A cold arc curled at the corner of Takuno's mouth.
Seeking extreme pain in reality—pain enough to tear the soul and ignite the Mangekyō?
The problem was: would that truly be "gentler" than the aftereffects brought by this device? He had no way of comparing.
Furthermore, in this vast ninja world and this chaotic reality, what could truly shake his current state of mind and provide that kind of disruptive stimulus powerful enough to tear his personality apart?
He examined himself. Power? The foundation of the Hidden Snow Village? The layout within Konoha? These external things—success or loss—were like floating clouds; abandoning them would not be a pity.
The so-called factions were merely tools on his path to climb higher.
The only thing he truly cared about was the upward ladder, the road itself leading to the peak of power!
If someone dared to set up an insurmountable barrier or directly destroy this path to the heavens...
Then, that would perhaps be the only "loss" he could not calmly accept.
As this thought rose, it brought a sliver of sharp, authentic pain.
But this seemed to become a circular paradox: he craved the power of the Mangekyō to climb higher and faster, yet the conditions for opening the Mangekyō might involve severing his future path?
Destroying his own road to trade for power? How could he, Takuno, ever make such an absurd choice!
His chaotic thoughts were like a whirlpool, and right in the middle of this seemingly unsolvable deadlock, Takuno's thinking suddenly froze!
A possibility he had never previously imagined struck deep into his consciousness like a bolt of cold lightning!
"Perhaps..." he murmured, his voice so light it was nearly a whisper, "...it isn't entirely unfeasible."
After contemplating for a while, he shook his head vigorously, temporarily suppressing this fleeting glimpse of an idea.
Priority one! Clear the shadow of the memory implanted and induced by the device!
The solution emerged clearly in his mind:
First, travel to Kumogakure and face the legendary Waterfall of Truth. It was said to reflect the deepest darkness and reality within a person's heart—a trial ground for cleansing the spirit.
Second, the simplest but most passive option: waiting.
He did not believe the influence of that memory could last for years. Once time had passed and the influence completely dissipated, he could then proceed with Sage Mode.
Two methods, one active and one passive, both leading to the finish line.
But... Takuno's lips slowly curled into an arc brimming with sharp edges and boundless madness.
Passive waiting? That was never Takuno's style! Time was precious; how could he let it waste away?
Kumogakure... In those deep eyes, a sharp light flashed and vanished.
It was time to go!
......
The news that the Collector had brazenly attacked Sunagakure and forcibly seized the chakra of the One-Tail Shukaku exploded across the ninja world like a thunderclap, rapidly spreading to every corner.
The Kazekage, Rasa, did not hide the details. He specifically pointed out the signature Lightning Release Nin-taijutsu used by the Collector: Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
When this news crossed the border and reached Kumogakure, it set off a massive wave in the Raikage's office.
"What?! That's impossible!" The Fourth Raikage, A, suddenly stood up from behind his massive desk. His sturdy fists clenched in anger, making the sound of popping joints, as his bell-like eyes widened in disbelief.
Although he had heard fragments from the Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, suggesting the Collector could use the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, deep down he had always dismissed it as some sort of illusory imitation or a despicable method of theft.
However, this time was different.
Rasa, the Kage of a village, possessed unquestionable strength and insight.
For him to claim this so decisively and broadcast it to the world meant the heavy weight of proof had shifted undeniably toward "truth."
The opponent had indeed mastered the secret art of Kumo!
"Lord Raikage, although it is shocking, combined with various intelligence reports, this is likely the truth," the secretary standing by his side analyzed in her habitually calm tone.
"From known information, the Collector has displayed Konoha secret arts and Mist Shinobi techniques. Now that our Lightning Release Chakra Mode is confirmed...
At this point, even if he used Iwagakure's Lightened Boulder Jutsu in the next moment, I doubt anyone would be surprised anymore."
"That bastard... just who is he?!" the Fourth Raikage growled, the fire of anger burning in his eyes like a physical substance.
A massive sense of frustration intertwined with hatred. If the Collector hadn't interfered on the battlefield, how could Kumo's war against Konoha have ended in total collapse?
How could he himself have ended up burdened with these severe injuries?
