Before they knew it, the rewards for the Taijutsu List were announced.
[Kakashi: The one-year reward for the Taijutsu list has ended. In ten days, the second reward for the weapon list should be announced. My White Fang blade has been repaired, so I should perform well. I also acquired Kubikiribōchō, which should bring a good reward.]
[Zabuza Momochi: Kakashi, that's my sword!]
[Might Guy: If you don't mess it up, what weapon and reward are you aiming for, you dead man!]
[Zabuza Momochi: Darn, I knew I shouldn't have taken that mission in the first place!]
[Senju Hashirama: Ten days will pass quickly.]
[Senju Tobirama: Unfortunately, it's not related to us, and we still can't make it onto the list.]
[Senju Hashirama: Ah, Little Brother, don't bring up this sorrowful matter. Even as a ninja god, I didn't make the list! It's a disgrace!]
[Third Hokage: Teacher Hashirama, the main reason is that you're too strong and don't train in Taijutsu. If you did, your Sage body's power would secure a top spot on the list. Your immense power means you don't need weapons, summoning beasts, or have any inclination to collect them. Wait for the next list, and you'll undoubtedly make it!]
[Senju Hashirama: Little monkey, your words make me feel better! I'm not on those lists because I'm too powerful. I don't need external items. Furthermore, these lists are beneath me, and when other lists are revealed, I'll be on them for sure!]
Soon, the live broadcast room was banned again, and those who weren't on the list couldn't speak anymore.
Sunagakure.
Temari patrolled the area outside Sunagakure.
Suddenly, a Jōnin in a black robe appeared and attacked Temari directly.
Temari wasn't yet at Jōnin level and was currently just an elite Chunin.
A barrage of kunai came her way, some of them bearing explosive tags.
Temari used her Giant Folding Fan to deflect some of the kunai, but the explosion still sent her flying.
Then, a thick mist surrounded the area, obscuring her vision.
"This is the Mist Shinobi Technique. Could it be a ninja from Kirigakure?" Temari was nervous.
She knew exactly why a Jōnin from Kirigakure had attacked her.
Her life was of little value; the only thing worth anything was the Giant Folding Fan she held.
Despite being ranked 100th on the list and at risk of being displaced, Sunagakure had spared no expense to enhance the fan's power, hoping to maintain its place on the list.
Making it onto the list came with significant rewards, and even the lowest-ranking items were precious for ninjas, including Jōnin. They could keep or sell them on the black market.
At present, gold-list rewards were selling for exorbitant prices in the black market, and there were few sellers.
The weapons on the list had become treasures coveted by countless factions, and many were creating new weapons in secret, all with the hope of making it onto the list.
The entire ninja world was in chaos.
The Jōnin attacking Temari was after her Fan.
At this moment, the attacker struck again.
[Water Style: Water Dragon Bomb!]
A colossal water dragon charged at Temari.
"No, it's the Water Dragon Bomb technique. Under the Mist Shinobi Technique, I can't escape!"
Temari felt despair but pushed her Fan with all her might to block the incoming attack.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out.
"Sand Shield!"
With those words, Gaara appeared beside Temari.
In front of him, the sand shield deflected the Water Dragon Bomb Technique with ease.
The Water Dragon Bomb couldn't breach the shield.
"Gaara!"
The Jōnin attacker was shocked, as if he had seen something terrifying.
Gaara's growth in the past six months had been astounding. If the Gaara who was captured by Deidara was merely at the level between Elite Jōnin and Kage-level, he now stood at the peak of Kage-level strength.
Enjoying the abundant resources of Sunagakure and boasting high aptitude, Gaara's power had grown rapidly, making him a force to be reckoned with.
Not long ago, Gaara had swiftly dealt with several rebels in the Land of Winds, including several Jōnin and a suspected Kage-level ninja. All of them fell in a single move.
"Escape!"
The Jōnin wanted to flee.
"You... can't escape!"
With a wave of Gaara's hand, the sand on the ground swirled around the Jōnin, and no matter what he attempted, there was no escape.
"Sand Storm Funeral!"
When Gaara clenched his right hand, the Jōnin was crushed, reduced to a cloud of blood.
A Jōnin was eliminated just like that.
"Gaara is growing stronger again," Temari whispered.
Similar incidents like Temari's attack were unfolding throughout the ninja world.
Ninjas on the list of major villages were in heated debates in the live broadcast room. Each ninja village denied that the attacker belonged to their village, attributing the actions to rogue ninjas.
In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.
The weapon list was about to be refreshed again, indicating the imminent arrival of the second reward.
Suddenly, the live broadcast room was unblocked, and every ninja could enter to chat.
The live broadcast room became lively.
[Third Hokage: Everyone's here to chat; it seems the list is going to be refreshed soon.]
[Fourth Raikage: The weapon list is going to be refreshed. I think this time there will be many changes. The ninja world is unstable; many people's weapons were stolen, and some were found in tombs. New weapons are being created.]
[Terumi Mei: Yes, some people are too unscrupulous.]
[Gaara: Fifth Mizukage, your ninja from Kirigakure often attack others.]
[Terumi Mei: Those are just rogue ninja! Rogue Ninja! Rogue Ninja! I've said it many times. Please don't refer to them as Kirigakure's ninja.]
[Gaara: Success is hero, failure is betrayal; we understand.]
[Kakashi: I'm just looking forward to my reward.]
[Hoshigaki Kisame: My weapon rank should be quite stable.]
[Hidan: I'm worried about that guy, Yasao. He keeps crafting more weapons. He's quite the genius in weapon crafting. If he makes more weapons, we might lose our rank.]
[Kakuzu: Hidan, Yasao won't be foolish enough to return the weapons to your sect. He's quite generous, but if it were me, I wouldn't easily part with such powerful weapons.]
[Fourth Raikage: Crafting weapons is no easy task; it's time-consuming. Remarkable weapons take years to create.]
[Third Hokage: Don't worry; we'll find out soon.]
Soon, the second refresh of the weapon list was announced.
Wow!
The list was refreshed, with rankings announced from first place. The pace was quick, and one weapon ranking appeared after another.
Everyone scanned the list, but the top six remained unchanged. Tears of Time and Space, still in the first place, belonged to Yasao. No alterations were made to the top four spots.
However, the seventh place on the list had changed.
[Seventh place on the weapon list: Evil God's Blade, user: Rimuru]
[Kakashi: The seventh place on the weapon list is still the Evil God's Blade, but the user has changed. It's no longer Yasao's weapon; it now belongs to Rimuru.]
[Fourth Raikage: Rimuru is Yasao's Summoning Beast, right? He possesses the Evil God's Blade, probably bestowed upon him by Yasao.]
[Terumi Mei: That's the only possibility. It seems that Yasao has gifted the Evil God's Blade to Rimuru.]
[Hidan: Yasao is too generous. This is the Evil God's Blade, ranking seventh on the weapon list. It guarantees ongoing rewards. If he doesn't care, he could return the Evil God's Blade to our Jashin Cult.]
[Kakuzu: Hidan, Yasao won't give the Evil God's Blade to your cult. Do you think he's a fool? But Yasao is indeed very generous. If it were me, I'd hesitate to part with the Evil God's Blade.]
The eighth and ninth places on the weapon list remained unchanged.
But as they reached the top ten, several unfamiliar weapons had been added to the list.
**********
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