Freelancer in the Ninja World

Are you kidding me? At a time like this, how could he still dare demand Karin?

Sure, she had the Sharingan, but she wasn't some "innately evil Uchiha" who had to be exterminated no matter what—there was no need to throw his life away.

Had it not been for the Root organization's collected intel being useful, and him risking all his pride in that last-ditch gamble, by now he'd already have been ashes on the wind.

After witnessing Senshi's terrifying power, how could Danzo still dare lay a hand on Karin? In Danzo's eyes, making a move on Karin in front of Senshi was even riskier than making a move on Sasuke in front of Uchiha Itachi.

Karin, hearing Senshi's words, felt deeply touched. Up to this moment she'd been puzzling over why Senshi seemed so angry. Now she understood—he was standing up for her!

Thinking this, Karin couldn't help hugging Senshi's leg.

"Boohoo… Senshi's the coolest!"

She spoke in a whimpering tone, with a face like she was about to burst into tears. Senshi let out a snicker, reached out casually, and flicked Karin on the forehead.

"All right, hop on!"

"Yay! Aye-aye, sir!"

With that, Karin hugged his leg with one hand, gave a salute with the other, then scrambled up Senshi's thigh and onto his shoulders—latching onto him like a little ornament. She poked her head out, brows angled, lips pouting, and glared seriously at Danzo.

After addressing Karin, Senshi once more turned his attention toward Danzo. He snorted coldly and spoke in a frosty tone:

"You've heard about the quality of my services. The price isn't cheap. Can you afford it?"

Seeing that the immediate threat to his life had passed, Danzo climbed up from the ground and nodded.

"Of course. I'm a high-ranking figure in Konoha. Any price can be negotiated."

Senshi's expression eased a bit.

"All right then, talk. What's your mission?"

"…"

Senshi's words caused Danzo to fall into an awkward silence. That last-minute ruse—shouting about having a 'mission'—had merely been a ploy to save his life. He'd never actually intended to hire Senshi for anything!

In the remnants of this devastated forest, the air turned tense and awkward. Karin seized this chance to trip Danzo up. She was quite vengeful. After all, back then Danzo's subordinates had tried to snatch her from Kusagakure. If she hadn't run into Senshi, who knew what horrible fate awaited her?

Her eyes gleamed slyly.

"Hey, could it be you actually don't have a mission at all?"

She spoke as though alarmed, covering her mouth in mock surprise.

"Tch—"

"Senshi, he's messing with you!"

Hearing that, Senshi couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"So you were playing me for a fool, eh, Danzo? You sure are gutsy!"

As he spoke, Senshi lifted his hand skyward.

"Bzz bzz bzz!"

"Rumble…!"

"Zzt! Zzt! Zzt! Zzt!"

Suddenly, lightning flashed wildly, the peals of thunder echoing throughout. Then an earthshaking Thunder God figure descended. Two Hundred-Million Volts: Thunder God!

Because this was the ninja world, you might also call it "Lightning Style: Gundam Technique" or "Lightning Susanoo." As this enormous giant made of storming lightning rose up, Danzo's pupils shrank in fear. From Danzo's perspective, this Lightning Release dwarfed even Senshi's previous Thunder Dragon by several magnitudes. The towering lightning titan loomed at a distance, bringing Danzo unprecedented pressure.

He didn't have many Izanagi uses left. Another conflict, and he'd be finished. He hadn't even become Hokage or revitalized Konoha yet, so there was no way he wanted to die in such a baffling place.

Karin also eyed Senshi's "Two Hundred-Million Volts Thunder God," quietly thinking, Is that Senshi's version of Susanoo? Looks so powerful! As expected of Senshi!

Fortunately, Danzo did still have some wits. At this critical moment, he deliberated carefully—and came up with a plausible pitch. Turning to Senshi, he hastily spoke:

"Uzumaki Senshi-dono… I'd like to hire you to be my bodyguard?"

Senshi cocked his head.

"Your bodyguard? You think you're worthy of that? Who do you think you are, having the qualifications to hire me?"

Danzo froze, then quickly said:

"N-no, not a bodyguard. I want to hire you to act as my… security advisor."

"Not… not…?" Senshi waved both hands in dismissal.

That gesture made Danzo's heart seize, nearly stopping in terror. Does this guy… plan to kill me for sure? Danzo felt himself on the brink of despair. He was stuck like every other opponent who'd ever faced Senshi: too weak to fight, with no chance to run. The moment the battle started, their survival depended on Senshi's whim, not themselves.

Senshi spoke again:

"Little Dan, you got one detail wrong."

Danzo frowned inwardly. What did I say wrong?

Senshi, not bothering with suspense, sneered and explained:

"It's not that you want to hire me to protect you or serve as your 'security advisor.' It's that you're begging me to become your advisor, to ensure your personal safety."