On the surface, he seemed to have recovered, but as long as he circulated his chakra with full force or engaged in intense combat, a faint, throbbing pain and a lingering sense of weakness in the depths of his body followed him like a shadow.
For a ninja who relied on a powerful physique, this was a nearly fatal shackle.
The secretary sighed softly, pulling the topic back to reality: "The opponent's strike in Suna this time was clearly aimed at the One-Tail's chakra. This is identical to his behavior on our battlefield."
"The Two-Tails and Eight-Tails chakra!" the Raikage reacted immediately, then gritted his teeth as he deduced.
"Konoha still possesses the Nine-Tails! Just as I thought! This is all a Konoha conspiracy! That Collector is collecting the power of all Tailed Beasts for them. There must be a terrifying plot hidden behind this!"
"Lord Raikage, please calm down," the secretary had to remind him again, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "Do you still remember the true reason we decided to go to war with Konoha in the first place?"
"The reason? Naturally to fight for resources and strategic space!" the Raikage answered reflexively, but seeing the secretary's meaningful look, he stopped abruptly.
A terrifying thought flashed through his mind like lightning: "You mean... the Nine-Tails Rebellion?!" His pupils shrank as he looked at the secretary in disbelief. "That disaster... it's very likely the Collector did that too?!"
"At the moment, this is only a conjecture," the secretary nodded cautiously. "But judging by the Collector's reckless style of action—daring to attack our Kumo on the front lines and daring to break into Sunagakure alone to snatch a Tailed Beast."
"Then, what would he not dare to do in attacking Konoha to release the Nine-Tails? Besides, looking back at the Nine-Tails Rebellion, it happened suddenly and was full of suspicious points. If we add the variable of the Collector into the mix, many links that were originally inexplicable actually become logical and reasonable."
"But why doesn't Konoha put a bounty on him? Why do they even cooperate with him?!" The Raikage frowned deeply. Although the secretary's conjecture was possible, this point remained utterly baffling to him; it defied common sense.
"The reasons behind that are unknown to us," the secretary admitted frankly. "However, it is not entirely incomprehensible that Konoha would choose to cooperate with the Collector.
After all... in that desperate situation, at the end of their rope and surrounded by powerful enemies, they might not have had any other choice."
"Dammit!!!" The Fourth Raikage's anger could no longer be suppressed. A massive fist infused with violent power slammed onto the heavy desk. The boom echoed in the room, and the sturdy surface was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks.
He felt that the enemy known as the Collector was like a ghost shrouded in layers of mist; far from becoming clear, his identity and purpose had become even more elusive.
Although the possibility that "the opponent is a member of Konoha" remained the highest, Kumogakure could no longer confirm this as decisively as before.
Looking at the Raikage, who was caught in fury and pain, the secretary let out another imperceptible sigh, trying to offer comfort: "Lord Raikage, perhaps... we should think of the bright side.
At least the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails chakra from our village have already been taken by him. This means... he should have no reason to actively make an enemy of us anymore."
Her words carried a hint of bitter self-consolation.
"Are we just supposed to swallow this humiliation like this?!" The Raikage's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse from extreme suppression, like a trapped lion.
He stared intently at the secretary, his chest heaving violently.
The office fell into a suffocating silence. The secretary remained silent for a long time, offering no further suggestions.
The final decision on how to handle the major threat that was the Collector belonged only to the Raikage.
As a secretary, all she could do was provide a calm analysis based on pros and cons.
In her view, since the opponent could already brazenly invade the heart of a village to snatch Tailed Beast chakra, his terrifying strength must have improved even further compared to a few years ago.
For the current Kumogakure, the wisest move was to keep a low profile and build strength, rather than provoking a powerhouse whose behavior was bizarre and whose strength was unfathomable.
Continuing to be his enemy would cost the future of the entire village.
After a long silence, the violent fire in the Fourth Raikage's bloodshot eyes was gradually replaced by a deep exhaustion and resentment.
His upright posture seemed to hunch slightly in this moment, and a hint of unspeakable aging peeked through his prime-of-life toughness.
Finally, a heavy command—as if it had drained all his strength—was squeezed out with difficulty:
"Pass the order... cancel... all bounties regarding the Collector."
