Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 134 "Pearl"

"Lord Jinlun, the village of Gachar is ready to receive you."

"Very good, thank you for your hard work, Hagoromo."

More and more of the released children gathered in the center of the cellar. Ninjas emerging from the darkness patiently led the children from the cages to a handsome adult with white hair and golden eyes. He would stroke each child's head, heal their wounds, and gently soothe their anxieties.

"Report, this is the last batch."

"A total of thirty-seven children, which is barely enough for our manpower. We'll register their information once they're in a safe place. Hopefully, they'll still remember where their homes are." For such a major event, almost all available personnel from the intelligence department were mobilized, including, of course, the head of the intelligence department.

Jinlun nodded, looking at the group of children who had instinctively formed a circle around him, and said, "Don't be afraid, you're going to a safe place soon. You need to be good and tell the uncles and aunts there where you're from, so they can take you home."

Time was limited, so he couldn't say much. He used the little chakra he had just transferred to the children to send them to the temporary shelter. After the children left, a smile faded from his lips.

"After finding out where these children were sent, what do you plan to do? Uproot them completely?" Izuna asked casually.

Asking this question, knowing that this supply chain is connected to the government, is essentially asking whether or not to rebel. They don't yet know where the children will be transported, and if they encounter a nobleman, should they kill them too?

“Of course,” Jinlun replied. “Letting them die so easily would be too merciful. We must gather evidence and use every means to expose them to the world. We must let the people see their true colors and ruin their reputations! If the Land of Earth does not act, then we will judge the criminals according to our rules. They do not deserve to live in peace!”

"Remember, exercise restraint. We are the guardians of the people, not the swords of revenge."

While still in his previous body, he enjoyed attending underground auctions. The extravagant ornaments and antiques were never his target; he preferred to hunt for treasures among the children treated as commodities. He didn't care about their origins—perhaps genuine orphans, or perhaps manufactured orphans… What difference did it make once they were here? They were merely commodities, without the right to control their own destinies. Before he abducted Karin, he mostly relied on luck to buy children, but now, with the help of "Kagura's Mind's Eye," he could save the trouble of "screening" and directly acquire bloodlines with potential. Unfortunately, he only enjoyed the comfort of finding treasures without wasting money once before his health deteriorated rapidly, and he developed a strong rejection reaction.

He probably won't be able to attend this auction in person.

"Kabuto, take that child with you. Let him understand that the bloodline he's so proud of only adds a tiny bit to his value."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru had no interest in Konoha's gentle education; he preferred to expose the ugliest side of human nature. That child doesn't kill, does he? Then let him open his eyes to the world, experience the taste of being consumed by rage, and savor the flavor of blood, becoming a true avenger. Only by destroying that child's current state of mind could he seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and obtain the power he so desperately desired!

"I hate the desert."

The red-haired girl was no longer timid; she dared to speak her mind. She genuinely loathed this city known as the "Pearl of the Desert," because on her last visit, she hadn't experienced any desert atmosphere at all. They turned around and went straight into the auction house, facing something even more disgusting than the mess in Kusagakure. She even suspected it was Orochimaru's way of intimidating her, to make her understand that without Orochimaru, this was her only fate.

"Bear with it for now, after all, it's for Lord Orochimaru to select reserves." Kabuto smiled and comforted him while secretly observing his other teammate. At thirteen or fourteen, he was in the prime of his growth, and the black-haired boy had grown much taller, barely reaching Kabuto's shoulder. This kid had wrapped himself up like a dumpling, only his eyes showing, and he was taciturn and unusually difficult to get along with.

The three's entry into the city was processed quickly, since they had Orochimaru's identification. Kabuto, unlike Orochimaru, wasn't as perverse; after setting a meeting time, he let them do as they pleased. The children who went with Orochimaru weren't forced; he wasn't worried the two kids would run away.

Karin was somewhat interested in the shopping street, but after learning certain truths, she knew her small frame couldn't withstand the strain, so she avoided such places and instead stayed comfortably at the inn, ordering several dishes recommended by the restaurant owners. Sasuke was even less interested; he even disliked this journey that would slow down his training progress, and he didn't stop refining his chakra even after arriving at the inn. Kabuto went out to negotiate the auction, since they didn't just buy things each time they came, but also sold some to supplement their income.

Originally, the three of them were doing their own thing, keeping to themselves and not knowing each other at all. But Karin had to practice her sensory abilities for the "big event" tomorrow, and she was startled as soon as she formed a hand seal, turning around and rushing to Sasuke's room.

The fair-skinned boy opened the door after a while, his displeasure almost overflowing. Before he could even speak, Karin rushed into his room in great terror and curled up into a ball.

"I've been discovered!" Karin was trembling all over. "The other party also has sensory abilities, and they are extremely... extremely strong! They're right around here, and I was detected as soon as I sensed them!"

Sasuke was full of questions. After all, the only other sensory user he had ever encountered was Naruto, who was always calm and collected, and had never mentioned that his senses could be detected. Sasuke was already a very skilled ninja, and his first reaction was to check that the corridor was empty. After closing the door, he scanned the outside of the window with his Sharingan, but found nothing.

"How strong are you talking about when you say 'extremely strong'?" Naruto usually used chakra levels to classify an enemy's strength, and Sasuke couldn't understand such an abstract term. "Jonin? Or Kage-level chakra levels?"

Karin shook her head vigorously, "...Like the sun...Even Orochimaru-sama can't reach that level...It's terrifying, is this really a power that a human can possess..."

Stronger than Orochimaru?

A figure inexplicably flashed through Sasuke's mind; among all the people he knew, only that person possessed such a vast amount of chakra...

No, that's impossible. This is the Land of Earth; it's impossible for Konoha ninjas to be here.

"Sensitize again." Sasuke didn't know why he said that. Secretly sensing was an offense to any ninja, especially since Karin had been caught red-handed.

"Absolutely not! If he does it again, he'll be able to lock onto me!" Karin expressed her resistance with her whole body.

“According to what you said, the other party might be the guardian of this city, deliberately displaying his power. We might as well find out where he is and avoid him in advance. He won’t care about you.”