Chapter 68: Chapter 68
A/N: I am releasing the last couple chaps I had stocked up for this story since I'm not sure when I'll resume it again. I think I tried to force the plot of the last few chapters a little too much and ended up getting writer's block from not being able to put into words how I wanted to finish the arc. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually, but curse my lack of talent and crippling H addiction that is rotting my brain.
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"Hm… this isn't as difficult as I expected it would be," Jin mumbled to himself. His hair hung downward, and his jacket pulled up on his torso. Feet planted to the underside of a damp tree branch, he crossed his arms and nodded in a sagely manner.
Another thick branch of the same tree held Konan. Her amber eyes glanced over at Jin as though unimpressed.
Ignoring the woman's gaze, Jin looked down the cliffside at the valley below them and asked, "So, this is the place your butterfly followed that brown-haired guy to?"
Like Jin, Konan moved her gaze to a small set of huts hidden in a dense part of this mostly forested valley. If not for her paper butterflies, finding this place would have proven as difficult as finding a set of keys in a swamp. The only noticeable part of the small settlement was a tall and eerie wooden totem pole standing in the center of a small clearing. Black flames flickered atop small torches set in a star shape around the totem pole.
"Yes. This should be the place," Konan quietly answered.
"How much did you find out about the place?"
"Small village. At least two dozen people like the ones from yesterday. They are patrolling as though expecting an attack… Also a cage full of hostages."
"Hostages? Probably part of the people they plan to sacrifice going by the mission details."
Konan nodded in agreement.
Jin stopped channeling energy to the soles of his feet, flipped in the air, and landed on the dirt below. Konan followed suit by hopping down in a simple movement.
"Think your clone can handle that many enemies?"
"I used more chakra this time."
"I see," Jin mumbled, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "If they're expecting us, we may as well sneak in at first and eliminate as many targets as possible in an initial attack due to their regenerative abilities. Stealthy assassination on all of them likely won't finish them off."
The only response he received from Konan was eye contact conveying understanding of the situation.
"Let's plan a route of entry, then head in."
Konan nodded quietly.
The two of them then surveyed the surroundings for the most concealed route to the largest group of targets huddled by the hostage cages. Jin did most of the talking, but they quickly agreed on the details. Jin would hit the larger group guarding the cages while Konan attacked the largest patrolling group. Then, they would regroup to combat the remaining enemies.
"Not the best plan of action, but it's okay considering lack of time," Jin commented. Then, he looked at the setting sun before asking, "Ready?"
"Yes."
Before they could set out, Jin felt the tingling sensation his growing supernatural senses recognized as a strong life force and whipped his head around.
"What is all this about?" A voice asked from under heavy thickets several meters behind them.
"Just some work," Jin coldly replied. Then, glaring at the flytrap man hiding not far away, he asked, "So, what brings you back to bother us again?"
"What kind of work?" Another voice asked from the tree canopy above them.
Startled to hear another voice, Jin whipped his head upward. An orange-haired young man with metal rods piercing his face in multiple places entered his gaze. Briefly, Jin glanced over at Konan, but her raised eyebrows told him that she was just as surprised as he was.
'So she didn't expect Nagato would send his main Deva path over here, either. Maybe I didn't notice him sooner because it is a corpse. Gonna have to remedy that weakness in my growing sensory abilities later.'
"Elimination of some dangerous people," Jin slowly answered, meeting the gaze of the orange-haired man's ringed purple eyes.
"Is that so?" Nagato's Deva Path responded in a calm tone. "Would you like some assistance?"
"You sound like a scammer," Jin commented with a small sigh.
"A god has no reason to scam anyone," Pain immediately responded with overbearing confidence. Then, he looked over at Konan and said, "If you don't require assistance, then we will simply watch from afar."
"Are you going to ask him to join us?" Konan hesitantly asked. The question made Jin raise a brow. Out of sight, Zetsu grimaced.
The purple eyes in the sockets of Konan's deceased friend stared back at her in silence. That was enough to answer her question. Due to that, she looked over at Jin with furrowed brows.
"I have no interest in joining the Akatsuki. Even if I did, I wouldn't be here to actively participate as a member."
"...I see. So be it."
With that, Pain's Deva Path used body flicker to disappear from their sight. Zetsu sank into the ground a moment later and disappeared beyond Jin's perception in almost an instant.
Sighing and resting his hands in his pockets, Jin grumbled, "Didn't expect that."
"Are you sure about not wanting his help? He is strong."
"I'd rather not interact with him in his current state, to be honest. Do you want him to help?"
Rather than answer, Konan turned her head away and frowned. She looked rather conflicted on what to say. Due to that, she ended up not answering in the end.
Shrugging, Jin changed the subject by asking, "Do you want to start now?"
Konan hesitated, but eventually nodded.
Under the cover of the dense foliage, the two carefully made their way toward the enemy encampment. Shortly before reaching it, they split up toward the targets they originally decided on.
Before long, Jin reached the edge of the deforested area housing the thick metal cages. From within the treeline, he quietly observed the guards and captives.
Altogether, he counted seven guards. He occasionally saw the black tendrils snaking under the skin of their faces and arms, which made him grimace. A good chunk of the enemy numbers could be erased here if things worked out as planned.
On the other hand, most of the captives he saw were civilians, but to his surprise, he also saw heavily injured and shackled shinobi wearing Cloud Village headbands. A small child curled up in the corner of the same cage. Tears flowed from her dull blue pupiless eyes.
Eyes narrowing at the sight, Jin connected dots in his head. The sense of familiarity he felt when looking at the girl no older than five years old reminded him of other times he encountered characters he knew of. However, he hesitated to believe what he was seeing this time.
'...Is that actually Hinata from back when she got kidnapped by Cloud shinobi? I find it hard to believe, but it does make sense considering how Konan looked a bit younger than I expected,' He thought, wide-eyed at the prospect.
Unfortunately, now was not the time to worry about it. Instead, he focused on waiting for Konan to attack first using her flashy Kagune as a signal. After waiting a few minutes, he finally saw massive glowing wings made from a mixture of Paper Kekkai Genkai and colorful Kagune spread out like the wings of a fallen angel. A heavy bombardment ensued, drawing silent gazes from the guards and shocked gasps or screams from the imprisoned civilians.
Summoning his Soul Reaper abilities, Jin unsheathed Kokūnokoe and said, "Ready to fight again?"
'Always,' The gentle voice of his Zanpakuto spirit responded.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone