Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 188 The End of a Sacrificed Pawn, A Tool Called "Insect"

Hokage Building, Advisor's Office.

Mitomon sat behind the table, holding a thick file in his hand.

Those were all the surveillance reports Ryoma had submitted over the past two years regarding Sousuke Takaya.

"Ryoma, you've arrived."

Mitokado Yan did not look up, and her voice remained flat.

"My esteemed advisor."

Longma stood upright.

"Ryoma".

Mitomon Yan opened the file, his tone indifferent.

"How long have you been by Takaya Sousuke's side?"

"Two years and one month, Advisor."

"It's been over two years —"

Mitokado Yan sighed.

"I've read this report many times."

"This record documented Takaya Sousuke's daily activities—Today, Takaya Sousuke inspected the factory, Takaya Sousuke met with the Uchiha clan, and Takaya Sousuke developed a new flavor of dessert—"

"Very detailed. Extremely detailed."

Mitokado Yan raised his head, his eyes suddenly becoming sharp.

"But, Ryoma."

Why can't I see what I want to see?

The dragon horse lowered its head.

"My subordinates have recorded all the facts they witnessed."

"fact?"

Mitokado En slammed his hand on the table, his voice turning stern.

"It's all just a chronological account! It's all superficial!"

"That's not what I want!"

"What I want to know is, what secret agreement did he reach with the Uchiha clan? What are he and Orochimaru doing underground? Who is his plan in the Land of Rain aimed at? And what's the truth behind the Hyuga branch family's physical mutation!"

"Your report doesn't contain a single word about this crucial intelligence."

"You've been following him for so long, even living in his house, and all you've brought back are these pieces of waste paper?"

Ryoma fell silent.

He really didn't know.

Sosuke treated him very politely, even to the point of trusting him. He put him in charge of the accounts and security.

However, Sousuke never allowed him to participate in truly core secrets, such as the underground laboratory or his private conversations with Orochimaru.

"My esteemed advisor."

"Jōnin Takaya is extremely cautious. He conducts his core business secrets and technological research in underground laboratories, which are equipped with high-strength barriers and insect-repelling spells. My insects can't get in."

"Moreover, he never discussed anything that could harm the village in front of his subordinates."

"Can't get in?"

Mitokado En stared at Ryoma's sunglasses.

"You are an elite of the Aburame clan. Your insects can even infiltrate the secret chambers of Iwagakure, yet they can't get into a merchant's basement?"

Or perhaps—

Mitokado Yan's voice turned cold.

"You don't want to go in?"

"The Takaya Trading Company treats you very well, doesn't it? I heard they even specially purchased a secret honey from the Land of Earth for you?"

Words that strike at the heart.

But Longma did not defend himself.

Because he did accept Sosuke's gift. And he couldn't deny that at certain moments, he did develop a sense of identification with that man.

Even just as a bystander, watching that man pull the unfortunate people out of the mire, watching those low-ranking ninjas who were destined to die return alive.

For those who monitor, this sense of identification is a dereliction of duty.

"Your subordinate is incompetent."

Longma lowered his head.

"You are not incompetent."

Mitokado Homura stood up, walked up to Ryoma, and looked down at him.

"You've wavered."

"Hand over the quest scroll. You don't need to go back."

"Takaya Sousuke's current position is sensitive. The village cannot remove the surveillance, but it also cannot use a soft-hearted surveillance officer."

"Your mission is over. Someone else will take your place."

As for you—

Mitokado Yan produced a transfer order.

"Report to the reconnaissance department. Going to the front lines to gather intelligence might be more suitable for you."

Longma accepted the transfer order.

Although I feel a little disappointed, this may also be a relief.

No more struggling between loyalty and conscience.

"Yes. I'll take my leave."

Longma handed over the mission scroll and turned to walk towards the door.

He thought that maybe in the future he could visit Kikyo-kan as an ordinary friend, have a cup of tea, and see Yugao and Chiba.

However, a hoarse, gloomy voice rang out.

"Wait a minute."

Longma turned his head stiffly.

He saw an old man whose face was half wrapped in bandages.

Danzo Shimura.

"Yan, you're too kind."

Danzo emerged from the shadows, leaning on his cane.

"How can you casually put a ninja who knows too many secrets but lacks willpower into such an important position as the reconnaissance department?"

"What if he's been bribed by Sousuke Takaya and instead leaks the village's secrets?"

Mitokado frowned.

"Danzo, what do you want? This is someone from my administration department."

"I'm taking him with me."

Danzo approached Ryuma.

"The Roots lost several skilled men in the previous operation, and now is the time when they need more manpower."

"The secret arts of the Aburame clan are very useful for torture and tracking. Hand him over to me. I will make him pure again."

o

Longma took a step back.

The root is a hell that obliterates humanity. Once inside, he is no longer Aburame Ryoma, but merely a code name.

"I'm not going."

Longma disobeyed orders for the first time.

"I am a ninja directly under the Hokage, not a tool of Root."

"That's not up to you."

Danzo slammed his cane to the ground.

"The Seal of Self-Karma's Binding!"

The black runes spread like snakes in an instant, climbing up Longma's legs.

