"Tch, after a few years of peace, now we're back to having meetings again."
For Hidan, Akatsuki meetings had always been a chore. Even though his entire body was stitched together with scars—even his head was no exception—he couldn't help but grumble.
"By the way, didn't you guys pick up all my body parts back then? I feel like something's off."
"You should be glad you're still alive. Stop complaining so much."
Kakuzu shot Hidan an annoyed glare, tilting his head in irritation. But his words only made Hidan grin.
"Oh, come on, Kakuzu, I thought you were immortal too, but—"
"Are you really immortal? Who was it that kept whining about starving to death every day?"
"Tch, dying of hunger is perfectly normal, huh!"
The bickering between the two had become a habit. Even though one was alive and the other dead, their dynamic hadn't changed.
"Tch, still not used to this feeling."
Jūzō Biwa clenched his fists and muttered, while Kisame Hoshigaki couldn't help but laugh.
"What's there to get used to? Look at Raiga Kurosuki—he seems fine with it."
"I really didn't expect Konohagakure to have such an evil technique."
Raiga Kurosuki tilted his head, then shook it again.
"But as reanimated corpses, what can we do? You guys haven't seen Kitagawa Minamoto's strength, have you?"
"Kitagawa Minamoto..."
Though Jūzō Biwa had died early, he had heard of Kitagawa Minamoto's exploits through Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation. He never imagined that the guy who had ambushed him with Purple Lightning back then would grow to this level!
Shaking his head bitterly, he glanced at Kisame and Raiga, suddenly finding the situation amusing.
"Who would've thought there'd be so many people from Kirigakure here? Quite unexpected."
"Actually, Zabuza should've been here too."
Kisame's expression turned peculiar as he explained.
"But Kitagawa Minamoto stopped it. He's probably dead by now, right?"
These words plunged the three members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist into collective silence. Especially the two who were already dead—they realized Akatsuki seemed to have a penchant for recruiting people from Kirigakure. And Kirigakure shinobi seemed to have terrible luck when encountering Kitagawa Minamoto!
"Kitagawa Minamoto, huh..."
Itachi Uchiha remained silent, though he had recovered quite well, even regaining a significant amount of his ocular power. His combat capabilities were likely stronger than before.
But he knew his own condition—his body probably wouldn't last much longer. Thinking of Kitagawa Minamoto brought a hint of frustration to his heart. Three years ago, he had tried to guide his younger brother to follow his plan. But Kitagawa Minamoto had shattered all his plans with a single strike.
"Tch, Kitagawa Minamoto isn't even that big of a deal."
Scornfully, Sasori, who had been quiet until now, raised his head and spoke indifferently.
"The real danger is that 'Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki.' I don't know what happened after I died, but I imagine the situation must have been terrible."
Sasori's words brought silence to the room. The name "Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki" was like a nightmare to them all. None of them could forget how they were crushed by that being—like mere insects. Even those who had long since died understood the terror of the figure who had defeated them so effortlessly.
"Sooner or later, we'll capture him and drain his power."
Wrapped entirely in bandages, Hiruko spoke in a low voice. But even as he said it, he trembled slightly. That battle had left an indelible mark on everyone—both the living and the "living dead."
"Are you done talking?"
Nagato hadn't interrupted the discussion, but once everyone quieted down, he finally spoke.
"I know how terrifying they are. I won't deny that I once lost to both of them. But now, things are different."
As he spoke, he clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within him.
"As long as we follow our plan step by step, victory is inevitable. And I am no longer the same."
Nagato truly wasn't the same. With the nourishment of White Zetsu's cells, his growth was unimaginable! He could feel the explosive power coursing through his body, his healthy physique granting him seemingly infinite strength.
Moreover, he could now focus the power of the Rinnegan. He believed he could face Kitagawa Minamoto without issue.
As for Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki—Nagato took a deep breath. That was a being in the realm of "gods." For now, he needed more power. Only by gathering the Ten-Tails could he, like the Sage of Six Paths, defeat this so-called "god"!
Currently, he was retracing the "Six Paths" in a fateful journey. He believed he could succeed, just as the Sage of Six Paths had!
"So, it's time to start our plan."
Nagato took a deep breath, calming his excited heart before speaking in a low voice.
"With the accumulation of these past years and the support of Kumogakure, we should begin our actions."
"I think you all know our goal—to create a peaceful world. But to achieve this, we need power."
"The Tailed Beasts are our best option. By gathering all of them, we can summon the Ten-Tails."
"With the Ten-Tails, we'll gain the power we need. This is our ultimate goal!"
Nagato's words left the room silent. No one voiced opposition. Regardless of their reasons for joining Akatsuki—whether willing or coerced—they had no other choice now.
Many harbored resentment, fueled by the pain of their defeats or deaths. They all wanted to do something—revenge, perhaps...
"Hmm, looks like he's recovered quite well."
In the corner, Obito Uchiha observed Nagato calmly before speaking to Black Zetsu beside him.
"With White Zetsu's cells, he's definitely benefited greatly. But he's still under our control."
Black Zetsu replied in a low voice, though his gaze shifted toward Orochimaru.
