Chapter 6: What Favor Does Brother Jiao Have?

After finishing their meal, the two of them quickly washed up by the creek before heading into the camping shelter. The shelter consisted of two rooms—one large and one small.

Karen stepped into the smaller room and lay down on the small bed. After hesitating for a long moment, she finally spoke.

“My name is Karen Uzumaki. What’s your name?”

From the adjacent room, Shika’s voice came through.

“Shika… Uzumaki Shika.”

Having learned Shika’s name, Karen called out to him earnestly.

“Shika, although I’m penniless right now, I’m useful. I’ll earn lots of money and pay you back someday.”

Hearing this, Uzumaki Shika couldn’t help but smile.

…

That night, Karen was filled with anxiety.

Even though she had made many promises, they were only words. Proving her worth through speech alone was futile. This made her uneasy, fearing that Shika might disappear by morning.

Shika, however, slept soundly. With his formidable strength, he wasn’t worried about any trouble arising.

The night passed quietly. At dawn, Shika led Karen to the creek to wash up before continuing their journey.

Karen gradually grew accustomed to following Shika closely. She finally asked, “Shika, where are we headed?”

Uzumaki Shika answered casually, “We’re going to the Rain Hidden Village’s black market to pick up a mission.”

Karen nodded, hoping to prove useful.

As they neared the Rain Hidden Village, Shika took out the village headband from his ninja gear pouch and placed it on his forehead. Karen, curious about everything in the village, followed Shika closely, looking around.

When they passed a food stall selling fried meatballs, she couldn’t help but swallow hard.

Shika casually pulled out a hundred ryo from his wallet and handed it to the vendor.

“Two orders of fried meatballs, please.”

The vendor swiftly handed the two orders to Shika and Karen.

Karen was delighted but blushed and quickly looked away when Shika’s gaze met hers.

“I… I will be useful. I will pay you back,” she said.

Shika smiled, not paying it much mind. As they continued walking, he said,

“Karen, for the next while, don’t wander around here. I’ll go to the black market to pick up the mission first.”

Karen shook her head, chewing on a meatball.

“I want to go with you!”

Since Shika was going to the black market, she didn’t want to be left alone. She still hoped to be of help.

---

“You’re not much use right now. If you come along, I’ll have to look after you.”

Karen hadn’t fully matured yet, and following him was somewhat dangerous.

After Shika spoke, Karen didn’t hesitate and clung tightly to his thigh.

Shika scratched his head awkwardly.

“Uh, by doing this, you’re basically hiring me to protect you.”

“And protecting you won’t be easy, so the fee goes up!”

Shika was just joking, but Karen clenched her fists determinedly.

“I… I will pay you back!”

Surprised by her sincerity, Shika took her along to the Rain Hidden Village black market.

On the way, he helped Karen buy a set of clothes.

After browsing the clothing store for a while, Karen picked out a pale purple outfit. She seemed particularly fond of that color.

Having paid for the clothes, Shika thought for a moment and then took Karen to the village’s ninja gear shop to replenish supplies.

Since he had essentially kidnapped Karen and taken her under his wing, he couldn’t let her become useless.

Karen’s abilities were quite good and could be cultivated well as an assistant.

After all this, Uzumaki Shika finally led Karen to the Rain Hidden Village black market.

The closer they got, the fewer ninjas were around, and those present exuded fierce, hostile auras.

The ninjas making a living there were generally bloodstained.

Soon, they saw a familiar figure.

Of course, this acquaintance also noticed Uzumaki Shika.

There were few people who could remain active in the black market for long.

Who else could it be but Kakuzu?

“What's going on? Why are you so nervous?” Orochimaru scanned the surroundings but found nothing unusual.

Kakuzu stared in Shika’s direction and said to Orochimaru,

“About fifty meters directly ahead.”

Orochimaru’s eyes followed and saw the wandering ninja they had encountered a few times in the black market.

“Is he the one who took two of your lives?”

Orochimaru showed some curiosity about Shika.

Kakuzu’s single heart was equivalent to one life.

Previously, when Kakuzu encountered Uzumaki Shika, not only did he fail the mission, but he also lost two hearts.

The crates they had found were not the employer’s cargo.

Now Kakuzu knew the employer’s real target was a red-haired girl.

Thinking of this, Kakuzu’s gaze dropped.

He saw beside Uzumaki Shika a young girl wearing a pale purple jacket and glasses—Karen, with her long straight red hair.

“Orochimaru, that girl next to him is the employer’s target!”

Orochimaru looked over at Karen.

“So, are we going to make a move in the black market?”

It was hard to answer.

Kakuzu had experienced Uzumaki Shika’s strength firsthand, and starting a fight in the Rain Hidden Village black market was not a wise choice.

---

“Let’s test the waters first.”

With that thought, Kakuzu’s intent was clear as he stepped directly in front of Uzumaki Shika, blocking both Shika and Karen.

He knew Shika’s power, so while blocking him, he remained on guard.

Beside him, Orochimaru’s arms hidden beneath his robe were ready to strike like snakes.

Orochimaru had heard Kakuzu mention Shika’s strength more than once. Facing a ninja of that caliber, he remained cautious.

But what happened next surprised Orochimaru greatly.

Instead of turning hostile when blocked by Kakuzu, Uzumaki Shika stepped forward, grasped Kakuzu’s hands, and smiled warmly.

“Lord Kakuzu! What a pleasure to see you!”

“Already looking out for missions for me so soon?”

“I knew Kakazu wasn’t an ordinary man—who in the black market doesn’t know you!”

“Any missions you have for me, rest assured, my success rate is one hundred percent guaranteed.”

Kakuzu was bewildered by Shika’s words.

What nonsense was this? What mission was he talking about?

Orochimaru was also puzzled. Was this seemingly carefree ninja really the one who had taken Kakuzu’s two lives?

At such close range, the man appeared completely unguarded!

If he struck now, he might easily take Shika down in one blow.

Not far from them, Karen stared in disbelief.

From her perception, Kakuzu and Orochimaru harbored strong hostility toward Shika.

She expected a fierce battle after their encounter.

But the events that followed completely defied her imagination!

A stranger might even think these three were old friends reunited.

Shika’s smile was genuine, without a trace of pretense.

This left Kakuzu quite stunned and surprised, but also wary.

When something is amiss, there’s always a catch. Shika must be scheming some trick.

Orochimaru kept watching Shika closely.

At such close range, the other’s unguarded demeanor was unusual.

He was confident he could turn Shika into a corpse if he attacked outright.

Yet, Orochimaru refrained from striking.

He judged that, at least for now, Shika bore no hostility toward them.

Kakuzu recalled their first meeting, when Shika was wild and defiant—quite different from the somewhat slick young man smiling now.

They seemed like two different people!

However, Kakuzu had no intention of continuing the small talk.

He shook his head.

“I’m not here to hire you.”