Ryoma tried to form hand seals to resist, but found that his chakra instantly froze, and the parasitic insects inside him could not be mobilized.

"you----"

Ryoma's eyes widened, and his body stiffened as he collapsed.

Danzo walked up to him and looked down at him.

"Your talent is considerable. It's a pity you're too soft-hearted."

"9

"At the root, the heart is the least needed thing."

"take away."

Two Root ninjas appeared like ghosts and lifted up the immobilized Ryuma.

Mitomon Homura watched this scene, opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he remained silent. Sacrificing the freedom of a Chunin for the sake of the village was permissible.

That's politics.

Ryoma was dragged into the dark corridor.

At that moment, what flashed through his mind was neither the glory of his family nor the creed of a ninja.

It was breakfast that I hadn't had time to eat this morning.

And the smile on the man's face when he handed him the honey.

This is for you.

"sorry----"

He silently recited it in his heart.

"I can't go back."

97

Deep underground in the Leaf Village. Root base.

A secluded room.

Ryoma was strapped to a specially made torture chair. His body was covered with tubes, which were instruments used to monitor chakra fluctuations and physiological signs.

-

His eyes were empty.

"Let's begin."

Danzo stood outside the glass wall and coldly gave the order.

Beside him was a member of the root of a mountain tribe, who was specifically responsible for reading memories.

"Yes."

The ninja from the Yamanaka clan placed his hand on Ryoma's forehead.

"Ninja Technique: Mind Reading Technique"

Longma's body began to convulse violently.

His memories were forcibly accessed.

The images flashed by one after another.

Morning at the Kikyō-kan Pavilion —

Sosuke was processing documents in his study.

The commotion at the Uchiha factory—and that birthday dinner, the amber he gave to Yugao.

"Lord Danzo."

Half an hour later, the ninja from the Yamanaka clan withdrew his hand, covered in sweat.

"What was the result?"

"no."

The ninja shook his head.

"In his memory, Takaya Sousuke was just a businessman with a little ambition. Besides making money, he also focused on cultivating good interpersonal relationships."

"There's absolutely no information about any forbidden experiments or conspiracies targeting the village. Ryoma has never even been inside that underground laboratory."

Danzo frowned.

"What a cunning fox."

Danzo snorted coldly.

This proves two things.

First, Takaya Sousuke's counter-espionage work was watertight. He assigned everyone to specific compartments, never allowing them access to core secrets.

Secondly, Ryoma Aburame was indeed a useless person. He stayed for two years and didn't dig anything out.

Danzo lost interest in Ryuma.

Since we can't dig out any intelligence, we can only use it as a tool.

"To plant the seed of mortal danger in his mouth."

"Also, erase his emotions and memories."

"Since he likes that merchant so much—let's turn him into a ninja specifically designed to target that merchant."

"Replace all his parasitic insects with poisonous insects obtained from Orochimaru."

Inside the operating room.

A black curse mark was etched on Ryoma's tongue. If he revealed any secrets about Danzo, his body would become paralyzed and unable to move.

But that's not the worst part.

The most terrifying thing is brainwashing.

Hypnotic chakra surged into his brain.

Ryoma's memories began to fade.

The parasites that had accompanied him for many years were removed and replaced with a cold, new variety.

From that day forward, there was no more Aburame Ryoma in the world.

Three days later. The Kikyo Pavilion.

The sun rises as usual.

Sosuke was sitting at the dining table, reading a newspaper.

Kaori brought breakfast.

"Boss, Ryoma-kun hasn't returned yet."

It's been three days.

If it was a normal performance review, he should have returned long ago. If it was a transfer or mission, someone should have notified him.

But there was nothing there.

-

It's as if this person never existed.

Sosuke put down the newspaper.

His expression was calm.

"Let's eat."

He did not mention Longma.

Kaori hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't. She had a bad feeling. As a former ANBU member, she was all too familiar with this kind of sudden disappearance.

That's the smell of cleaning.

After breakfast.

Sosuke put down his cutlery.

"Kaori".

"exist."

"Put everything away from Ryoma's room."

"Put it away?" Kaori was taken aback. "Is he moving out?"

"No."

Sosuke looked at the sunlight outside the window.

"He probably won't be coming back."

The restaurant fell into dead silence.

Yugao stopped chewing and looked at Sosuke with some fear.

"Uncle Ryoma—is he dead?"

"For ninjas, some endings are worse than death."

Sosuke did not give a direct answer.

Don't be sad. That's just how the world works.

He walked out of the restaurant, his face devoid of any sadness.

Because he had long anticipated this day.

The outcome was already sealed when Ryoma began to hold back in his reports and when Ryoma accepted his gifts.

Goodbye, Ryoma.

Sosuke thought to himself.

In a dark corner of Konoha.

A masked Root ninja stood on the rooftop, coldly watching Kikyo-kan.

His code name is "Insect".

His body was inhabited by tens of thousands of poisonous insects.

He had no emotions, no memories. He only knew how to obey orders.

His mission was to find an opportunity to uncover Takaya Sousuke's core secrets, even if it meant resorting to extreme measures.

The eyes beneath the mask were lifeless.

The wind blew by.

The figure of the "insect" disappeared into the night.

It's as if it never existed.