Chapter 43: Robbing the Rich to Help the Poor—When the Poor is Yourself

Chapter 43: Robbing the Rich to Help the Poor—When the Poor is Yourself

Nighttime.

Inside the steam-filled bathroom, Izayoi lay slumped in the bathtub, arms cradling his head as he stared at the misty ceiling.

His azure eyes looked different tonight—lighter, like a pale sky blue. Even his pupils had shifted from black to blue, glowing softly as if tiny, living white petals drifted from them into the air.

But if one looked closer, they’d realize Izayoi wasn’t admiring the ceiling. His gaze pierced through the roof, the earth, observing Konoha from a godlike perspective.

In Izayoi’s vision, Konoha was encased in a circular wall twenty meters high, enclosing its villages, forests, and fields. If the land dipped slightly, the village would resemble a pot, its contents stewing inside. Above it all hovered a transparent dome, sealing the village shut. Even underground, the barrier extended—its invisible walls alerting the Perception Squad to any chakra disruptions.

This was Konoha’s Perception Barrier. Even Pain’s Six Paths couldn’t breach it without exposing one of their bodies.

Yet no technique was flawless. The barrier had one gap: the village’s main gate. Emergency exits were too burdensome to guard, so the barrier dissolved briefly every six hours during shift changes.

Izayoi smirked as he muttered, “Four times a day… Perfect timing.”

At some point, he’d left the tub and now lay in bed, the night silent around him.

After pinpointing the barrier’s weakness, he shifted focus eastward along Fire Country. His vision settled on a campsite. Tents dotted the clearing, their occupants asleep. A fire crackled where Sasuke Uchiha stood watch.

Izayoi chuckled, glancing toward Tazuna’s distant silhouette. “Such a pitiful budget. Let me lend you a hand.”

Yes, he’d decided to intervene in the Land of Waves arc. Crafting puppets and chakra cores required materials—either scavenged or bought. Buying a camera had left him broke. At this pace, D-Rank missions alone wouldn’t fund his projects for years.

Fate intervened when he met Tazuna. Gato—a billionaire criminal—was the answer. Robbing him would secure Izayoi’s finances forever.

Grinning, he resolved to “generously” redistribute the wealth.

—

The next noon, Izayoi cashed in his mission rewards at the Ninja Tools Shop, purchasing two Storage Scrolls. After creating a chakra-rich Shadow Clone to stay behind, he slipped past the barrier during the squad change.

The Land of Waves, a tiny island nation, lay eastward across the sea. From Konoha’s edge, its silhouette shimmered on the horizon. Thanks to his Rinnegan’s telescopic vision, Izayoi spotted it instantly.

Konoha’s center to the eastern shore took a day’s Body Flicker. Naruto’s group had once sprinted there in hours, but Izayoi moved faster. Within three, he’d surpassed Team 7’s plodding pace, overtaking the Demon Brothers en route.

Leaping skyward, he transformed. His white hair billowed beneath a plain black cloak, his face obscured by a featureless white mask. Landing at Gato’s opulent villa, he strode inside.

Inside, Gato sneered at Zabuza Momochi, his bandages hiding a smirk. “Your Demon Brothers still haven’t handled that old man?”

“They’ll finish him,” Zabuza rasped. “Patience.”

A voice cut in: “Admirable loyalty. Even as a missing-nin, you cling to professionalism?”

Zabuza rose, hefting his blade. Haku materialized, needles at the ready. “Careful, Master Gato. This one… is strong.”

Zabuza’s grin widened. “A lawless fool. Just the kind I enjoy slicing.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end