Akatsuki

Inside Konoha’s war command headquarters, things had not developed as Uchiha Shisui had expected. The Uchiha Clan and Konoha’s higher-ups had not gone to war directly over his and Itachi’s disappearance. Instead, the two sides were now seated together.

It was not just the Uchiha. Hyuga Hiashi had also appeared in this temporary command headquarters.

Although the Uchiha ninja were distinctly separated from everyone else, the atmosphere was not on the verge of erupting.

Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped the ash from his pipe, then signaled for Heaven’s Will to speak.

Uchiha Fugaku’s Three-Tomoe Sharingan quietly watched the woman who had once put the Uchiha Clan in such an awkward position. This time, however, she stood on the Uchiha’s side.

Not only had she directly identified the mysterious powerful enemy, but she had also made it clear that he intended to exploit the chance for internal conflict between the Uchiha and Konoha to trigger another shinobi world war, profiting from Sharingan, Kekkei Genkai, and other gains in the process.

This immediately made Konoha’s higher-ups wary. Even Danzo did not dare bring up the plan to exterminate the Uchiha again.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage who had never properly discussed matters with him during the years-long process of gradually forcing the Uchiha out of the center of power and escalating their conflicts, had also spoken with him at length. The general meaning was to set aside their disputes and overcome the current crisis first. In the future, everything that belonged to the Uchiha would be returned to them.

"According to my intelligence, Uchiha Shisui was not killed by Mercenary Tao, but he should already be under Mercenary Tao’s control."

The Uchiha clansmen all showed anger, but Uchiha Fugaku understood immediately. That Mercenary Tao had most likely used Itachi’s life to threaten Shisui.

"Uchiha Shisui approached Konoha several times, but ultimately chose to leave. He finally disappeared within the Land of Water."

Sarutobi Hiruzen watched as Heaven’s Will analyzed the intelligence point by point, while thinking to himself that her unusual intelligence channels were most likely some kind of long-range surveillance technique, or perhaps a technique for controlling animals or puppets.

In any case, it could spy from an enormous distance and was extremely well concealed. Even the Hyuga Clan had not detected it, and neither had Mercenary Tao, the one who defeated Shisui.

If this technique could be used in war…

He ultimately dismissed the thought. Konoha truly was not suited to enter a war now. The Land of Fire had been victorious in all three wars, yet had gained little practical benefit.

Konoha had also begun to suffer a decline in talent due to all kinds of incidents. The Three Ninja were no longer in the village, Hatake Sakumo and Namikaze Minato were already dead, and now even Uchiha Shisui had met with misfortune.

The seedlings of the next generation had yet to fully mature. If war broke out now, Konoha would likely exhaust its last fresh blood.

"The Land of Water… Shisui was sent to Kirigakure. What could the purpose be?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke, and everyone else furrowed their brows in thought. Kirigakure had always remained relatively detached during wars. Due to the Land of Water’s unique terrain, warfare almost never reached their seas.

And because of the brutal Bloody Mist policy, Kirigakure had nearly cut itself off from the outside world. What could possibly be in a place like that for Mercenary Tao to covet?!

Heaven’s Will did not delay and spoke directly.

"I think… it is probably the Tailed Beasts."

"Mercenary Tao possesses a special ability. He can gain energy and become stronger by eating powerful things."

"And Mercenary Tao wants to contact an organization—one that will bring pain to the world."

Red Cloud Black Robes?!

Catherine sensed people approaching, but she had not expected them to be these people.

Akatsuki!

An extremely famous organization in the Naruto Derivative World, composed of top-tier rogue ninja from various villages and possessing combat power capable of conquering a shinobi village.

Of course, at this point in the timeline, Akatsuki should not yet have developed to that extent.

Catherine recalled how Mercenary Tao had told her there was no need to set up a barrier, as well as how he had kept their group within the Land of Rain.

She suddenly understood. He had intended to contact Akatsuki from the very beginning.

Akatsuki was naturally a very powerful faction for reincarnators in this world, but it was also quite troublesome, because Yahiko was already dead.

