Moonlight fell through the gaps in the leaves, leaving a faint silver glow on the calm lake, adding a layer of dreaminess to this utopian-like village.
Jokichi surfaced on the lake, looked up at this massive tree, and couldn't help but be slightly surprised.
The Land of Fire was full of forests and massive trees everywhere.
But a tree this large, this was the first time he had ever seen one.
According to the anime plot, this tree produced some chakra-enhancing sap within its body every 100 years.
And the people of Takigakure survived several Shinobi World Wars relying on this tree sap, and still had a large gourd of water remaining.
This tree had at least lived for several hundred years, perhaps even a thousand or several thousand years.
"Let me see what your origins are!"
Jokichi swam to the land in the center of the lake, came before the large tree, and placed his hand on it.
[Ding! Detected special material "Remnant of the Divine Tree", can forge special items "Remnant Divine Tree Crystal", "Potential Potion Bottle". Do you wish to forge?]
"It's actually a remnant of the Divine Tree!"
Jokichi widened his eyes slightly.
Back then, when Hagoromo and Hamura fought fiercely against Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Divine Tree sensed Kaguya was in danger and transformed into the Ten-Tails to assist her.
After a massive battle, many broken branches of the Divine Tree flew to various parts of the world, constantly absorbing the earth's natural energy, causing the land to dry up and lose its vitality.
The land became unable to grow plants, and people living nearby would have their life force drained, dying early.
After the war, the Sage of Six Paths traveled the ninja world, searching for these Divine Tree remnants to resolve them. The Ninshu he later established also persisted in this activity.
Asura and Indra even led the efforts, sweeping away those hard-to-find remnants.
He hadn't expected that after so many years of Ninshu's purging, a piece of a remnant actually survived and grew into such a towering giant tree.
However.
"Something's different."
Jokichi carefully stroked the bark's texture. There was no feeling of life being drained.
The people of Takigakure lived relying on this large tree, and the surrounding natural resources and environment were richer than other places.
This large tree wasn't plundering the life force and natural energy of the surrounding organisms.
It was just growing naturally like other plants, while also nurturing the Water of Life to give back to its surroundings.
This piece of remnant mutated after separating from the Divine Tree's main body.
"Beneficial and harmless, no wonder it wasn't purged by Ninshu, or rather..." Jokichi turned to look at the rows of wooden cabins built on the shore. "Takigakure was actually established by the descendants of some member of Ninshu, wasn't it!"
Such a secretive location, and the Hero Water that is only born once every hundred years.
And ninja villages haven't been established for more than 60 years.
Before Takigakure was established, people lived here and were familiar with everything here.
"I underestimated this village."
Jokichi smiled in realization and chose to forge.
The heartwood of the giant tree vanished into thin air, and Jokichi gained two more items in his hands.
A thumb-sized green crystal that looked like a dog had taken a bite out of it.
A transparent gourd bottle filled with water.
[Remnant Divine Tree Crystal: A power crystal originating from the remnant of the Divine Tree. After absorption, you will gain the power of the Divine Tree's remnant.]
[Potential Potion Bottle: Contains a potion that can prematurely overdraw cellular potential, granting enhancements to human physical durability, strength, speed, and chakra.]
"It's prematurely overdrawing, not enhancing, tsk tsk..."
Jokichi sneered twice.
He had actually thought the Divine Tree had changed its nature and started benefiting humanity and the world. He hadn't expected.
It merely went from causing harm openly and aboveboard to secretly causing harm in the shadows.
If his guess was correct, the reason the resources nearby were so abundant was merely prematurely overdrawing the earth's potential.
Once the earth's potential was almost entirely overdrawn, and the surrounding natural energy and organisms' life force reached their peak, that would be when this tree began to harvest.
Tsk tsk.
Going from a hunter to a farmer, and even using this to conceal from or deceive the people of Ninshu.
It truly is natural selection; even a piece of a tree remnant learned how to adapt.
However, despite knowing the truth.
Jokichi wasn't going to meddle in other people's business.
Some people only focus on immediate benefits and cannot see the future.
This tree was the capital upon which Takigakure relied for survival.
Even if they knew the truth.
If you helped them eliminate the menace, they wouldn't be grateful to you; instead, they would hate you.
"Then, the next target is Fu."
Jokichi put the scouter back on to investigate.
Among the countless chakra reactions, he found the signal that was slightly stronger than Saiken's.
"Over here."
Jokichi found the target in a wooden cabin further inland on the shore.
Takigakure's location was hidden, so they didn't have guards.
For such a small ninja village, if the enemy discovered their location, planting guards would be useless anyway.
Coupled with it being nighttime, everyone was sleeping.
Therefore, Jokichi swaggered toward the cabin where the target was.
The door was locked from the inside.
But it didn't matter.
The Unlocking Technique was a ninjutsu taught in the Ninja Academy.
Jokichi easily and silently unlocked the door.
He pushed the door open gently.
The small wooden cabin was only fifty or sixty square meters, and the furnishings inside were very simple, only a bed, table, chairs, and a wardrobe.
It seemed to be just a bedroom.
However.
When Jokichi entered the room, a kunai thrust out from behind the door, pressing against his neck.
Next came a crisp voice, carrying a hint of warning.
"Don't move recklessly!"
By the moonlight, Jokichi looked toward the voice and found it was a young girl with blue-green short hair, dark skin, and orange eyes.
It was none other than the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki, Fu.
Seeing the target, Jokichi was slightly surprised.
Generally speaking, people who have experienced life-and-death battles will hone an astonishing intuition. It's impossible for them not to detect an enemy in such close proximity while fully conscious.
And the reason Jokichi hadn't discovered Fu was that he didn't sense any hostility at all.
Was this Fu's special ability, or did she simply bear no hostility toward him?
Jokichi vaguely remembered that the Seven-Tails Chomei itself was adept at disguise, being the most cunning Tailed Beast.
As its Jinchuriki, Fu also possessed many ninjutsu adept at concealment.
Fu used the kunai to force Jokichi into the room, then closed the door, interrogating him.
"Who are you?"
Jokichi glanced at her.
A young girl wearing a white crop top and shorts, revealing a section of fishnet.
Although her figure wasn't seductive, it had its own unique charm.
"Speak!"
Fu interrogated again, the kunai pressed against his neck leaving a thin line of blood on it.
"Not wanting to disturb your fellow villagers, preparing to resolve the problem alone..." Jokichi chuckled, looking up at her. "Miss, being arrogant like this will get yourself killed."
After speaking, his pitch-black eyes turned into scarlet blood pupils, three tomoe slowly rotating within them.