"Here we are again."
In the Land of Waterfalls, Kitagawa Minamoto surveyed the surroundings and nodded slightly.
The Land of Waterfalls remained unchanged. Situated between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, this country appeared lifeless. It wasn't surprising—the two great nations had long since seized its resources for survival.
In the current ninja world order, the Land of Waterfalls hadn't joined Konohagakure's alliance. While it appeared neutral, in reality, this stance had pushed it into an even deeper abyss. If not for possessing a Tailed Beast, the country would likely have become a battlefield like other small nations during the Great Ninja Wars!
"I wonder what we'll encounter this time."
"Hopefully, nothing at all."
Kakashi, reading his book as he walked, couldn't help but interject. Jiraiya nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. We're just here as a diplomatic delegation. The fewer complications, the better."
"Do you think they'll agree to our proposal, though?" Sasuke pondered for a moment before asking curiously. "And do you really think we'll run into Akatsuki?"
Ever since Kitagawa Minamoto mentioned the high likelihood of encountering Akatsuki, Sasuke's eyes had lit up. He had restrained himself from asking, but now that the topic had surfaced, he couldn't resist.
"To be honest, I don't think they'll agree."
Kitagawa Minamoto thought carefully before shaking his head.
"In their own perception, possessing a Tailed Beast elevates them above the status of a small nation."
"And when Obito Uchiha made his move, Minamoto stopped him."
Kakashi closed his book. When it came to critical matters, he always became serious, as did Jiraiya.
"On top of that, they've never encountered Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki. Naturally, they don't understand how dangerous that entity is. They still believe that having a Tailed Beast is enough to handle any trouble."
"Actually, dealing with Tailed Beasts isn't that difficult. The Uchiha Clan has plenty of methods."
Kitagawa Minamoto patted Sasuke's shoulder with a smile.
"The First Hokage once said that Madara Uchiha could control the Nine-Tails. Didn't Obito Uchiha also use a Tailed Beast to attack Naruto's parents back then?"
"That bastard..."
Naruto snorted, and Sasuke clenched his fists.
Naruto knew the full story of what had happened, making it impossible for him not to hate Obito. Sasuke, too, had learned much about the past.
Kitagawa Minamoto and others in Konohagakure hadn't hidden certain truths from him. Especially since Sasuke had been under Tobirama Senju's guidance, he had inevitably absorbed valuable information.
After all, it was better to address potential issues openly than to let misinformation spread—a principle everyone understood.
For instance, the Nine-Tails incident had been the catalyst, and Danzō Shimura had played a significant role in exacerbating the situation. Danzō had attacked Shisui Uchiha, preventing him from using his Mangekyō Sharingan to save the Uchiha Clan.
As tensions between the Uchiha and Konohagakure escalated, the Third Hokage had proposed a compromise: both sides taking a step back. But Danzō had approached Itachi Uchiha with an ultimatum: either everyone died, or Itachi could kill the entire clan and leave only Sasuke alive.
"Leave me alive... and kill the entire clan?"
"That's right. There's documented evidence of it, and Itachi himself told the Third Hokage."
"What gave him the right to do that? Why would he do such a thing?!"
"I don't know either. I've always thought he was out of his mind. Danzō wasn't the Hokage, and the Third Hokage had already agreed to a compromise. What could Danzō possibly change?"
"..."
"It's just like your father's situation during the Nine-Tails incident. Danzō blocked the entire Uchiha Clan from taking action, even though the Hokage at the time was the Fourth Hokage."
"..."
"So, this was a personal decision by Danzō Shimura and Itachi Uchiha. It seems Itachi's goal was to ensure your survival. But honestly, I can't understand it."
This conversation between Kitagawa Minamoto and Sasuke had taken place a year or two ago. Afterward, both of them fell silent. Neither could comprehend what Itachi Uchiha had been thinking.
Kitagawa Minamoto, as a transmigrator, had seen his fair share of abstract thinkers. But even he couldn't fathom Itachi's logic.
If it had been to awaken Sasuke's Sharingan by traumatizing him, it would have been extreme but somewhat understandable. But to protect Sasuke, especially when the Hokage had already made his stance clear, and then to trust Danzō? Did he not know how to differentiate between a king and a joker?
Sasuke, meanwhile, had remained level-headed in Konohagakure. With the camaraderie of the Konoha 12, Naruto's constant "pestering," and the guidance of Kitagawa Minamoto, Kakashi, Jiraiya, and even Tobirama Senju...
This broader perspective and clearer mind made it impossible for him to accept Itachi's actions and reasoning!
"What gave him the right to think he was correct?! What authority did he have to make such a decision? Why did he have to kill the entire family?!"
"Who knows? According to intelligence, he firmly believed he was doing the right thing. He even claimed to have joined a mysterious organization as a double agent, but in the end..."
"Damn it! Is he even human?!"
