For a girl around the same age as Hinata, her cleavage was undeniably deeper—even surpassing Hinata's.
Well… that made it easy to understand why Kakuzu had taken an interest in her. She certainly stood out.
"Very well, then. Let's begin."
Hinata reached out and peeled the tape from the black-haired girl's mouth, lightly licking her lips. She had no intention of hiding the forbidden jutsu she was about to perform from Sai. After all, his mission was to observe her. Rather than kicking him out only to be spied on from the shadows, she'd rather conduct the ritual in the open—showing him exactly how in control she was.
"Cough, cough—! You white-eyed freak! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
The black-haired girl coughed violently, then immediately spat curses at Hinata. Sai frowned slightly, but Hinata casually raised a hand, signaling him not to interrupt.
"Who I am isn't important. What matters is that you're going to die here."
She stared at the girl without a shred of concealment, the corner of her lips curving upward into a wicked smirk—sharp and chilling like a blade unsheathing.
"So go ahead and die now."
"You… no… I… I don't want to die…"
Faced with such a blunt and emotionless statement, the girl visibly trembled. No matter how mature she might seem, there was no way she could stand up to the overwhelming presence of Hinata. Fear cracked through her expression like crazed porcelain, quickly spreading across her whole body.
"Forbidden Jutsu: Soul Transference Technique."
Calmly forming hand seals, Hinata's pale eyes glowed with a haunting chill. As the final seal completed, she reached out, cupping the girl's head—and smashed their foreheads together. At that instant, the girl let out a bloodcurdling scream as her pupils dilated and dissolved, vanishing entirely as though her soul had been ripped out.
Moments later, a pair of icy white eyes reappeared within her sockets.
Meanwhile, Hinata's original body collapsed backward like a puppet with its strings cut. Sai reacted instantly, catching the unconscious form.
"Hn… Looks like it worked."
The black-haired girl—now controlled by Hinata—raised her head, scanning the area. When she spotted 'Hinata' being held by Sai, she couldn't help but chuckle slightly. It had worked. She'd overwhelmed the original consciousness of this body in seconds and taken control.
"M-My lady?"
Hearing the black-haired girl speak in Hinata's voice, Sai felt his scalp prickle. It was like watching a demon take possession of a corpse—horrifying and surreal.
"It's me. Oh~ this body's chakra nature is fire, not bad. No wonder it's the most common type."
Hinata calmly assessed the body. Her index finger sparked with flame, burning through the rope binding her wrists. But a moment later, searing pain jolted through her hand.
Annoyed, she looked down—only to find a blister forming where the chakra had gathered.
"I see. So even if my soul knows how to use Sacred Fist techniques, the body's hardware can't handle it. It actually harms itself."
The realization clicked instantly. She stood up slowly from the box, her movements slightly awkward. It felt like her limbs were restricted somehow—clearly a symptom of the soul and body not yet being fully synchronized.
Sai's brows furrowed. Only now did he realize why Hinata had ordered this package. She'd intended to use it as a backup body from the start.
"Well then~ Let's move. I want to visit that underground agency in person."
Hinata flipped her long black hair with a practiced motion. Glancing down at her original, slumbering body, she smiled cryptically.
"As for her, let her rest properly in the house."
"Yes, my lady."
After a brief hesitation, Sai bowed and obeyed. Whatever her goal was, he had no choice but to follow for now.
As a high-security ninja village, Konoha wasn't a place just anyone could slip in or out of. But as a Root ninja, Sai was well-versed in the weak spots of the village's barriers and patrols. With ease, the two slipped out through a hidden point in the wall, heading toward the underground agency Sai had visited before.
This was the first time Hinata had stepped beyond Konoha since arriving in this world. Still, it didn't feel like a big deal—humans were largely the same wherever you went. The only difference here was that strength was measured through ninjutsu.
"Huh? You're looking for Kakuzu?"
The broker at the underground agency looked troubled. Kakuzu was one of the most reliable bounty hunters in the Akatsuki—so reliable, in fact, that his availability was scarce.
"I'm sorry, miss. Kakuzu just took another job and left. He probably won't be back for two weeks. But if you're interested, I can introduce some others. They're just as capable."
Hinata was about to refuse when a pair of familiar voices suddenly interrupted.
"Jeez~~ that mission was a total headache. Hmm!"
"Shut it, Deidara! If you hadn't dawdled—"
The first voice was youthful and sharp, marked by that distinctive "hmm!" tic. The second was low, cold, and came with a crawling, scraping sound.
Hinata's eyes lit up.
"So, you're saying there are other Akatsuki members here as well?"
She turned her gaze toward the broker, who quickly caught on and nodded.
"Ah~ yes, Miss. That's Sasori and Deidara. You're quite lucky. They're also from the Akatsuki, same as Kakuzu!"
As he spoke, two figures in signature black cloaks with red clouds entered the room: Deidara and Sasori.
"Hey, here's proof from our last mission. Check it. Hmm!"
Deidara tossed a bloodstained bundle onto the broker's counter, looking visibly annoyed. Even the elite got stuck with frustrating assignments now and then.
"Hmm~ This matches the target described. As expected from Akatsuki elites—utterly dependable."
The broker opened the package and smiled sycophantically, which made Deidara puff out his chest.
"Of course! We're a team dedicated to true art! Those other wannabes can't compare!"
Noticing Hinata and Sai nearby, Deidara raised an eyebrow.
"Whoa~ kids are bounty hunters now?"
"No, no, Deidara. They're clients. And this lady here is looking to hire someone from the Akatsuki."
The broker explained Hinata's intent and tactfully stepped aside, leaving them space to talk.
"Oh? You've got taste, but unless you've got the money, forget it."
Sasori's voice came out low and sinister from within his puppet shell. Deidara also crossed his arms smugly.
"Yeah! We don't work for bratty kids! Hmm!"
Their posturing didn't faze Hinata at all. In fact, she smiled, even more pleased.
Honestly, these "Art Duo" members might be even better suited to her needs than the "Undying Duo."
"Of course~ I do have a certain artistic project in mind. That's why I want to hire you two."
She tilted her head slightly and asked, "Tell me… are you familiar with something called a 'figurine'?"
---
"Huh? Figurine?"
Unsurprisingly, this unfamiliar word left Deidara confused. In the ninja world of Naruto, otaku culture hadn't exactly blossomed. The closest they'd seen to figurines were plastic models or anatomical dummies. Even avant-garde artists like Deidara and Sasori were hearing it for the first time.
"That's right. Let me give you an example..."