After confirming his own adaptability to the environmental toxicity of the Valley of Death, Sora hesitated no longer and charged into the expanse of pale purple miasma.
His target was clear, "Star Pattern Iron".
According to the mission description, this type of ore is usually nurtured in the areas with the most intense toxicity deep within the valley. Its surface has natural star shaped patterns, the texture is hard, and it has good chakra conductivity.
Moreover, the density of "Star Pattern Iron" is extremely high. Even a small piece feels heavy in the hand, its weight far exceeding that of ordinary metal of the same volume.
The environment inside the valley was even more harsh than the periphery. Poisonous insects, snakes, and ants were everywhere. Some strangely shaped plants would even actively attack approaching creatures.
But for Sora, who was moving at full speed and possessed keen perception, these were not problems. In less than half an hour, he had collected the required amount for the mission.
However, Sora continued to stay for three more hours, gathering all the "Star Pattern Iron" he could find in the Valley of Death, approximately one thousand jin, planning to forge it into new training weights.
Sora looked down at the large training weight tied to his leg. That thing weighed a full two hundred jin. A trace of helplessness involuntarily appeared on his face.
As he grew older and his physical constitution strengthened, the effectiveness of such ordinary training weights was becoming weaker and weaker. He couldn't just keep piling large iron blocks on his body forever, right?
"Star Pattern Iron", with its small volume and high weight, was exactly the solution to this problem, perfectly suitable for forging new training weights.
After storing the "Star Pattern Iron", Sora immediately turned and quickly retreated along the original path, leaving this death filled valley behind, and sped towards the direction of the Exchange.
...
The Exchange in the Land of Earth.
Sora placed the proof of completion for the first two missions, along with fifty jin of "Star Pattern Iron" ore in perfect condition, one by one on the counter.
Behind the counter was a shrewd eyed young man in his twenties.
He carefully examined the proofs, a flicker of surprise especially evident in his eyes when confirming the quality of the "Star Pattern Iron". Not many people who completed the Valley of Death mission could remain so unscathed and composed.
The young man skillfully worked the abacus and said,
"Mission confirmation completed."
"Rogue ninja capture, bounty seven million ryo. Bandit extermination, bounty five million five hundred fifty thousand ryo. Star Pattern Iron collection, bounty six million ryo. Total eighteen million five hundred fifty thousand ryo. Twenty percent commission deducted. Actual payment fourteen million eight hundred thousand ryo."
A thick stack of banknotes was pushed over. Just as Sora reached out to take them, the young man suddenly lowered his voice, a seemingly enthusiastic smile spreading across his face.
"Mister 'Vermilion Bird', your skills are extraordinary, your efficiency astounding. Completing multiple missions consecutively, you are a rare talent even at our Land of Earth Exchange. I wonder..."
"Would you be interested in joining our 'Rock Scorpion'? The organization has abundant resources, shared intelligence, and you can receive a higher percentage of mission rewards. It's far better than fighting alone."
At the same time, several gazes in the hall settled on Sora.
Sora paid no attention to whether these gazes were fixed on his bounty or something else. Taking the banknotes, he replied in a tone so calm it was almost cold,
"Not interested."
The smile on the young man's face stiffened slightly, seemingly not expecting such a complete refusal. He wanted to say more,
"Sir, perhaps you could reconsider. Our organization..."
However, his words came to an abrupt stop.
Because at the moment Sora tucked the banknotes into his robe, an icy, condensed, almost tangible killing intent, accompanied by a pressure like that of a primordial beast, erupted violently with Sora at its center.
The young man felt his breath catch, as if an invisible giant hand had seized his throat. The persuasive words that followed were forcibly stuck in his throat.
Only then did he realize that the fellow wearing the Vermilion Bird mask before him was absolutely not the ordinary bounty hunters he usually dealt with, but a truly murderous star who had walked out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
The other originally scrutinizing and greedy gazes in the hall, under this powerful pressure, also restrained themselves by more than half in an instant.
Those with slightly weaker strength even instinctively retreated half a step, averted their eyes, not daring to look directly at Sora anymore.
Some restless thoughts, ideas about doing something after Sora left, also vanished into thin air under this undisguised warning.
Having achieved the deterrent effect, Sora slowly retracted his aura, as if nothing had happened.
He didn't give the pale faced young man another glance, turning and walking towards the exit of the Exchange.
Only after Sora's figure completely disappeared from the entrance did the stagnant atmosphere in the hall finally relax.
The young man let out a long breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, his heart still filled with lingering fear. The others exchanged glances, silently raising the danger level of the code name "Vermilion Bird" a notch in their minds.
...
After leaving the Exchange, Sora estimated the time.
From leaving Konoha to execute the Land of Earth reconnaissance mission until now, it had been barely a month. There was still over a month left before the two month mission deadline. Time was very ample.
"Since I'm here, I might as well accumulate more funds. Research expenses are a bottomless pit after all."
Not long after, Sora appeared again before the bounty board of another nearby Exchange.
This time, he casually accepted several missions with bounties around two to three million ryo, located in relatively remote areas.
These missions weren't the most cost effective, but they were safe, steady, and wouldn't touch upon Iwagakure's sensitive nerves.
In the following days, Sora, like an efficient scavenger, wearing the Vermilion Bird mask, shuttled between several remote areas within the Land of Earth. With thunderous methods, he swiftly dealt with these targets. Returning once more to the Exchange, he exchanged them for a total bounty of nearly eight million ryo.
With his financial reserves further enriched, Sora did not continue accepting missions.
He instead headed to another large black market stronghold within the Land of Earth.
This time, he again purchased some consumables used for cell culture and basic cloning experiments, such as different types of culture media, etc., as well as some special containers for sealing and preserving samples.
At the same time, he also purchased some advanced books and notes that Kabuto might need for learning medical ninjutsu.
After the purchases, the funds on Sora's person again shrank significantly. However, the early stage investment was basically complete. Next would be the stage of verification and digestion of the techniques.
...
A vast primeval forest at the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Demons, underground cave.
Sora sat cross legged in the cave, took out the "Artificial Tailed Beast" technique scroll obtained from the transaction with Orochimaru, and began carefully studying the complex technique formulas and theories recorded within.
The knowledge in the scroll was profound and obscure, involving sealing techniques, barrier techniques, energy form transformation, and even parts touching upon the forbidden field of life creation.
Sora immersed himself in it. Relying on the foundation of sealing techniques he had studied before and some scientific thinking from his previous life, he bit by bit analyzed and understood these complex technique structures.
Sometimes he would close his eyes in deep thought, sometimes use chakra to trace those complex runes on the empty ground, feeling the flow and balance of energy within.
Time quietly passed within the silent underground cave.
Sora was completely immersed in the absorption and digestion of knowledge. All external disturbances seemed to have nothing to do with him.
At this moment, he was no longer Konoha's Anbu "Green Snake", nor the rising "Vermilion Bird" in the black market. He was just a seeker silently moving forward on the path pursuing power and knowledge.
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