Put in more professional terms: earlier, when Senshi had asked Danzo for a mission, it was a buyer's market—Danzo held the initiative whether or not to pay for Senshi's service. Now it was reversed—a seller's market. If Danzo couldn't buy Senshi's "security service," then he'd lose his life. And Senshi wouldn't hurt his own reputation in the slightest—after all, Danzo started the fight, not him.

Hearing this, Danzo quickly nodded:

"Yes, exactly! I'm begging you to be my security advisor."

He said so while cursing inwardly: Where in the ninja world do you find this kind of business tactic? This was basically Senshi holding his head down, forcing him to comply.

Senshi continued, wearing an air of professional courtesy:

"Danzo, you know my situation. Considering the number of missions I take and my 100% success rate, calling me the greatest mercenary before and after all ages isn't an exaggeration."

He was paving the way, intending to drive up the price. Danzo listened in exasperated silence, thinking, With that power, he could just become a Kage and be famous. Why the heck is he in Amegakure as some merc?

Senshi moved on:

"Since you acknowledge my power, let me cut to the chase. I don't take ordinary commissions anymore. And whatever mission I do accept, there are some added conditions I must emphasize."

Danzo wanted to ram his head into a wall. According to Root's intel, Uzumaki Senshi was "obsessed with money, unscrupulous in chasing missions." Yet here Senshi was claiming he doesn't take most missions. Senshi then said:

"Moreover, no matter what kind of request, there are special terms."

Danzo, seething inside, remained outwardly calm. He'd endure—just stay alive to fight another day.

So Senshi spelled out his demands:

1. This request must be an indefinite long-term mission.

Danzo's gut reaction was to refuse. Indefinite? Where had he even heard of such a thing? But that was only the first demand. Who knew what else Senshi would say? He had no choice but to keep quiet.

Seeing Danzo's sullen face, Senshi grasped that Danzo found his term "unreasonable." So he added:

2. Danzo must pay an annual fee of one hundred million ryō as commission.

Danzo was about to try recalling the hand seals for his Four Symbols Seal to blow himself up. He gave Orochimaru one billion for a shot at acquiring Hashirama's Wood Release. Paying Senshi might yield… nothing. Little did he realize that in truth, Senshi—unlike Orochimaru—would definitely produce results if hired. That was the difference between 100% success and someone who might just devour your funds. Meanwhile, Senshi went on:

3. "I only guarantee you won't be killed. If someone beats you half to death, but you're not in mortal danger, I won't step in."

??? That was simply insane. This was less a "security advisor" and more like some overlord. Before Danzo could fully process it, Senshi cut him off with one last addition:

"For now, that's all. If I think of something else, I'll add it later."

Hearing this, Danzo's eyes screamed "Just kill me now". But, recalling his many unfulfilled objectives—like becoming Hokage and making Hiruzen acknowledge his ideals—he suppressed his fury. A ninja must endure what most cannot. Inhaling deeply, trying to tamp down his terror and anger, Danzo spoke with forced calm:

"Lord Senshi, I accept all your additional terms. I request to hire you indefinitely as my security advisor at a rate of one hundred million ryō per year!"

He said this using enormous willpower to keep from grinding his molars to dust.

Just then, Senshi's system prompt appeared:

[New Long-Term Hiring Mission Detected!]

[Client: Shimura Danzo]

[Objective: Serve indefinitely as Danzo's 'security advisor,' ensuring he isn't killed.]

[Compensation: 100 million ryō per year]

[Mission Rank: S]

[Mission Reward: 1 Super Draw]

Senshi was thrilled. Meeting Danzo, he'd only hoped to squeeze a bit of money, yet Danzo ended up proffering his face to be slapped, along with a Super Draw chance on top of that. How very polite of him indeed!

Accepting the mission immediately, Senshi smiled:

"Dan-chan, since you sincerely beg me to be your security advisor, I'll mercifully agree. From today on, you can rest easy and leave your life in my hands."

Danzo: ???!!!

He was flabbergasted by Senshi's monstrous power and equally monstrous logic. And, as it turned out, Senshi wasn't done showing off. Senshi clapped both hands:

"Wood Release: Wood Clone Technique!"

Boom! The ground beside Senshi cracked, and a wooden clone grew rapidly into shape. Then Senshi turned to Danzo with a slightly disdainful expression:

"Dan-chan, given your status, you're not likely to face any big-name assassins. A single wood clone will be more than enough to protect you. Trust me, this is a big win for you!"

???!! Danzo nearly exploded on the spot. He was paying a hundred million a year, only to have a wood clone follow him around?! Had he any heart condition, he'd surely be dead by now.

However furious he felt, there was nothing he could do. Where else in the ninja world could he find anyone powerful enough to stand up to Senshi? Right now, Senshi was practically the new "Hashirama in the Warring States era." Unlike Hashirama, who had an Uchiha Madara to check him, Senshi had free rein to do whatever he liked.

~~~

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