"You'd have to ask him. Oh, and one more thing—according to our intel, he wasn't acting alone. The other person involved was likely Obito Uchiha."
For Sasuke, there were only two people he truly despised.
One was Itachi Uchiha, whom he viewed as a monster.
The other was Obito Uchiha, responsible for both the Nine-Tails incident and complicit in the Uchiha massacre. How could he possibly forgive either of them?
"Don't worry. You'll encounter them eventually."
Kitagawa Minamoto smiled, glancing at Kakashi and Jiraiya before speaking earnestly.
"Trust me, with Kakashi-sensei and Pervy Sage around, we're bound to run into something special."
"Hey, are you slandering us?"
Jiraiya and Kakashi rolled their eyes simultaneously. Kitagawa Minamoto, however, paid no mind and continued with a grin.
"Sasuke, have you ever heard of Konohagakure's special laws?"
"Huh? What laws?"
"First, any mission led by Kakashi-sensei is guaranteed to encounter major trouble. Think about my first mission and yours."
"..."
"Second, the probability of encountering Akatsuki during an external mission is extremely high. Again, think about our first missions."
"..."
"Third, at the end of every mission, someone always ends up in the hospital—either a team member or someone in the village. For reference..."
"That's enough, Minamoto!"
Kakashi and Jiraiya couldn't hold back anymore. While Kitagawa Minamoto's observations were technically accurate, was it really appropriate to blame everything on them?
"Naruto, don't learn this from him."
Inside Naruto's mind, Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze had essentially become Jinchūriki themselves. They could observe the outside world through Naruto, and Kushina couldn't help but comment.
"He's great in so many ways, but why is he like this? And he says Konohagakure's education system is flawed, but I feel like..."
"Um... I don't know either..."
Minato scratched his head awkwardly. Kitagawa Minamoto was undoubtedly exceptional, but sometimes... he seemed to highlight the failures of Konohagakure's education system.
"Sigh, Minato, if only you hadn't died so early. Minamoto wouldn't have turned out like this."
Kushina sighed, her tone tinged with regret. Minato stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"As disrespectful as it might sound to the Third Hokage, things probably would've been better."
"Hah..."
Naruto, listening to his parents' conversation, could only let out an awkward laugh. He remembered that Kitagawa Minamoto had been mischievous even as a child. Otherwise, why would his stipend have been so meager back then?
"And this jerk, wasn't he supposed to open some 'Odd Jobs Agency,' settle down, and get married? Why is he now aiming to steal my Hokage position?"
"Damn it! These white-haired guys can't be trusted!"
Naruto grumbled internally but remained in good spirits.
The group continued chatting and laughing as they approached the outskirts of Takigakure.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Takigakure...
As space twisted, a group of figures in black cloaks adorned with red clouds quietly appeared.
"We're here."
Obito Uchiha glanced at the village in the distance and spoke in a low tone.
"Do you all understand the plan? And have you fully mastered your powers?"
After Nagato made his decision, the group hadn't acted immediately. Sometimes, superstition couldn't be ignored. After all, every time they moved, they seemed to run into people from Konohagakure!
They had even suspected a mole within their ranks. But after thorough investigation—especially Black Zetsu's inquiries within Konohagakure—they realized one thing:
"Konohagakure's actions are all documented. Every encounter has been a coincidence..."
Such an absurd reality would have broken anyone else's spirit. But the members of Akatsuki were determined ninja. No matter how bizarre or cursed their situation seemed, they wouldn't give up easily.
At most, they'd just take extra precautions.
This time, they had deliberately delayed their operation under the pretext of "adapting to their powers through Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation."
"No problem. Those Konohagakure people aren't Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki, after all. Hmm."
Hidan, despite being reduced to a "pile of trash," still spoke with his usual brashness.
"Last time, we were interrupted and couldn't properly fight the Konohagakure team."
Biryūko snorted coldly, shaking his head indifferently.
"If we do meet them, I'll only be happy."
"Such confidence, huh?"
Kisame smirked, offering what seemed like genuine praise.
"But are you sure you can handle Kitagawa Minamoto if you encounter him?"
"Kitagawa Minamoto isn't simple."
Jūzō Biwa and Raiga Kurosuki both nodded in agreement. Even though they were resurrected through Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation, they knew how formidable this young man was. One of them had even faced his "younger self," which was already beyond imagination!
"Rather than worrying about that, I think we should consider the possibility of running into Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki."
Itachi Uchiha, who had been silent, finally spoke.
His words plunged the group into silence. Aside from Jūzō Biwa and Raiga Kurosuki, everyone had suffered equally under Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki. He had treated them all with the same disdain, making them all victims in one way or another.
"Let's move."
After a long pause, Nagato spoke in a low voice.
"It's been three years. I'm not the same as I was back then."
"If we do meet them, I might actually look forward to it!"
"Whether it's those from Konohagakure or Ōtsutsuki Minamoto-shiki."
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(End of Chapter)