The secretary took in the Raikage's struggle and pain, a flash of heartache and helplessness crossing her eyes, but she said nothing more, only bowing respectfully: "Yes, Lord Raikage."
She turned to carry out this humiliating but necessary command.
However, neither the Raikage, immersed in resentment, nor Mabui, who left in worry, knew anything.
That mysterious and unfathomable Collector they spoke of—the one who brought shame to Kumogakure—was, at this very moment, quietly setting foot on the path to Kumogakure with some ulterior motive!
......
Beneath the vast firmament, the blue waves were boundless.
Takuno's figure was like a streak of black light, traveling at high speeds between the lofty clouds and the rolling ocean waves.
Takuno didn't know that Kumogakure had already pinned the blame for the Nine-Tails Rebellion on his head.
But even if he did know, he wouldn't care.
At this moment, behind him, huge wings condensed from pure chakra stirred the thin clouds with every flap, supporting him through a long and meticulous search over the vast territorial waters of Kumogakure.
One island after another—large or small, varied in shape—was swept by his sharp gaze and probed by the pervasive sensory power of the Mind's Eye of Kagura.
However, these fixed, lifeless rocky reefs or oases were, without exception, excluded.
They were not the target of this trip. That legendary Waterfall of Truth did not reside on an ordinary island, but was located on the back of a peculiar creature named "Genbu" (Turtle Island).
This giant turtle, which was like a moving continent, gave the location of the Waterfall of Truth an elusive quality. It drifted aimlessly in the vast ocean, its position changing constantly, causing countless seekers to return empty-handed.
This undoubtedly set up a chasm-like obstacle for ordinary ninjas.
But for Takuno, the "living" nature of Turtle Island was precisely the biggest flaw exposing its whereabouts!
No matter how much its appearance resembled an island, no matter how it suppressed its aura and feigned silence, the energy pulsations inherent to living organisms—strong or weak—were marks that could not be completely erased.
And possessing a top-tier sensory secret art like the Mind's Eye of Kagura, which could see into the source of chakra and perceive the rhythm of life, Takuno was like holding a compass pointing toward Turtle Island in the middle of the ocean.
He didn't need to blindly set foot on every piece of land; he only needed to stay high above and use the vast sensory net of the Mind's Eye of Kagura to sweep across the sea areas like a precision radar, specifically identifying energy reactions containing "life threads" to efficiently filter out suspicious targets.
At this moment, he hovered in the high sky, the gale whistling past his robes.
Below, the silhouette of a seemingly unremarkable island gradually became clear.
It had the jagged reefs and lush vegetation that an ordinary sea island should have, standing quietly in the embrace of the azure water.
However, when Takuno's Mind's Eye of Kagura captured the vast chakra permeating from the depths of this "land," a knowing smile curled at his lips.
This chakra did not originate from a specific person or group that might be on the island, but uniformly covered the entire island like a continental pulse, carrying the rhythmic sense of a sleeping giant. This was absolutely not something dead rock could possess!
"Found it," he whispered internally, his gaze suddenly becoming incredibly sharp.
He slowly lowered his altitude, eventually landing as light as a feather on a reef at the edge of Turtle Island.
At a close distance, one could feel the amazing vitality contained in this "land" beneath their feet even more.
To see more clearly, his eyes changed instantly. The pitch-black pupils faded, and on a crimson background, three-tomoe Sharingans slowly rotated!
Through these eyes that perceived all things, the true scene of Turtle Island's surface was further revealed.
A nearly transparent energy film, like a giant bowl, was tightly capped over the entire island. The flow of chakra upon it was clearly visible, forming a complex and precise defense network.
"As expected, a barrier exists?" Takuno wasn't surprised at all.
As a secret site cherished by Kumogakure, it would be strange if there weren't a powerful barrier protecting it.
He could crack this barrier, but the time required to deduce it from scratch would not be short. If possible, he preferred to use another method.
Besides that, if he were to break in by force, this barrier wouldn't stop him, but the problem was that he needed a sufficiently stable environment when using the Waterfall of Truth.
So breaking in by force was also unfeasible.
Was there a more convenient and stable method?