Akatsuki’s original purpose had already changed. With Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu influencing and controlling it from the shadows, this organization could easily become entangled in all kinds of crisis events.

Slightly weaker reincarnators could very well die in those events.

When Bai Cangshu saw the iconic Red Cloud Black Robes, he stood up, spread his arms, and smiled.

"At last, I’ve been waiting for you… my comrades!"

When Catherine saw that smile on Mercenary Tao’s face, she seemed to smell blood. Mercenary Tao craved chaos; making contact with these people would inevitably trigger a major event.

She was both excited to be about to participate in a large-scale event and faintly afraid.

If the high-level ninja of this world truly set their minds on assassinating someone, most reincarnators of the same rank would be in grave danger.

For example, Uchiha Obito, who was currently hiding behind the scenes…

Deva Path Pain stood at the front. Unmoved by Bai Cangshu’s words, he merely said coldly, "Mercenary Tao, what exactly is your purpose?"

Seeing that his information had already been exposed, Bai Cangshu showed no change in expression. Through Ran and Catherine’s communication, he had also learned that there was another acquaintance of his in this world.

And ninja were already highly skilled at gathering intelligence. Whether it was Uchiha Shisui or Heaven’s Will, either of them could have leaked information about him.

As Otsutsuki Kaguya’s offspring, Black Zetsu could move freely through mountains, rivers, earth, and stone, and was almost impossible to detect. His intelligence-gathering abilities were extremely formidable.

"Purpose? Isn’t it obvious?"

"Of course… to make this world feel pain!"

Konan, standing behind Deva Path Pain, frowned. When the man before her spoke those words, he showed no expression of pain whatsoever.

She could not sense that this Mercenary Tao wanted to bring peace to the world by inflicting terror upon it. On the contrary, all she saw in his eyes was an endless thirst for chaos and slaughter.

"You may have misunderstood something. Akatsuki is not the sort of violent organization you imagine."

"Someone like you probably cannot understand that kind of pain at all."

Deva Path Pain’s voice was calm and cold. The next instant, a figure appeared behind Bai Cangshu in a flash. The pale-skinned Orochimaru studied Bai Cangshu with great interest.

"Would you mind telling me how you obtained that child Shisui?"

Orochimaru’s voice was icy and sinister, like a white snake in a dark cave.

At the same time, an ice-cold Kusanagi Sword was already pressed against Bai Cangshu’s neck.

Orochimaru’s Body Flicker Jutsu was exceptionally clean, leaving almost no visible trace of movement. Orochimaru was undoubtedly at the peak of his strength now.

Bai Cangshu turned his head, twisting his neck one hundred and eighty degrees. Amid the cracking of his cervical vertebrae, he met Orochimaru’s gaze, curled his lips, and revealed a smile even more unsettling than Orochimaru’s.

"Tsk, is this Akatsuki’s tradition? Fight first? I get it."

"But Orochimaru, didn’t your intelligence tell you that things like blades and swords are completely… meaningless against me?!"

Orochimaru instantly drove the blade down, but the other man’s skin was as hard as steel. Amid the ear-piercing scrape of the sword sliding across it—

Orochimaru suddenly felt scorching heat. The next moment, flames ignited across his body.

Orochimaru’s pupils contracted.

Fire Release?!

When had it been cast?

Bang!

Orochimaru’s body exploded into smoke and turned into a stone.

Boom—

The moment he reappeared behind Bai Cangshu, a violent gale was already bearing down on him.

That towering figure had appeared before him in an instant at a speed not much slower than his Body Flicker Jutsu. The man’s palm twisted as it drew back, and the air seemed to be sucked backward in an instant.

The next moment, spiraling Blazing White clouds of smoke erupted.

Zetsu and Konan simultaneously flashed to either side. Terrifying force erupted in an instant, the air howled, and the mist was swept completely away.

Amid the violent gale, Orochimaru formed hand seals with both hands in an instant.

Triple Rashomon!

Boom!

A horrifying impact rang out in an instant. Within the billowing smoke, Orochimaru felt an immense force strike him. That towering man had actually smashed through the Triple Rashomon directly?!