrowed his eyes, drew his blade, and slashed forward in one smooth motion—
Three compressed vacuum blades screamed through the air.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Buildings collapsed as dust and debris exploded outward.
Metal rang sharply as Shawn burst through the smoke, leaving two wounded Takigakure ninja buried in the ruins.
Moments later, he reached the village gate.
A massive waterfall thundered downward.
Gate guards stood ready. Upon seeing Shawn, two Takigakure ninja rapidly completed hand seals.
Behind them, the waterfall surged unnaturally, transformed into a roaring river that rolled toward Shawn.
Shawn halted.
Chakra gathered rapidly in his right palm, forming a Rasengan.
Then—
The Rasengan suddenly expanded.
A piercing, high-pitched whine filled the air as rapidly spinning blades emerged.
Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!
Holding the incomplete Rasenshuriken, Shawn charged straight at the oncoming torrent.
At the moment of impact, he raised his hand and pressed the Rasenshuriken forward.
BOOOOOOM!
The sphere of light exploded outward.
The charging river was shredded and forced backward.
The two Takigakure ninja controlling the technique were instantly swallowed by the reversed current, and even the waterfall behind them was torn apart.
Further back, the pursuing ninja were engulfed by the terrifying storm, unable to maintain their footing.
At the center of the explosion—
Shawn's body woodened, then shattered into countless splinters.
A Wood Release clone.
An imperfect Rasenshuriken.
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