Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

"......ha?"

Yoruichi's cat-like face instantly fell, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Hey kid, you're not trying to tell me that woman lives here, are you? That's some really unique taste."

Sasuke ignored her complaints, walked forward, fumbled on the wall for a moment, and finally pressed down on a loose tile.

"Click".

With a soft sound, the ground beside them silently slid open to one side, revealing a staircase leading underground.

"Let's go."

The stairs were long, and the air was getting increasingly murky.

What comes into view is an underground world completely different from the outside world.

The place is brightly lit and the space is enormous, like a giant cave.

The air was filled with the smell of cheap alcohol, sweat, and a faint, almost imperceptible odor of blood.

Dozens of menacing-looking ronin and rogue ninja gathered in twos and threes, some talking in hushed tones, others wiping their weapons, their gazes toward Sasuke filled with undisguised disdain.

"Where is this?" Yoruichi's eyes also became serious.

“An underground gold exchange,” Sasuke explained succinctly, “a black market that specializes in bounty missions and the trade of corpses.”

His gaze swept over the huge wall at the deepest part of the cave, which was covered with bounty posters of all sizes, ranging from finding lost items to assassinating famous figures.

"you mean......"

Yoruichi instantly understood, "Post a bounty here to find that woman's whereabouts?"

Sasuke nodded slightly.

"Good idea."

Yoruichi tilted her cat head and asked the crucial question, "But Sasuke, do you have any money with you?"

"..."

Sasuke's face stiffened for a moment, and he fell silent.

Seeing his appearance, Ye was about to make a few teasing remarks.

Sasuke, however, made a move.

The crimson Sharingan activated instantly, scanning the wall covered with wanted posters.

A moment later, his gaze fell on a burly man not far away who was putting his feet up on the table, drinking heavily, with a strangely shaped large knife at his waist.

The burly man seemed to have noticed his gaze, grinned, revealing a malicious smile, and even provocatively raised his wine bowl towards Sasuke.

But the next moment.

"laugh--"

A sound like cloth being torn rang out.

The burly man's smile froze, and his companions, who were still laughing and talking loudly, also stopped abruptly.

The entire gold exchange fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared blankly at the burly man, at his head flying high, and at the blood gushing from his neck.

"boom."

With a muffled thud, the headless corpse collapsed to the ground.

Beside the corpse, a black-haired boy had been standing there at some point, his long sword unstained by any blood.

He grabbed the disheveled hair, lifted the bloodied head, and walked up to the gold exchange manager, who was already pale with fright.

Then he casually tossed the head onto the counter.

"Now we have it."

Chapter 128 An Encounter with Akatsuki? One Slash Kills Him

The entire underground gold exchange fell into a deathly silence.

All eyes were fixed on the head still dripping blood on the counter.

A heavy, pungent smell of blood permeated the air, mingling with the oppressive atmosphere to create a nauseating odor.

"..."

Yoruichi, who was perched on Sasuke's shoulder, lazily raised her head.

It's a really simple solution, but it does fit the kid's style.

"What a joke... In an instant..." Whispers spread like a tide in the corner.

However, there will always be some fools who are blinded by anger.

"Bastard..." A low growl, suppressed with extreme anger, came from the corner.

Seven or eight ronin dressed in the same clothes as the headless corpse slowly rose from their seats, their faces filled with rage.

"Kill this brat!" roared the scarred man at the head of the group, drawing his long sword first and pointing it menacingly at Sasuke.

The others also drew their weapons and surrounded Sasuke in a menacing manner, forming a crescent shape that completely blocked all of Sasuke's escape routes.

The onlookers who had been whispering amongst themselves instinctively stepped back, making room for the impending battle.

At the same time, they all showed a look of anticipation on their faces.

This kid is indeed very strong. He was able to kill that burly man in one blow. He must be a genius from some powerful family.

But he was still too young, acted too eccentrically, and didn't understand the rules of the black market.

Surrounded by seven or eight equally battle-hardened outlaws, no matter how strong he is, he'll probably perish here today.

They deserved to die.

Sasuke could clearly feel the malicious gazes around him, but he ignored them, keeping his eyes fixed on the gold exchange manager who was trembling like a leaf.

"Hey, you bastard..."

The scarred man, enraged at being ignored, yelled, "I said I was going to kill you, didn't you hear me?!"

He roared and raised his long sword high, ready to teach this arrogant brat a lesson he would never forget.

However, he failed to bring his knife down.

"Hiss... hiss hiss..."

Thin, dark cracks spread out without warning beneath the feet of the attackers.

"Hmm?" Scarface paused slightly, and subconsciously lowered his head.

Then he saw, deep within the crack that had suddenly appeared beneath their feet, streaks of pitch-black flames rising.

Just like a flower of death quietly blooming in the depths of hell, swaying silently.

"What...?" Scarface was about to speak when his voice abruptly stopped.

Several spikes made of pure black flames, like claws reaching out from the abyss of hell, burst forth from the cracks and pierced precisely into the chests of each of the ronin surrounding Sasuke.

Immediately afterwards, the pitch-black flames, like a ravenous beast, spread wildly the moment they touched flesh and blood.

In the blink of an eye, those seven or eight figures, who were still full of murderous intent, along with the weapons in their hands, were completely engulfed by the pitch-black flames before everyone's horrified eyes.

Not even ashes remained, as if they had never existed in this world.

"..."

The entire gold exchange fell into a deathly silence once again.

If the previous silence stemmed from shock at Sasuke's strength, then the silence now stems from the fear of not being able to comprehend the power before them.

The contempt on everyone's faces vanished, and they froze on the spot, their faces deathly pale.

"Goo..."

Looking into Sasuke's calm eyes, the person in charge felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

His lips trembled as he asked in a shaky voice, "M-Sir...what are your orders?"

"I'm looking for someone."

Sasuke's voice was calm, "Tsunade."

Tsunade?

Upon hearing this request, the person in charge visibly breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had been spared from the brink of death.

He thought this gentleman was going to ask about some taboo information that couldn't possibly be found here.

Finding out the whereabouts of that "legendary fat sheep" was incredibly easy for those of them who operated in the black market.

"I know! I know!"

He nodded hurriedly, not daring to be negligent in the slightest, and with trembling hands pulled out a map from under the counter, quickly drawing on it with his finger.

"According to our latest intelligence, the last place Tsunade was spotted was in Tanabata Street! That's the largest entertainment district in the Land of Fire, with many casinos. She's most likely there!"

“Tanzabatsu Street…” Sasuke murmured the name of the place.

Yes! Absolutely no mistake!

The person in charge patted his chest and assured Sasuke, then quickly added, as if afraid Sasuke wouldn't believe him, "I heard she wasn't having much luck this time, and apparently she's in debt again..."

Sasuke nodded slightly, asked no further questions, and turned to walk away.

Watching the departing figure of this jinx, everyone in the exchange finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally... it's time to leave.

However, shortly after Sasuke stepped onto the stairs, his steps suddenly stopped without warning.

His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the direction of the entrance.

The group of people inside the exchange shop, still shaken, seemed to have sensed this new presence and followed Sasuke's gaze.

A tall figure slowly descended the steps against the light.

The newcomer was dressed in a jet-black trench coat embroidered with ominous red clouds, and wore a black cloth mask that only revealed his eyes, obscuring his face.