Hokage: Immortal, I Open Unlimited Eight Gates

"I see... I never expected the problem to be solved this way. What a pity..."

Orochimaru sighed. The ancient book mentioned by Chiba not only recorded a method to preserve Jinchūriki after the extraction of a tailed beast, but it also hinted at deeper secrets within the ninja world. It was unfortunate that such invaluable knowledge was so elusive.

"Orochimaru-sensei, did you know? My sister said that if this method is confirmed, we could replace Jinchūriki at will in the future, and the only cost would be a single tail from the tailed beast," Nawaki eagerly shared Tsunade's analysis with Chiba, without hesitation.

Chiba was momentarily taken aback. He had devised this method solely to save Uzumaki Mito, but he hadn't expected Tsunade to take it even further.

It seemed that Nine Tails' future would be far from easy. Chiba couldn't help but sigh, wondering how long it would take for a tailed beast to regrow a tail. He hoped the process would be slow—at least that way, Nine Tails might suffer a little less.

Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully. "Tsunade's idea has some merit, but we won't know for certain until it's tested."

Then, glancing at the sky, he added, "Alright, let's end the discussion here. It's getting late—we should set out for the Land of Hot Water."

Hearing this, both Nawaki and Chiba nodded in agreement.

Because the Land of Fire and the Land of Hot Water share no direct border—and considering that the latter is an island country situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning—the journey took longer than their previous mission to the Land of Rice Fields.

After five days of travel, standing at the bow of the ship, Chiba could finally make out the distant outline of land.

Seeing this, he turned to his companions and called out, "Nawaki, Orochimaru-sensei, we've arrived in the Land of Hot Water."

Hearing this, Nawaki, who had been struggling with seasickness for days, mustered all his strength to stumble forward.

The moment he spotted land, he let out an ecstatic shout, "Finally! We're here at last!"

Chiba chuckled. He hadn't expected Nawaki to suffer from seasickness as badly as Might Guy. Though he had endured it, the journey back would likely be just as miserable.

After disembarking, Orochimaru, noting Nawaki's exhausted state, thought for a moment before suggesting, "Let's find a place to rest first. Tomorrow, we'll seek out the Nara clan's representative in the Land of Hot Water."

"I'm fine with that," Chiba replied casually.

"Thank you, Orochimaru-sensei," Nawaki said gratefully, realizing that Orochimaru was looking out for him.

After settling Nawaki into a room, Orochimaru called Chiba aside. "Chiba-kun, what are your thoughts on this mission?"

"What do you mean, Orochimaru-sensei?"

"Although I believe in Nawaki's potential, this mission might be too challenging for him."

Orochimaru looked at Chiba and continued, "Therefore, the bulk of this mission will rely on you and me. I suggest we split up to gather information and see if we can uncover any useful clues."

Chiba pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright, we'll split up."

With that, the two left the inn, heading in different directions.

As he wandered through the bustling streets of the Land of Hot Water, Uchiha Chiba kept an eye out for anything suspicious. He scanned the numerous seafood shops lining the streets—unsurprising, given the country's reliance on the sea for sustenance.

Just as he was about to turn away, a familiar figure caught his attention. The man wore a mask, his eyes a striking green. Draped in a gray robe similar to Akatsuki's, though devoid of the signature red clouds, he stood out among the crowd.

Recalling his knowledge of the ninja world, Chiba quickly identified the man—Kakuzu, the future treasurer of the Akatsuki organization.

A wry smile crossed Chiba's lips. He couldn't help but remember the long-standing joke about Kakuzu—how, like Biwa Juzo, he would always claim to have fought Senju Hashirama, overwhelming opponents with sheer bravado.

Of course, Kakuzu had indeed once attempted to assassinate Hashirama under Takigakure's orders. However, after his failure, he was branded a traitor and condemned. Enraged, he stole the village's forbidden techniques and eventually became a bounty hunter.

But what was Kakuzu doing here? Could the trouble faced by the Nara clan in the Land of Hot Water be connected to him?

As Chiba pondered, Kakuzu suddenly moved. However, he didn't seem to notice Chiba and simply walked ahead.

Seeing this, Chiba immediately decided to follow at a distance.

After trailing Kakuzu for some time, Chiba realized that the bounty hunter appeared to be aimlessly wandering as well. To avoid suspicion, Chiba kept his distance and concealed himself as best he could.

Suddenly, Kakuzu picked up his pace and headed straight out of town.

Without hesitation, Chiba continued his pursuit.

Around the coastline, Kakuzu abruptly halted.

"Come out. Stop hiding."

Chiba, concealed behind a sand dune, was taken aback. He hadn't expected to be detected so easily.

He sighed internally. I must be slipping as a ninja.

With no choice, he stepped forward, revealing himself. "When did you notice me?" he asked, genuinely curious. He had thought he had done a decent job of remaining unnoticed.

"Hmph, I knew the moment you started following me. I must say, kid, your tracking skills are abysmal."

Kakuzu sneered. "Even a Genin could've noticed."

"..."

Though his words were harsh, Chiba couldn't deny the truth in them. He had, after all, spent most of his time in the academy sleeping through theory classes. His practical skills had always been decent, but his knowledge of tracking was severely lacking.

"Heh, seems like I lucked out," Kakuzu said with a smirk. "An Uchiha brat, all alone? If I capture you and sell you to another village, I'll make a fortune."

Chiba raised an eyebrow. "How did you know I was Uchiha?"

Kakuzu scoffed. "Everyone in the ninja world recognizes your kind—handsome men, beautiful women, and hair as black as the night."

Chiba scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh... thanks for the compliment?"

He didn't need to ask to understand Kakuzu's intentions. He was likely planning to sell Chiba to another village as breeding stock—after all, the Uchiha bloodline was highly coveted.

With a wry smile, Chiba prepared himself. Looks like this encounter won't end peacefully.