This person appeared to be in his twenties, of average build, wearing an old gray robe, with a head of messy white short hair, and a somewhat pale complexion. However, Sora noticed a trace of a mad researcher's temperament in his eyes.
This person wore a pair of round-framed glasses. His sharp gaze swept over the tavern from behind the lenses, as if searching for something.
Moreover, this person's chakra aura was very peculiar. It wasn't particularly powerful, roughly at the level of a Tokubetsu Jonin, but it gave Sora an extremely "mixed" feeling. It was as if multiple different types of chakra had been forcibly blended together, appearing somewhat unstable.
Sora's pupils contracted slightly.
This appearance, this unique chakra sensation...
'Hiruko?!'
This name instantly surfaced in Sora's mind.
Why is he here?
Sora remembered that Hiruko was a Konoha missing-nin. Due to his own mediocre aptitude and inability to keep up with the "Sannin" Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade from his generation, he developed the forbidden technique "Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique" (Kimmimaro no Jutsu). He hoped to gain power by merging Kekkei Genkai and eventually defected from the village.
'It is now the second year of the Third Shinobi World War. The time of Hiruko's defection should be a bit earlier than this. It seems after defecting, he came to operate near the Land of Water.'
Sora quickly thought to himself.
'Also, his current appearance is completely different from his later, more feminine state. He appears closer to his original male appearance. It seems he hasn't fully mastered the Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique yet, or has just begun experimenting with Kekkei Genkai fusion.'
Thinking this, Sora's heart couldn't help but beat a little faster.
Hiruko, and the Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique he researched, held an extremely important position in the long-term plan Sora formulated, the "Kekkei Mora Plan"!
The Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique... as far as Sora knew, was a terrifying forbidden technique that could devour and merge with others' bodies to steal their Kekkei Genkai.
In the original story, Hiruko relied on this technique to successfully fuse multiple Kekkei Genkai like Swift Release (Jinton), Dark Release (Meiton), Steel Release (Kōton), and Storm Release (Ranton), almost completing the so-called "perfect shinobi" sublimation.
Although this technique had obvious flaws and risks, such as requiring the specific astronomical phenomenon of a "solar eclipse" to activate its complete form, and rejection reactions existing during the fusion process, its core principle,
forcibly plundering and fusing Kekkei Genkai, was precisely one of the key technologies Sora needed to impact "Kekkei Mora" in the future!
Kekkei Mora, that was the ultimate power surpassing Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta, the ultimate fusion of chakra natures, involving Yin-Yang Release and even the power of all creation.
Relying solely on the awakening of the Azure Dragon Fruit, Sora estimated he could at most reach the Six Paths level. To go further, to touch the core power of the Otsutsuki clan, and even surpass them, to merge with the local chakra system of the Naruto world, walking the path of Kekkei Mora was almost an inevitable choice.
After all, he didn't have any system.
And the Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique undoubtedly provided a shortcut, albeit dangerous, but practical and feasible, to quickly obtain and fuse multiple Kekkei Genkai!
'If I can obtain the research materials of the Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique, or conduct some "transaction" with Hiruko...'
Sora's eyes flickered for a moment, but quickly returned to calm.
'No, it's not the time yet.'
Sora forcibly suppressed the impulse to act immediately and calmly analyzed the pros and cons.
First, Hiruko's current strength was unclear.
Although his early aptitude was mediocre, being able to develop a forbidden technique like Kekkei Genkai Absorption meant his intelligence and ruthlessness should not be underestimated.
How many Kekkei Genkai has he fused now? What level has his strength reached?
All were unknowns!
Acting rashly could very well lead to capsizing in a ditch.
Even if he could capture him, the commotion from the fight would inevitably be considerable. This was the Land of Water, easily attracting the attention of Kirigakure.
Secondly, and most importantly, the current Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique was most likely still incomplete!
In the original story, Hiruko initiated the "Kekkei Genkai Absorption Ceremony" many years later, attempting to fuse Kakashi's Sharingan.
At this point in time, he was probably still in the stage of theoretical refinement and preliminary preparation. Forcibly obtaining an immature, potentially massively flawed technique carried extremely high risks.
Sora did not want to turn himself into a fusion-failed monster.
Moreover, Hiruko himself was strong-willed and obsessive. Conventional means would probably find it difficult to make him obediently hand over the complete and accurate technique. A more steady plan was needed...
A flash of sharp light passed through Sora's eyes.
'Perhaps... I can wait until his technique is more mature, or, when he is performing the key ceremony...'
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Letting Hiruko take the first risk, to refine this technique, and then picking the fruit when he was about to succeed, was undoubtedly the most cost-effective choice.
Thinking this, Sora completely dismissed the thought of acting immediately. He lowered his presence to the minimum, like a true ordinary tavern patron, silently drinking his wine, his gaze no longer turning towards Hiruko's direction.
But his powerful sensory ability, like the most precise radar, firmly locked onto Hiruko's aura, imprinting every detail deeply into his mind.
Soon after, Hiruko stayed in the tavern for less than ten minutes before getting up and leaving.
From beginning to end, he never noticed Sora in the corner.
Watching Hiruko's back disappear outside the door, Sora slowly let out a breath.
This unexpected discovery made his future plans a bit clearer.
'The path to Kekkei Mora is long, requiring careful step-by-step planning. The Kekkei Genkai Absorption Technique is a key part, but the problem of chakra volume must be solved first.'
'The Dragon Vein is the foundation. Only then can plundering and fusing Kekkei Genkai be considered. The steps cannot be messed up.'
He drank the last of the sake in his cup in one gulp. Sora put down a few coins and also got up to leave the tavern.
Hiruko's appearance was just a minor interlude. His main mission was not yet complete.
Next, it was time to go take a look near Kirigakure.
Through the past two days of intelligence gathering, combined with some fragmented information overheard earlier in the tavern, Sora could now roughly confirm that Kirigakure's main forces indeed showed signs of being mobilized towards the Land of Wind.
Some traveling merchant caravans were complaining that maritime route inspections towards the Land of Wind had become exceptionally strict, and Kirigakure warships gathering were often seen.
'It seems Kirigakure's sneak attack on the Land of Wind, even if it hasn't officially begun yet, is already being intensively prepared.'
Sora made a judgment in his mind.
This intelligence, along with his observation of the tense atmosphere within Kirigakure, was already sufficient for him to report back to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
However, to make the mission report more detailed and credible, he still decided to personally go investigate the outskirts of Kirigakure.
After all, hearing is not as good as seeing.
Leaving the small town, Sora identified the direction. His figure moved like lightning, speeding towards the central island area where Kirigakure was located.
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