Chapter 170: Scientific Research Cannot Be Done Without Funding, So Nagato, Hurry Up and Send the Money!
"Ah. A man who has lost his dreams." Kenichi smiled.
Hidan was not cursing much anymore. His expression had turned complicated, as if he had prayed countless times along the way, begging his god to save him.
Clearly, that so called god never appeared.
Or perhaps, Kenichi thought, these so called gods had either been driven into some dark corner by the Sage of Six Paths long ago, or they simply did not exist within the same spatial dimension anymore.
Nagato glanced at the bag in Kenichi's hand. He could sense a human body inside, but he did not care. "What are the results of your investigation?"
"They're dead. They were killed by a cult there." Kenichi spoke plainly, then released what he had brought back.
Two bodies, or rather, what was left of them.
They had died miserably. Kenichi had not bothered to piece them together. He had simply collected the parts that were convenient to carry.
Nagato frowned as he looked them over, then shook his head. With a casual wave of his hand, the ground opened and swallowed the remains, burying them directly. The act was so clean and practiced that it felt like a finished ritual.
Kenichi looked at him with a strange expression.
This guy was strangely competent at it. If Nagato ever got tired of being a leader, he could probably make a fortune working in a funeral home.
"By the way, Leader, my research has yielded some results." Kenichi stepped closer with a smile.
He had not been running many missions recently, and his contribution points were not high enough. Yet he was still very interested in studying the Gedō Mazō.
This was a good opportunity.
Kenichi planned to present Sample No. 23 to Nagato. It offered a ten percent increase in rice yield, a modest breakthrough, but a breakthrough nonetheless. As for the other sample, the one with even better performance, Kenichi had no intention of handing it over.
Good things should be kept for himself. What he gave Nagato would be the export version. It was always wise to keep something in reserve.
Nagato paused, then seemed to remember what Kenichi had said before. "Hmm? The crop finally produced results?"
"I developed an improved variety that increases rice yield by ten percent." Kenichi raised a finger proudly. Ten percent was not small.
"One tenth?" Nagato frowned. He had expected something more dramatic, but it was only that.
Nagato had wandered the world before. He had starved. He understood crops better than most shinobi.
In the Land of Rain, rice typically yielded about four hundred kilograms per acre. A ten percent increase meant an extra forty kilograms per acre. Ten acres would produce the equivalent of an extra acre's worth of grain.
It was good, but still only a drop in the ocean.
"Not bad." Nagato considered it. "I will calculate your reward based on half of your contribution from previous missions."
A ten percent increase was acceptable. Better than nothing. At least it proved there was a path forward.
Kenichi's eyes brightened. "Then can I study that big guy now?" He rubbed his hands together, excited.
He knew the Gedō Mazō was the Divine Tree. That was why the Ōtsutsuki planted those trees across the universe.
The Divine Tree was also the origin of chakra. According to the later story, the Ōtsutsuki used it to absorb all chakra into themselves, gaining a terrifying amplification.
That was why Black Zetsu tricked Madara into activating the Infinite Tsukuyomi, collecting the chakra of every shinobi, then using it to unseal Kaguya and bring her back.
Kaguya's abilities were absurd, from her bloodline techniques to All Killing Ash Bones, to freely shifting through space itself. A fully formed Ōtsutsuki was a nightmare opponent for the current shinobi world.
"Based on your current contributions," Nagato said evenly, "one more mission like the one in Iwagakure would be enough."
"Is that so?" Kenichi clicked his tongue.
Studying the Gedō Mazō was harder than he expected. It seemed he would have to make time for another mission, but not now.
More than a month had passed since he left his laboratory. It was time to return and continue his research. He also wanted to test whether the method for advancing from two tomoe to three tomoe followed a similar pattern.
"Oh, right." Nagato looked at him and suddenly remembered something.
Kenichi lifted his head, but before he could ask what it was, a deafening explosion boomed in the distance.
Kenichi turned toward the sound.
