"Do you want people to get to know you quickly?" Sai flipped through a book in the library titled How to Integrate into a Team Quickly. "You should call them by their first names directly, or give them a nickname or pet name..."
"I see!" Sai said as he lightly knocked his fist against his palm. "Understood!"
He promptly closed the book and walked out of the library.
"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura passed by in the hallway.
Sakura tilted her head and asked, "Want to look for the art book?"
"Good morning! Naruto, Naruto, small... small Sakura," Sai greeted awkwardly.
"Heh, I'm letting a lot slide today," Naruto chuckled.
Sai nodded. "Well, the main reason is to integrate with others quickly. The book says to call people by their first name or give them a nickname so you can become friends faster," he explained. "But I don't know what kind of nickname or pet name to give you guys yet, so I just called your names."
"Well~" Sakura laughed. "It doesn't have to be so formal. Just think of some of our personal traits and use that for the nickname."
"That's it!" Sai said, his eyes lighting up in sudden realization as he tried to recall Sakura's characteristics.
"You don't have to think so hard," Sakura smiled. "Nicknames aren't—"
"Ah!" Sai cut her off and knocked his hand again. "I figured it out! Thank you, I got the point!"
Sakura smiled at him—until he turned and cheerfully said, "Ugly girl!"
Her smile froze instantly.
A crow cawed in the distance: cawcaw~
"Hey! Sakura! Calm down!" Naruto shouted, frantically holding her back.
"AHHH!! You bastard!! Come here!!" Sakura roared, fists flaring.
"Eh? What? What's wrong?" Sai tilted his head, utterly confused.
BOOM! BOOM!
"Damn it... why do I always get caught in the crossfire..." Naruto groaned, lying next to Sai, both bruised and battered, watching Sakura stomp away in fury.
Hokage Office
"Next!" Ka-ka-ka...
"Um... Lady Tsunade, don't you need to look these over—" Shizune began, watching Tsunade stamp paper after paper like a machine.
"Too slow! Next!" Ka-ka-ka...
Shizune sighed, exasperated.
"Damn it..." Tsunade muttered under her breath, remembering Kakashi's recent report.
"It's now confirmed," Kakashi had said, "that the same duo has initiated conflict in seven locations across five neighboring countries. Although there's no confirmed invasion in the Land of Fire yet, it's only a matter of time."
"What's wrong, Lady Tsunade?" Shizune asked as Tsunade stared out the window.
"They've started to move..." Tsunade said, eyes fixed on the sky. "Akatsuki!"
Land of Lightning – In the ruins of a town
Hidan lay on the ground, a black spear impaled through his stomach, his face twisted in pain.
"It's been thirty minutes. Are you done yet, Hidan?" Kakuzu asked impatiently, glancing at the captured Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, hanging on a pillar.
"Shut up!" Hidan suddenly sat up, scowling. "Don't interrupt my ritual, asshole!"
He yanked out the black spear with a grunt. "Damn it! That hurts!"
"Do you really have to perform this insane ritual every time? Can't you skip it?" Kakuzu asked with a sigh, pulling out a map.
"Nonsense! I also find it a pain! But the scriptures demand it. I'm a devout follower of Jashin-sama!"
"Skipping it would be blasphemy to the gods!" Hidan added angrily.
"Let's go to the Land of Fire. Only one target left," Kakuzu said indifferently.
Just then, a pitcher plant emerged from the ground.
"Looks like it's done," said White Zetsu.
"Was that long, ridiculous ritual finally over?" Black Zetsu commented.
"Tch! You're all so annoying!" Hidan snapped. "A bunch of atheists who don't understand prayer!"
"Isn't it enough to just feel sad when you're sad?" White Zetsu asked innocently.
"The only one you can trust is yourself," Black Zetsu muttered.
"No," Kakuzu said. "The only thing you can trust is money."
"Again with this!" Hidan shouted, pointing at Kakuzu. "This is all your fault! With your side hustles, we're so slow tracking Jinchūriki, you bastard!"
"Shut up!" Kakuzu snapped. "If you didn't claim religion makes money, I wouldn't even be working with you! You're a walking expense! Someone has to manage Akatsuki's finances!"
"Money is important," White Zetsu offered.
"Instead of wasting time talking, go find the next target," Black Zetsu said. "We'll take care of the Two-Tails."
"I really don't know where all the money goes," Kakuzu grumbled. "Better to focus on the next bounty."
A Few Days Later...
"Damn it! How deep is this mountain?!" Hidan groaned.
"We're almost there..." Kakuzu said, studying the map.
"You've said that ten times already!" Hidan shouted. Suddenly, he saw an endless staircase ahead. "Are you kidding me?! Stairs now?!"
"I'm going nuts without a Jinchūriki to kill!" Hidan wailed.
"Shut up! Who cares?" Kakuzu growled. "If you keep yelling like an idiot, I'll kill you myself."
"How could you say that to me, Kakuzu? You're such a heartless bastard!"
"Ugh, this is exhausting..." Hidan complained again. "So this temple has a Jinchūriki?"
"Maybe. This isn't any ordinary temple. High possibility," Kakuzu muttered.
His arms transformed, black threads writhing as he smashed the large iron gate sealing the Temple of Fire with a BOOM!
"What's happening?!" "Someone broke the sealed gate!" The temple monks panicked.
"Go inform Lord Chiriku!" one monk shouted.
The immortal duo strolled into the temple.
"They didn't even take off their shoes," Hidan muttered. "Disrespectful idiots."
"Those robes...!" a monk gasped. "Send a message to Konoha immediately! Akatsuki has invaded!!"
Chiriku emerged slowly from the inner sanctum.
"I've been expecting you," he said calmly.
"Lord Chiriku!" the monks bowed in unison.
"Just as Naruto predicted," Chiriku said, narrowing his eyes at the invaders. "Thankfully, he left us with a method to defeat you."
"Naruto?" Hidan and Kakuzu paused.
"That Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?!" they said in unison.
They both recalled some less-than-pleasant memories.
"Hmph! So what? The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki isn't here!" Hidan scoffed. "Whatever strategy he left, I'll tear it all apart!"
"Exactly," Kakuzu nodded. "This time, our awareness is clear. Another bounty has finally arrived!"
"Wait a damn second!" Hidan snapped. "Kakuzu! You said there was a Jinchūriki here! Damn it, you lied just for the bounty! You're going to hell for killing monks like this!"
"In hell, money decides everything," Kakuzu replied coldly. "And going to hell is fine by me, as long as I'm paid."
With that, the two charged toward Chiriku.
---
---
Check out other novels
Naruto: Reborn in his younger Self
🚨🆕Haikyuu: To The Top 🆕🚨
To Get This Week Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones
Dear Readers
For 120 Advance Chapters Join My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/NF25
----
---
Please Support My Patreon 🥺