"So we're here again."
In the Land of Waterfalls, Kitagawa Gen looked around at the surroundings and couldn't help nodding.
The Land of Waterfalls was still the same as before. Situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, this country looked devoid of vitality.
It wasn't strange, really—those two great nations had long since seized its survival resources.
And under the current shinobi world order, since it hadn't joined Konohagakure's alliance, its so-called neutrality was actually pushing it into an even deeper abyss.
If not for having a Tailed Beast, during the previous shinobi war, it likely would have already become a battlefield like the other small countries!
"Wonder what we'll run into this time."
"Hopefully nothing at all."
Walking while reading his book, Kakashi couldn't help responding to those words, and Jiraiya also nodded.
"Exactly. We're only here as a visiting delegation. The fewer incidents, the better."
"Senpai, do you think they'll agree?" Sasuke thought for a moment before asking curiously.
"And… do you think we'll really run into Akatsuki?"
The moment Sasuke heard Kitagawa Gen say there was a high chance of encountering Akatsuki, his eyes had already lit up.
He'd been holding back from asking more, but now that the subject was brought up, he couldn't resist.
"To be honest, I don't think they'll agree." Kitagawa Gen thought carefully before finally shaking his head.
"In their own minds, since they possess a Tailed Beast, they won't see themselves as just a small country."
"And when Uchiha Obito made his move, I was the one who stopped them."
Kakashi closed his book—when it came to key matters, he was serious, and Jiraiya was the same.
"On top of that, since they haven't encountered Ōtsutsuki Genshiki, they have no idea how dangerous that guy is. They're still clinging to the belief that having a Tailed Beast can handle any problem."
"In fact, dealing with Tailed Beasts isn't that difficult. You Uchiha have plenty of ways."
Kitagawa Gen patted Sasuke's shoulder with a smile.
"The First Hokage once said that Uchiha Madara could control the Nine Tails. And didn't that Uchiha Obito back then control a Tailed Beast to attack Naruto's parents?"
"That bastard." Naruto let out a low grunt, and Sasuke clenched his fists tight.
Now that Naruto knew the truth about those events, it was impossible not to hate Obito. And Sasuke also knew plenty.
Neither Kitagawa Gen nor Konohagakure intended to hide such matters from him.
Especially since he was following Senju Tobirama—naturally, he would learn a fair amount.
After all, it was better to guide than to block; everyone understood that principle.
Rather than leaving him to be misled by others, it was better for Konoha to openly tell him the necessary truths.
Like how the Nine Tails incident had been the spark, with Danzō fanning the flames behind the scenes.
He had attacked Uchiha Shisui, preventing him from using his Mangekyō to save the clan.
And as tensions between the Uchiha and Konoha reached boiling point, the Third Hokage had made it clear that both sides could step back.
Yet in the end, Uchiha Itachi was confronted by Danzō, who gave him a choice: either die together, or let everyone else die and leave only Sasuke alive.
"Leave me alive… and slaughter the entire clan?"
"That's right. There are records of it, and it was Uchiha Itachi himself who told the Third Hokage."
"On what grounds did he do that? Why would he do such a thing?!"
"I've always found it strange too. I've always thought something was wrong with his head. Danzō wasn't the Hokage, and the Third had already agreed to a compromise—what could Danzō possibly overturn?"
"…"
"It's just like with your father. Back during the Nine Tails incident, Danzō personally blocked the Uchiha, ordering the entire clan not to act. But the Hokage then was the Fourth!"
"…"
"So in the end, this was a private action between Shimura Danzō and Uchiha Itachi. It seems Itachi's aim was to let you survive, but honestly, I really can't understand it."
This conversation between Kitagawa Gen and Sasuke had taken place a year or two ago. And after those words, both of them fell silent.
Because neither could figure out what Uchiha Itachi had been thinking!
Kitagawa Gen, having crossed worlds, had seen all kinds of bizarre characters.
But even he couldn't make sense of this guy's twisted logic.
If it had been to provoke Sasuke into awakening his eyes—killing his parents and clan with his own hands—though extreme, it was still somewhat comprehensible.
But to do it just to "protect Sasuke," especially when the Hokage had already made his stance clear, yet still trusting Danzō… What, couldn't tell who the real authority was?
As for Sasuke, he had been quite well-behaved in Konoha. Add to that the closeness of the Konoha 12, Naruto's constant "pestering," and the guidance of Kitagawa Gen, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and even Senju Tobirama.
Most importantly, he hadn't been traumatized by Itachi's Tsukuyomi. His mind remained clear, and his perspective had broadened.
And with such clarity and vision, he absolutely could not accept Itachi's actions or his so-called reasoning!
"What gave him the right to think he was right?! What gave him the right to decide?! Why did he have to kill the entire family?!"
"Who knows? According to intelligence, he's always believed he was in the right. He even claimed to have joined a mysterious organization as an undercover agent, but in the end…"
"Damn it—was he even human?!"
"That's something you'll have to ask him. Oh, and one more thing—according to intel, he wasn't acting alone at the time. The other very likely was Uchiha Obito."
For Sasuke now, there were only two people he hated most.
One was naturally Uchiha Itachi. In his eyes, that man was nothing but a beast.