In the southwest corner of Amegakure, something massive rose up, then detonated with a violent blast. The flames scattered unnaturally, as if dispersed by an invisible force.
Nagato was gone.
Kenichi blinked.
A moment later, Nagato returned, expression clearly unpleasant. It was odd. Pain was a puppet body, yet Kenichi could still read the mood from it.
"That's what I wanted to tell you," Nagato said, voice dark. "Go. Immediately. Take Sasori away."
Kenichi stared.
Good. Nagato was in such a hurry he even used Sasori's real name.
"Huh?" Kenichi could not resist. He put on a deliberately shocked expression. "Do we not use code names when communicating internally?"
Nagato's face darkened further.
Kenichi felt the pressure in that gaze and decided it was wise to stop being cheeky. If he pushed any harder, Nagato might actually test Shinra Tensei on him.
He accepted the task obediently.
"By the way, Leader." Kenichi rubbed his hands again, tone turning almost businesslike. "Research to improve these crops is extremely expensive. Do you think it's possible to allocate some organizational funds to me?"
Why was he doing all this research?
To fleece people, of course.
Root and Konoha were already backing him. He needed another patron, and Akatsuki was the patron he had chosen.
Nagato frowned. "How much do you want?"
He knew Kenichi was not wrong. Even setting aside everything else, the ninjutsu Konan developed was terrifyingly expensive. Just thinking about the explosive tags made Nagato's liver ache.
And at least Kenichi produced results before asking for money. In that sense, the man had some conscience.
"Ahem. Not much." Kenichi pressed his thumb and fingers together, smiling. "One billion ryo should do."
Nagato's face went black.
He looked like he genuinely wanted to hit Kenichi with Shinra Tensei.
"One billion?" Nagato's tone was sharp. "How many missions would Kakuzu need to complete to earn that?"
"Get lost."
Even so, Nagato still called for Konan.
A moment later, she handed Kenichi a scroll.
Inside was one hundred million ryo.
It was not a small amount.
Kenichi looked at Nagato, genuinely surprised he actually approved it.
The only problem was Konan.
She handed the money over with obvious reluctance, her gaze lingering on Kenichi's fingernails as if they offended her.
Kenichi felt oddly singled out.
His teacher had Konan paint his nails. Even Kakuzu had his done. But Kenichi had never bothered.
So yes, in Akatsuki, he really was the odd one out.
"If your research makes progress," Nagato said, already turning away, "I will consider increasing your funding as appropriate."
He left.
Konan glanced at Kenichi's nails one more time, then followed after him.
Kenichi watched them go.
He had wanted to take out the improved crop seeds immediately, but now was not the moment. When he returned to the laboratory, he would bring Sample No. 23 to Nagato.
It seemed Nagato intended to promote it within the Land of Rain.
Kenichi did not care. A ten percent increase would make people envious, but not furious, unless Nagato refused to sell the seeds to anyone else.
Next, he needed to check on Sasori.
"But what exactly did Sasori build?" Kenichi muttered as he ran. "What was that just now? A robot?"
He had not seen it clearly. It had been too fast. But he had caught a blurry, human shaped outline, and that alone was enough to make him uneasy.
When Kenichi reached the southwest area, he found a massive fire still burning. In the flames, Sasori crouched on something, staring ahead.
Kenichi jumped to Sasori's side. His gaze swept the ground, and he saw parts scattered everywhere.
"Eh? Kenichi?" Sasori looked over, surprised. Then, after noticing Kenichi's complicated expression, Sasori grew a little embarrassed and scratched his head.
Kenichi pointed at the mess in front of them, voice flat. "What is this?"
Sasori laughed awkwardly. "Back then, didn't that person say the energy was too great and the power was not enough to consume it? So I tried it."
Kenichi took a slow breath.
Good. It really was exactly what he feared.
"So," Kenichi said, looking at the scattered components again, "you built a Gundam?"
From what he could tell, that was basically the result.
And considering the special nature of chakra, Sasori's idea was not actually unreasonable. If anything, it was almost disturbingly logical.
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