Naruto: Uchiha Survivor Forced to Save the Shinobi World

Land of Grass, outside a certain black market.

A sneaky figure peered outside for a long time. Finally, taking advantage of the cover of night, their body flickered, blending into the black market disguised as a cabaret.

Passing through the bustling dance floor, that sneaky figure arrived at a secret door and knocked on it.

A voice soon came from inside: "Who is it?"

The sneaky figure pinched their throat and said: "Introduced by the one-eyed dragon!"

After a moment, the door was opened. The black market boss took a glance at the figure outside, then stepped aside to make room: "Come in."

After entering the room, the black market boss sized him up carefully while saying: "Business hasn't been good lately. The five great shinobi villages are going crazy, searching everywhere for us, so all the black market bounties are currently suspended. If you want to earn money, you'd better go elsewhere!"

The sneaky figure said: "I've come to bring you money!"

The black market boss frowned: "Bring money?!"

"I want to buy information!"

"Information?" The black market boss hesitated, then said: "If it's about the Akatsuki, then don't say another word. Who doesn't know that you can't provoke the Akatsuki? Now, whenever I see someone wearing a red cloud robe, my legs start shaking!"

The sneaky figure seemed a bit pleased and then said: "Relax, it has nothing to do with the Akatsuki. I want to buy information about the Hogan."

The black market boss frowned: "Are you from Hidden Mist?"

The sneaky figure quickly shook their head: "I'm not!"

"Then why are you looking for those guys?" After a pause, the black market boss said: "Ever since they escaped from Hidden Mist, those guys rarely show themselves. Digging up their info is quite risky. I don't want to lose my head to a Night Owl in the middle of the night!"

The sneaky figure asked curiously: "Who is Night Owl?"

"The leader of that group is called Night Owl, a lunatic who possesses the Hogan!" The black market boss chuckled: "This piece of info is free of charge!"

Hearing that there was someone with the 'Hogan,' the sneaky figure immediately became interested: "Do you know where this Night Owl is?"

"Five million!"

After pondering for a moment, the black market boss quoted a price.

After hesitating for a good while, the sneaky figure gritted their teeth and said: "Deal!"

Once paid, the black market boss pointed to the map: "It's this area. Someone saw them active around here!"

The sneaky figure stared at the map, carefully memorizing it.

"This group isn't simple. Hidden Mist sent people to wipe them out several times, all to no avail. Whatever you're planning, you'd better be careful." After pausing, the black market boss suddenly changed his tone: "You know the rules, right? Once you leave here, we don't know each other!"

The sneaky figure waved a hand: "I understand! I understand!"

Hidden Leaf Village, in the training ground.

Bang, bang, bang.

After a series of dull thuds from fists and feet colliding, Uchiha Shinji took two punches and three kicks, and was sent flying backward.

Haku halted his offensive and asked with concern: "Shinji, are you alright?"

"Hoo…"

Uchiha Shinji exhaled and shook his head.

Although his taijutsu had improved a lot, compared to Haku, especially without being able to activate his Sharingan, he was clearly inferior.

But usually, Haku wouldn't be so serious during their sparring sessions, so Uchiha Shinji typically had the upper hand. Today, for some reason, Haku's attacks suddenly became much more fierce.

After catching his breath, Uchiha Shinji said: "Just now, you…"

Haku quickly said: "I got a bit distracted just now!"

"Distracted?!"

Uchiha Shinji was speechless.

In a moment of distraction, Haku still managed to defeat him. This meant that, purely in terms of taijutsu, the gap between them was far from small.

Realizing he'd said something wrong, Haku apologized with a face full of regret: "I'm sorry."

Just now, he was indeed distracted.

In the few days since returning to the village, the fierce battle he had with the 'Water Pillar' Tomioka Giyu had been lingering in his mind.

Clearly,

The swift and fierce fighting style of the 'Water Pillar' Tomioka Giyu, as well as his masterful manipulation of water, kept giving Haku new insights whenever he thought about it.

During the spar just now, it was precisely because he got lost in thought and subconsciously regarded Uchiha Shinji as Tomioka Giyu that his offensive suddenly became so intense.

"It's fine, let's go again!"

Uchiha Shinji knew his own foundation was thin and he lacked experience, so he never got cocky.

Moreover, training in taijutsu was originally dull, tedious, and even a form of self-torture.

For someone like him, who lacked tactical talent, the only way to develop keen battle instincts was to be beaten down over and over.

Relying on the overwhelming power of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan to crush opponents wouldn't cultivate true combat intuition.

A long while later, after finishing their spar, Uchiha Shinji returned to his apartment.

In the bathroom, he turned on the faucet, listened to the rushing water, then bit his own finger and began forming hand seals: "Summoning Technique!"

Poof.

With a puff of white smoke, a figure emerged from inside.

Uchiha Shinji's face stiffened: "Y-You, what is this?"

The summoned Coalball spun around once, then winked and made faces at Uchiha Shinji: "Well, well, how about this? How about it?"

Uchiha Shinji was covered in black lines.

He had no idea what sort of madness overcame Coalball. The cat was wearing a miniature version of the Akatsuki's red cloud robe, a tight-fitting style at that.

Seeing Coalball still twisting back and forth, Uchiha Shinji said: "Are you looking to get yourself killed?!"

Coalball squatted down: "Hmph hmph, don't think I don't know about your matters!"

"What matters?"

While licking its paws, Coalball said: "You've joined the Akatsuki, right? Hmph, don't forget, your red cloud robe was made by me! But you Akatsuki are too stingy, not even issuing uniforms and masks officially?"

Uchiha Shinji said helplessly: "Don't spout nonsense, I have no connection with the Akatsuki!"

"I understand, I understand!" Coalball grinned mischievously: "The Akatsuki is so intimidating now, provoking all the five great shinobi villages at once. Of course, you wouldn't dare admit it!"

Uchiha Shinji spat lightly: "You'd better not show off. Be careful or you'll lose your cat life!"

Coalball sighed and took off the cat-sized red cloud robe: "Eh, I only dare to wear it in front of you. I don't even dare wear it at home, afraid of being beaten to death."

"Good that you know! The five great shinobi villages can't deal with the Akatsuki, but they can definitely deal with one cat like you!"

Uchiha Shinji chuckled. He knew Coalball's timid nature—surely it wouldn't dare to be too ostentatious.

Coalball then leaned close to Uchiha Shinji and whispered: "Shinji, are you really 'A' of the Akatsuki? I heard that the bounty the five great shinobi villages have on you has reached one hundred million! Do you know how much a hundred million is? A hundred million is…"

Coalball tried to count with its cat paws for a long time but finally gave up, saying: "Anyway, it's a lot, a whole lot! Even just providing valid information about you could easily fetch tens of millions!"

Uchiha Shinji was stunned for a moment, stroking his chin: "That much money?"