Naruto：Immortality and the Eight Inner Gates[Double agent]

At Kumogakure's hospital, Rinjin lay back on his bed with a stoic expression after enjoying the gentle care of a cute nurse who had just fed him.

As satisfying as it was, I can't let it show.

Reflecting on his plan, aside from that one unexpected Tailed Beast Bomb from Matatabi at the end, the overall execution was nearly flawless.

The three strategic goals Rinjin had set for himself were, for the most part, successfully achieved.

First, meeting the Two-Tails, Matatabi, in person.

Although Matatabi didn't seem particularly pleased with their meeting, who cares? As long as I'm satisfied, it's a success!

Second, infiltrating Kumogakure without leaving any traces.

On this front, things went fairly well. His current identity was decent enough, and at least his trustworthiness wasn't an issue.

The last goal was about his position and status.

This one had taken him the longest to figure out.

After all, as one's status rises, so does the level of scrutiny and surveillance.

So Rinjin chose the safest route: climbing the ranks step by step instead of directly replacing someone in a high position.

The advantage of this approach was obvious. Since he would be working his way up, any slight changes in his personality would seem natural, reducing the risk of exposure.

Once he confirmed there were no loose ends, Rinjin finally felt at ease.

Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, Rinjin took advantage of the Flying Raijin Jutsu's teleportation to lead a double life: lounging in the hospital during the day to enjoy the services, while at night, his shadow clones took his place in the hospital bed while he snuck out.

He had been busy digging a massive underground cavern beneath Raimei's house to serve as his secret base.

The project was a collaborative effort between the Excavation Shadow Clone Division and the Transportation Shadow Clone Division.

In simpler terms, Rinjin had his shadow clones dig up the dirt, then used the Flying Raijin Jutsu to transport it outside the village and dump it.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of his clones, the enormous cavern was finally completed.

Rinjin personally sealed the entrance to the underground base, ensuring that no one would ever discover it.

From now on, all entry and exit would rely solely on the Flying Raijin Jutsu.

With everything in place, Rinjin began a systematic training regimen for his shadow clones. This time, their focus was on chakra nature transformation.

Rinjin planned to master Lightning Release, paving the way for him to train in the Lightning Release Chakra Mode and become as unyielding as the Third Raikage.

Strength might be a matter of the current meta, but toughness? That's a lifetime achievement.

---

Meanwhile, far away in the Land of Hot Water, Tsuchinu (Dirt Dog) received a message from Rinjin.

Because Rinjin adamantly refused to put any information in writing, Tsuchinu had no choice but to memorize the lengthy report relayed by Rinjin's shadow clone.

The most infuriating part? A third of the 5,000-word report was just Rinjin shamelessly bragging about himself.

Another third was dedicated to urging Hiruzen Sarutobi to hurry up and pay his salary.

After much effort, Tsuchinu finally managed to memorize the entire report word for word.

Then, as if by magic, Rinjin's shadow clone pulled out three scrolls and placed them on the table.

At that moment, Tsuchinu's face darkened beneath his mask.

This bastard! Didn't he say no writing was allowed? Then what the hell are these?!

The shadow clone, wearing Rinjin's signature mischievous grin, chuckled.

"Brother Dog, these are for my sister Rie, Lady Mito Uzumaki, and Kagami Uchiha. Don't mix them up. Oh, and don't you dare peek inside!"

Hearing this, a dark aura radiated from Tsuchinu's entire body as he gritted his teeth.

"You bastard! Is this what you meant by no writing and no putting information on paper?!"

Rinjin's shadow clone rolled his eyes dramatically and pressed a hand on the scrolls.

"Well then... How about I read them out loud, and you memorize them word for word?"

"Uh..." Tsuchinu froze, his face beneath the mask filled with reluctance. But the thought of memorizing the contents of three more scrolls made his head spin.

"Fine... fine," Tsuchinu muttered, his voice muffled as he snatched the scrolls from the table.

Just when he thought that was the end of it, Rinjin casually removed a massive backpack from his shoulder and plopped it onto the table with a loud thud.

"And these are for my sister Rie."

Tsuchinu's mouth twitched as his trembling hands slowly unfastened the straps of the oversized backpack.

Inside, he found neatly arranged stacks of books, some thick and some thin.

"What are these?" Tsuchinu asked, exasperated.

Rinjin scratched his head with an innocent smile. "Oh, just some books."

"What kind of books?" Tsuchinu pressed.

"Um..."

"'Happy Holidays' Arithmetic Textbook Series."

"'Junior Exam Champion' Practice Tests..."

"Wait, wait, wait! What nonsense are you spouting? Never mind, I'll check for myself."

Tsuchinu cut him off and grabbed a book at random.

"..."

Even after Rinjin's shadow clone dissipated, Tsuchinu remained frozen in place, staring blankly at the book in his hand without flipping a single page.

This... this... THIS!

He was utterly dumbfounded. Just the contents of this one book were enough to shatter his worldview.

He didn't need to see more. With just this backpack full of books, he could already envision Rie turning against Rinjin, the siblings locked in a bitter feud.

But could Rie really stand a chance against her brother?

Tsuchinu couldn't help but feel a deep sense of pity for the unlucky girl.

Shaking his head in resignation, Tsuchinu shouldered the heavy backpack and set off for Konoha.

---

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

What should have been a two-day journey was dragged out by the sheer weight of knowledge he was carrying.

The familiar sight of Konoha Village greeted him, bathed in warm, golden sunlight.

The afternoon was peaceful and serene.

Outside the Hokage's office, a masked figure covered in dust was gulping down water.

He drank so quickly that water spilled down his neck and into his oversized cloak.

"Tsuchinu, are you done yet? Lord Hiruzen and the advisors are waiting for you!"

Tsuchinu handed the cup back to his fellow Anbu and nodded slightly. With a hint of pity in his colleague's eyes, he stepped into the Hokage's office.

Pushing open the door.

Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi was puffing on his pipe, while Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado sat calmly nearby.

In separate corners of the room, the feuding Danzō Shimura and Kagami Uchiha sat far apart, each occupying their own space.

With the exception of Torifu Akimichi, who had returned home to take over his family business, the remaining five of the group were all present.

Having endured Rinjin's torment, Tsuchinu's mental resilience was now as solid as steel. Calm and composed, he placed the three scrolls and the backpack on Hiruzen's desk.

Before Hiruzen could ask, Tsuchinu pointed to the scrolls and began explaining.

"These three scrolls are for Rie Sōhō, Lady Mito Uzumaki, and..."

He paused, his masked face subtly glancing at Kagami Uchiha sitting in the corner.

"Lord Kagami Uchiha."

Hearing this, Kagami, who had been sulking, suddenly broke into a wide grin.

"Well, well, it's rare for that rascal Rinjin to remember me! How unusual!"

Despite his words, the smile on his face betrayed his delight.

Still, he remained seated, adhering to the decorum instilled in him as one of Tobirama Senju's disciples.

Hiruzen glanced at the scrolls on the desk but didn't reach for them. Instead, he looked up at Tsuchinu.

"What about Rinjin's report?"

"Um... Lord Hiruzen, should I deliver it verbally?"

After receiving Hiruzen's nod, Tsuchinu's expression turned complicated as he began.

"Ahem..."

"Currently in Kumogakure, just checked into the hospital. Thanks for the invite..."