In the end, Tengen and Kakuzu finalized the basics of their plan.
Tasks like hiring mercenaries and constructing facilities required substantial funds.
"Alright, our partnership is set." Kakuzu said eagerly.
"No problem." Tengen replied with a smile. "I can help cover some of the costs when the time comes."
"Help? This venture will be expensive." Kakuzu noted.
"The Third Great Ninja War is likely approaching." Tengen said calmly.
"The Third Great Ninja War?" Kakuzu paused, surprised. He had noticed increased activity from the major villages' shinobi recently.
"When it begins, the conflicts between the great nations and villages will create opportunities for us." Tengen explained.
"We won't get caught, will we?" Kakuzu asked, a mix of excitement and apprehension in his voice. Opposing the great nations seemed a death wish.
"War demands special measures." Tengen said with a cryptic smile. "And when that time comes, I'll have other methods."
"Oh?" Kakuzu nodded, slightly confused.
He no longer saw Tengen as a child. Despite his youthful appearance, Tengen carried the air of a seasoned veteran.
"Where should we establish our base?" Kakuzu asked.
"For now, the Land of Rivers. Its ninja forces are weak, but it has ample land." Tengen said after a moment's thought.
"Land of Rivers." Kakuzu agreed. "That works."
"How will I contact you if something comes up?" Kakuzu inquired.
"I'll give you a long-range summoning scroll. You can reach me through it. Plus, you're marked with my Flying Thunder God seal, I can be there instantly." Tengen said, glancing at him.
"Uh, alright." Kakuzu said, a bit dazed. "The Flying Thunder God can reach that far?"
"Mine can." Tengen replied coolly.
"But perhaps we should research something like a mobile phone for long-distance communication." Tengen mused, rubbing his chin. The ninja world's supernatural forces made signal infrastructure vulnerable, and tracking enemies was challenging.
"We'd need a significant force to protect such systems, possibly integrating ninjutsu." Tengen pondered.
The ninja world required tailored solutions.
Glancing at the darkening sky, Tengen frowned. With night falling, he decided against rejoining Orochimaru immediately.
He'd inform Orochimaru he'd be delayed.
"Kakuzu, we'll stay here tonight and leave tomorrow. Contact me if anything comes up." Tengen said, looking at the pitch-black sky.
"You're not planning something shady, are you?" Kakuzu teased, feigning fear.
"Kakuzu, if you want your remaining two hearts destroyed, keep talking." Tengen said, his gaze steady.
"Uh, got it, Tengen." Kakuzu coughed awkwardly.
They found a local inn, securing separate rooms.
In his room, Tengen decided to update Orochimaru. He scribbled a message, then pulled out a scroll. Forming hand seals, he pressed his hands to it.
Smoke rose, and a small snake slithered out.
The snake regarded Tengen, recognizing him.
"Deliver this to Orochimaru-sensei." Tengen said, attaching the note to the snake.
He dismissed it and put the scroll away.
Now, Tengen wanted to examine what he'd gained from Kakuzu, directly or indirectly.
At the border of the Land of Fire, a campfire crackled, its logs popping.
Orochimaru, Anko, and the others rested nearby.
"Hm." Orochimaru stirred, clapping his hands to the ground. A summoning seal appeared, and a small snake emerged.
Without hesitation, he retrieved the note from the snake and read it, a faint, enigmatic smile crossing his face.
"What's up, Orochimaru-sensei?" Anko asked.
"Nothing. Tengen won't be back right away. It'll be a couple of days." Orochimaru replied.
"Figures. Tengen's probably off playing somewhere." Anko huffed.
"Don't say that. He might be training." Orochimaru said with a slight smile.
"Training." Shujin Uchiha murmured, his gaze shifting. His strength had hit a plateau, and advancing his single-tomoe Sharingan to two tomoe was his best path forward.
While Anko and the others chatted, Tengen turned to his videos.
"This is a 'Love O2O' video." he noted, surprised by the ordinary video.
He was familiar with it, a modern setting, typically yielding mundane items. Nuclear weapons or the like were absent, and supernatural abilities were nonexistent.
"Now for the standard video." Tengen said, checking the reward for destroying three of Kakuzu's hearts.
"Transformers." he said, pausing. In his previous world, it was an American sci-fi blockbuster about Cybertronians on Earth, mechanical beings with life.
"This world might have something valuable." Tengen mused. Acquiring the AllSpark could enable him to build a robotic army. Firearm-wielding robots could rival kunai-based attacks.
"Let's extract the 'Love O2O' video first." Tengen decided.
"Ding! Congratulations, you've obtained…"
***
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