The other was Uchiha Obito. The Nine Tails incident was his doing, and he'd also had a hand in the Uchiha massacre. How could that ever be forgiven?
"Don't worry. You'll run into them eventually."
Kitagawa Gen smiled, glancing at Kakashi and Jiraiya, speaking with weight in his tone.
"You have to believe it. With Kakashi-sensei and the Pervy Sage around, we're bound to run into something unusual."
"Hey, are you slandering us?"
Jiraiya and Kakashi both rolled their eyes, but Kitagawa Gen paid no mind, continuing with a grin.
"Sasuke, have you ever heard of Konoha's special 'laws'?"
"Uh? What laws?"
"First—whenever Kakashi-sensei leads his very first mission, there's guaranteed to be big trouble. Think about my first mission, and yours too."
"…"
"Second—during outside missions, the probability of encountering Akatsuki is ridiculously high. Just recall my first mission with you guys."
"…"
"Third—every mission ends with someone landing in the hospital. Either someone on the mission, or someone back in Konohagakure. Need I give examples—"
"That's enough, Gen!"
Kakashi and Jiraiya really couldn't hold back anymore. Sure, everything Kitagawa Gen said was true.
But was it really fair to pin every disaster on them?
"Naruto, don't you go picking up this habit from Gen."
Inside Naruto's mind, Kushina and Namikaze Minato appeared in their "jinchūriki" forms.
They could understand what was happening outside through Naruto, and upon hearing Kitagawa Gen's words, Kushina couldn't help but speak.
"He's great in every other way, but this part of him is just hopeless. And didn't he say himself that Konoha's education has problems? Why do I feel like…"
"Well… I don't really know either."
Minato looked a little embarrassed. He too had noticed how extraordinary Kitagawa Gen was, but sometimes… he really did highlight Konoha's failures in education.
"Ah, if only you hadn't left so soon, Minato. Gen wouldn't have turned out like this."
Kushina sighed helplessly, making Minato rub his chin.
"Though it sounds a little disrespectful to the Third Hokage… maybe it would've been better that way?"
"Ha…"
Hearing his parents' conversation inside his head, Naruto could only let out an awkward laugh.
He remembered that when Kitagawa Gen was still a kid, his personality had already been nasty.
Otherwise, would his subsidies have been cut so much back then?
'And that bastard—he said he was going to open some kind of 'Odd Jobs' shop, marry a wife, and live a normal life. But instead, he's turning around and trying to steal my Hokage seat?!'
'Damn it! Sure enough, you really can't trust any of these white-haired guys…'
Naruto muttered complaints in his heart, but outwardly he still looked cheerful.
Their group traveled along with chatter and laughter, and before long they had already reached the outskirts of Takigakure.
At the same time, on the other side of Takigakure—
As space twisted, a group of figures in black cloaks patterned with red clouds quietly appeared.
"We're here."
Uchiha Obito cast a glance at the village not far away before finally speaking in a low voice.
"Everyone clear on the plan this time? And you've all fully adapted to your powers, right?"
After Nagato made his decision, he hadn't moved immediately.
Sometimes it was impossible not to respect fate—after all, every time they went out, there really was a chance of running into those people from Konoha!
They had even suspected at one point that there might be a traitor in their midst.
But after investigation—especially after Black Zetsu's probing inside Konoha—they had come to understand one thing.
"Konoha's movements are all documented. Every encounter was just coincidence…"
Such outrageous coincidences would have broken anyone else, but Akatsuki's members were all shinobi of iron will.
No matter how absurd or uncanny things became, they would never give up so easily.
At most, it meant taking more precautions.
Or trying to sidestep 'destiny' altogether.
That was why this time, they had deliberately delayed their departure under the pretense of letting the Edo Tensei adjust to their powers.
"No problem. Those Konoha people aren't anything like that Ōtsutsuki Genshiki, hm."
Though Hidan was already in pieces, his tone was anything but polite.
"Last time we got interrupted. I didn't even get the chance to fight those Konoha guys."
Hiruko let out a cold snort, shaking his head indifferently.
"If we really do run into them, I'll only be glad."
"Your confidence is remarkable."
Kisame, hearing this, offered what sounded like genuine praise.
"But I wonder—if you cross paths with Kitagawa Gen, will you really be able to handle him?"
"Kitagawa Gen is no simple matter."
Jūzō and Raiga both nodded. Even though they were Edo Tensei, they were well aware of that boy's strength.
Even one of them who had encountered his "child self" had seen a level far beyond what normal people could imagine!
After everyone else had spoken, Uchiha Itachi remained silent for a long while before finally speaking.
"More than that, I think it's better to consider whether we'll run into Ōtsutsuki Genshiki."
His words instantly plunged everyone present into silence.
Except for Jūzō and Raiga, Ōtsutsuki Genshiki treated the rest of them all the same—
He looked down on each and every one of them equally, and had made all of them his victims equally.
"…Let's move."
After a long silence, Nagato finally spoke softly.
"It's been three years. I'm no longer who I used to be…
"If we really do meet him, I might actually be even more pleased!"
"Whether it's someone from Konoha—or that Ōtsutsuki Genshiki."
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