Chapter 181: The Carrot and the Stick

Feeling her body wrapped once again in a warm energy, Hyuga Rinmei's face turned red, enduring the strange sensation like a gentle breeze caressing the hills. She closed her eyes tightly, trying hard to endure.

A few minutes later.

"Alright."

"After a few more treatments, your body should be completely healed."

Withdrawing his hand, Shishou let out a long breath.

"Master, when do you plan to send me back?"

Getting off the operating table, Rinmei timidly put on her clothes, looking at Shishou and cautiously asked.

"Send you back?"

Hearing Rinmei's words, Shishou turned to look at her.

To be honest, because the situation happened so suddenly, he hadn't decided how to deal with Rinmei yet. However, sending her back rashly didn't seem appropriate either.

"If I don't return soon, it might arouse suspicion," Rinmei argued.

Shishou nodded, acknowledging the validity of her concern.

Raising his right hand, specks appeared in his palm, and small insects flew out, surrounding Rinmei and entering her body.

"Master, what is this?"

Seeing the tiny insects burrow into her body and form a strange pattern on her chest, Rinmei was horrified, her face turning pale.

Ah!

Suddenly, Rinmei felt excruciating pain all over her body and screamed out loud.

As soon as she screamed, Shishou stopped the insects' devouring, speaking coldly:

"Do not mention anything about tonight to anyone."

"Tomorrow, I will have Mr. Lurigan go to the Hyuga clan to take you away. For the next two years, you must stay by my side."

With Hinata still young and Hanabi even younger, Rinmei would be a crucial tool for his future experiments on the Tenseigan, and he couldn't afford to lose her.

Hearing that she had to stay by his side for the next two years, Rinmei fell into despair, her face turning pale.

Seeing that he had instilled enough fear, Shishou offered a carrot, smiling as he spoke:

"If you behave and complete the tasks I assign over the next two years, I might take Hinata and Hanabi as my disciples or grant them immense power."

He had already decided to help Hinata and Hanabi awaken the Tenseigan, so this wasn't an empty promise.

Hearing this, Rinmei's eyes lit up.

She had suffered enough from her lack of power and naturally wanted Hinata and Hanabi to possess the strength to control their own destinies.

Seeing that Rinmei was moved, Shishou intensified his efforts, smiling as he continued:

"Do you know why the Five Great Ninja Villages suddenly halted their joint investigation into the Akatsuki?"

"Why?" Rinmei asked instinctively.

The Five Great Ninja Villages' withdrawal from the joint investigation had caused quite a stir in the ninja world, and she had heard about it.

"Because of this!"

Shishou took out a video recorder, playing a recording of his battle with Nagato in the Valley of Death for Rinmei.

"You can use Wood Release!"

Seeing the video, Rinmei was stunned, her face filled with shock.

When she saw Nagato's Shinra Tensei and Shishou's summoning of Turtle Island, she was left speechless, unable to recover for a long time.

She finally understood why the Five Great Ninja Villages had withdrawn from the joint investigation into the Akatsuki.

Facing the overwhelming power displayed by Shishou and Nagato, recklessly opposing them would only bring enormous losses to their villages.

"Heh..."

Shishou chuckled, placing his hand on Rinmei and transporting them to the battlefield in the Valley of Death.

Then, he placed one hand on the ground, causing a giant tree to rise from beneath them, lifting them a hundred meters into the air, leaving Rinmei dumbfounded.

"I can't believe you actually won..."

Looking at the battlefield, at the remains of the Chibaku Tensei in the distance, Rinmei smiled bitterly after watching the recording.

Faced with Shishou's displayed strength, not just her, but even the entire Hyuga clan or even Konoha would have to comply.

Thinking of Shishou's promise and the possibility of Hinata and Hanabi becoming his disciples, Rinmei felt a surge of excitement.

From his persuasive actions, she could tell he wasn't without limits.

Otherwise, with his strength, if he really wanted to do something to her or the Hyuga clan, he wouldn't need to go through these extra steps.

Since he wasn't going to let her go, she might as well take this opportunity to secure a better future for Hinata and Hanabi.

Having made up her mind, Rinmei spoke:

"I agree."

Shishou nodded in satisfaction, "Alright, I will send you back now."

"Master, can I stay with Hinata and Hanabi for a few more days?"

Now devoid of any will to resist, Rinmei pleaded.

"Alright, Mr. Lurigan will visit tomorrow and take you away the day after."

"During these two days, convince the Hyuga clan yourself."

Placing his hand on Rinmei, Shishou transported her back, then disappeared.

"Phew!"

"I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse."

Freed from the shadow of death, Rinmei lay on her bed, breathing a sigh of relief.

Then she quickly got up and went to Hinata and Hanabi's room.

She had to spend quality time with Hinata and Hanabi before leaving.

Arriving at Hanabi's room, she found the two little ones sneaking snacks.

Rinmei: "..."

The next day.

Shishou, disguised as Mr. Lurigan, went to the Hyuga clan and presented the "Flying Thunder God user's" demands.

The requirement was simple: the patient must follow Mr. Lurigan alone to the Flying Thunder God user's location for treatment.

Hearing that the Flying Thunder God user no longer demanded the main family's Byakugan, Hiashi sighed in relief and repeatedly thanked Shishou.

Given the well-known relationship between the Flying Thunder God user and Tsunade in Konoha, Hiashi didn't doubt the user's intentions towards Rinmei.

Though the Byakugan issue was resolved, other elders opposed Rinmei going alone, seeing it as sending a lamb to the slaughter.

Once with the Flying Thunder God user, whether Rinmei's Byakugan could be preserved depended entirely on his whims.

"Do the elders wish for my death?"

However, when Rinmei voiced this, the elders were silenced.

Finally, with Mr. Lurigan promising to protect Rinmei and agreeing to do a task for the Hyuga clan if anything happened to her, the elders consented.

To them, the promise of the powerful Mr. Lurigan was more valuable than Rinmei's life.

Some even hoped for an accident, anticipating Mr. Lurigan's fulfillment of his promise.

On the third day.

Rinmei reluctantly bid farewell to Hinata and Hanabi, leaving Konoha accompanied by Mr. Lurigan.

"Madam, give me your hand."

Leaving Konoha's borders, Shishou spoke to Rinmei.

"What does Mr. Lurigan intend to do?" Rinmei asked warily.

"Hehe, naturally taking you to where we went two nights ago."

Shishou said, pulling Rinmei's hand and using the Flying Thunder God technique to return to his lab.

Seeing the surroundings change instantly, Rinmei was shocked, looking at Mr. Lurigan.

"You can also use the Flying Thunder God!"

Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 530+ at patreon.com/Betek.