His control wasn't limited to directly manipulating Nagato's body; he had also prepared a backup plan—Uchiha Madara. Over the past three years, Orochimaru had recovered well and made improvements to Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation. But what truly mattered was the resources provided by Kumogakure, allowing them to nearly "piece together" Uchiha Madara.
With this trump card, Black Zetsu was happy to see Nagato recover.
"By the way, after all this time, haven't you found anything from the Senju Clan?"
While Black Zetsu was lost in thought, Obito's voice brought him back to focus.
"The Senju Clan isn't like the Uchiha Clan. Many things aren't as easy to find as you might think. But I've narrowed down a few locations."
"A few locations?"
"Yes. Since I can't confirm what exactly I'm looking for or where it might be, I still need more time."
"I see."
Obito looked puzzled, but Black Zetsu remained unfazed. He had prepared thoroughly, and his "aging work" was nearly complete. He was confident Obito wouldn't suspect anything when he saw it.
However, Black Zetsu had another plan—to draw Kitagawa Minamoto's attention! Over the past three years, he had silently "guided" Kitagawa Minamoto in various ways. This was to ensure Kitagawa Minamoto grew stronger, so he could face Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki.
Neither Nagato nor Obito truly understood the terror of Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki. Black Zetsu knew all too well, which was why he couldn't put all his eggs in one basket. Having an additional safeguard meant a higher chance of success.
"Don't worry. I promised to give you an answer, and I will."
Black Zetsu spoke in a low voice once more. Just then, Nagato's voice echoed again.
"Our first target is the Seven-Tails in the Land of Waterfalls."
"To ensure no mistakes, we'll act together!"
Meanwhile, in the ANBU base—
"Your eyes have recovered well, and not just your eyes..."
Tsunade examined Kakashi's eyes thoroughly before giving her assessment.
"Your body has also improved significantly. Clearly, those white cells have had an effect."
"Those cells are from my elder brother, but they've been weakened."
Tobirama Senju glanced at Hashirama Senju, who was curiously observing Kakashi, and spoke indifferently.
"Even weakened, they're still extremely powerful. But the Sharingan has unexpectedly balanced them out—it's quite remarkable."
"It's not surprising. One is Yin Release, the other Yang Release. Their balance and resonance are perfectly normal."
Kitagawa Minamoto chuckled, then pointed at Sasuke.
"Next time we encounter Obito Uchiha, should we let him try it too? After all, he's one of your disciples, Tobirama, and the last Uchiha."
"..."
Kitagawa Minamoto's words made Tobirama raise an eyebrow, though he didn't get angry. After all, teaching Uchiha Sasuke—the "Evil Uchiha Brat"—had turned out to be quite satisfying. While Sasuke's personality wasn't great, it was better than most Uchiha Tobirama remembered. Even if the kid's eyes were full of admiration for Kitagawa Minamoto...
"Let's leave that for later. Obito Uchiha hasn't surfaced in three years."
"True, and there's also Itachi Uchiha."
Sasuke didn't care much about cells; his focus was entirely on Itachi Uchiha. These three years hadn't been easy for him. Between Tobirama's strict teachings and Kitagawa Minamoto's occasional guidance, his growth had been immense.
Not only had he mastered various techniques, but he had also learned the Flying Thunder God Technique and Kitagawa Minamoto's Purple Lightning. Now, he was eager to face Itachi Uchiha, confident he could finally take his revenge!
"They'll make their move. I don't believe they've been so quiet."
Kitagawa Minamoto shook his head, remaining calm. After all, he had access to intelligence. Whether from Kisame or Kabuto Yakushi, crucial information kept flowing to him.
Beyond these sources, he had noticed something intriguing.
"Black Zetsu seems to be guiding me toward something."
Kitagawa Minamoto's expression turned peculiar. Through his sensory abilities, he could occasionally detect Black Zetsu's presence.
Following these moments, he would invariably stumble upon documents or hints pointing toward specific things—such as the Uchiha Stone Tablet or certain stories. Even strange locations seemed to beckon him to explore...
"If I were a native, I might even thank some 'divine guidance.' But I'm not, and I've absorbed your chakra."
Still, Kitagawa Minamoto remained silent. Why not take advantage of the benefits offered? He had a rough idea of Black Zetsu's intentions—essentially the same as those of Konohagakure and its allies.
"All of them want me to deal with myself, huh..."
Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki's appearance had been so terrifying that Black Zetsu's reaction wasn't surprising. But targeting him as the solution was somewhat amusing.
"You have no idea how terrifying 'Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki' is now."
[Name: Kitagawa Minamoto]
[Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (Development: 62%)]
[Dōjutsu: Tenseigan (Moonlit Eye)]
[Special Ability: Source of the Divine Tree (Sixth Stage)]
[Special Techniques: Ice Release, Magnet Release, Dust Release, Storm Release, Lava Release... (and more)]
As he pondered, his brow suddenly twitched. He had just received intelligence from Kisame!
"Akatsuki plans to act as a group to capture the Seven-Tails?"
Seeing this information, Kitagawa Minamoto stroked his chin, feeling that everything was falling into place. He had been looking for an opportunity to act, and now someone had delivered it to him.
(End of Chapter)
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]