Wolves, tigers, and leopards… it had everything. But the diversity wasn't even the highlight, as the most striking part was that Naruto pulled out 32 sheep and 20 black, long-haired cows.
Whether in quantity or quality, they were absolutely top-notch.
"Alright, that's it."
Seeing the shocked expressions of the three others, Naruto couldn't help but look smug.
Except for the first location where he found no prey, the other spots marked with Flying Thunder God's marks were all brimming with animals.
Especially when he saw the herds of sheep and cows, Naruto knew he had this in the bag.
It's just that Kakuzu was too thoughtful, and Naruto lost in terms of experience.
After all, Naruto, Itachi, and Kisame's average age was below 30. In fact, even when combined, they probably hadn't lived as long as Kakuzu alone.
So losing wasn't shameful.
"Okay, Kakuzu, Itachi, Kisame, go find your rooms in that order."
Naruto waved his hand.
He wasn't in a hurry to pick a room. To him, the result would be the same regardless.
As expected, when Naruto entered, the largest room on the second floor was still unclaimed.
'It seemed the others were giving some respect to me as the second-in-command.'
"Kakuzu, you've got more experience. Handle the ingredients, will you? Give me whatever's extra, I'll keep it stored." Naruto said.
"No problem."
Kakuzu nodded in agreement.
He had seen the prey Naruto had taken out, and they were all kept in the state of having just died. It was obvious that the Space-Time Ninjutsu that Naruto used had some preservation effects. With the leftovers returned to Naruto, they'd probably have enough food to last until they returned to Amegakure.
Before long, the aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air.
Naruto and the others weren't the least bit worried about wild animals attacking them. After all, if anything dared approach, it would only be adding more food to them.
"What's that smell? So good!"
Drawn by the fragrance, Hidan groggily woke up.
When he saw the roasted whole lamb not far away, his mouth watered uncontrollably. In an instant, he bolted toward it like an arrow.
However, before he could take a bite, a kick sent him flying back to where he had lain, knocking him out again.
"Hmph, you want to eat without working? Keep lying there like a corpse." Naruto snorted coldly, showing no mercy to Hidan at all.
A guy like Feidan is the most ruthless and ungrateful person. If Naruto indulged him now, Hidan would only get worse later.
The best way to deal with Hidan is to torture him. Only when pushed to the brink would Hidan even consider changing his ways and becoming a model citizen.
"Sure enough, beef and mutton are the best for barbecue."
Naruto devoured skewers with large bites. The juicy meat burst with flavor in his mouth, blending perfectly with the spices. The sensation sent shivers through his very soul.
This feeling is so refreshing.
But even more satisfying was when Naruto returned to his room to check the system rewards from signing in.
[It is detected that the host has stayed in the Land of Grass for one hour. Sign-in successful. Reward: Danger Sense!]
The Land of Grass had many wild beasts, so gaining danger sense was logical. But Naruto is puzzled. He already has danger sense, so what is the point of giving him this ability again this time?
Before Naruto could ask, the system provided an automatic explanation.
[Friendly Reminder: The host already has danger sense. This reward is an enhancement. Danger Sense has been successfully upgraded to Heart Network!]
'Hmm?'
'Heart Network?'
'What's that?'
With doubt, Naruto opened the system panel.
[Heart Network: Known as "Mantra" in Skypiea, commonly referred to as Observation Haki. One of the three forms of Haki. It sharpens the five senses, allowing the user to detect nearby lifeforms' auras and emotional shifts. It can also be used to anticipate and avoid danger.]
"Holy crap! It's Observation Haki! System, why did you even beat around the bush?"
Naruto jumped up from his bed, unable to suppress the excitement in his eyes.
Aside from Naruto, the other series he watched most in his past life was One Piece.
Naruto had done his research on Observation Haki. Once this power was enhanced, it would allow him to sense the position, number, and actions of individuals outside his line of sight.
While the original danger sense only warned him of impending threats, the upgraded Observation Haki provided prediction capabilities.
It can be said that the system upgrade was reasonable, but it still caught Naruto by surprise.
However, if this ability only granted basic functions, Naruto wouldn't have been so thrilled.
In his research, the most terrifying aspect of Observation Haki was its predictive power. It wasn't just about anticipating an enemy's next move. For example, Katakuri from One Piece could glimpse moments into the future.
During Luffy's battle with Katakuri, Luffy managed to elevate his Observation Haki to a level where he could also perceive fragments of the future. And this was far from the pinnacle.
Naruto speculated that if Observation Haki reached its peak, or if the system upgraded it again in the future, it might evolve into genuine future sight.
Compared to the Tenseigan, which he still didn't know where to obtain, Naruto was far more enthusiastic about the Observation Haki he had just obtained.
"System, what's the range of this ability?" Naruto asked. "And can it grow stronger with repeated use?"
[Friendly Reminder: The initial range is 100 meters. Each hour of active use will expand the range by 1 meter. There is no upper limit. Continuous activation will consume Chakra. Upon reaching 10,000 meters, you will unlock the ultimate form of Observation Haki.]
"That's more than enough!"
Naruto stopped asking further, as the system's answer had already made him very satisfied.
It was important to note that the highest levels of Observation Haki were typically innate and couldn't be cultivated through sheer effort. The ultimate form of Observation Haki wouldn't just allow the user to perceive emotions and thoughts, it could even transmit the user's consciousness to others, influencing their minds and thoughts, creating powerful resonance. Most significantly, repeated use could alter a target's values and ideology.
Previously, Naruto hadn't figured out how to convert Hidan without using the Servant Contract Scroll. But now, he finally had a plan.
He could wait until his Observation Haki reached its highest level. Then, through continuous use of the Haki, he could gradually change Hidan's faith.
It would be akin to the brainwashing Hidan experienced under the Jashin Cult… just a more refined version.
And this method wouldn't be limited to Hidan. Naruto could use it on other members of the Akatsuki as well.
While he trusted Kisame completely, applying this method to solidify that trust would bring Naruto greater peace of mind.
For Naruto, the ultimate Observation Haki was essentially the Servant Contract with unlimited slots.
Filled with excitement, Naruto rolled around in bed before finally drifting off to sleep.
The night passed uneventfully.
The next morning, Naruto packed the villa into the system inventory, and the group resumed their journey.
"We've seen the grassland scenery of the Land of Grass. Now, let's not waste time and head to the next country."
While the grasslands were beautiful, the novelty wore off quickly.
With the sign in rewards from the Land of Grass already secured, Naruto now looked forward to the sign-in rewards awaiting him in the Land of Waterfalls.
What surprises would that bring him?