Naruto: Who made him a ninja

Chapter 93 The Fifty-Fifth Year of Konoha: The Night of the Clan Extermination Approaches (10,000 words, please subscribe)

In the forests of the Land of Fire, several black-clad ninjas were running at high speed, seemingly being chased by someone.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Sure enough, at that moment a voice suddenly rang out behind them.

Immediately, a series of thick wooden strips shot out from all directions, quickly binding them all together.

Just then, three figures appeared on the tree above them, looking down at them!

Clearly, these three are Xiuze, Shisui, and Yugao.

Xiuze glanced at the few ninjas who were still struggling but were not begging for mercy, then nodded and looked at Shisui.

"It seems another mission is complete. If I'm not mistaken, they're probably from Kumogakure."

"According to intelligence, that's the case."

Shisui nodded, and soon he couldn't help but sigh.

"Honestly, sometimes it can be really boring to go on a mission with someone like you."

"Indeed, we don't need to do anything; he can solve everything."

Xiyan nodded in agreement, which displeased Xiuze.

"Hey, if it were me, I'd be thrilled to have teammates like that. What's wrong with finishing a mission so easily?"

Xiuze was somewhat dismissive of what the two men said. In any case, it was all about completing the mission, so what was wrong with someone putting in more effort to solve the problem?

If Xiuze were to choose, he would really hope to find someone who would allow him to slack off without worry and make the most of the bargains!

"Alright, let's go back."

Shisui glanced around and saw that other ANBU squads had arrived. He then spoke to Hidezawa.

"Let them handle the rest. But the Cloud Village's revenge came really fast."

"really."

Yugao also sighed. Ever since they "invited" the Fourth Raikage back last time, Kumogakure has slowly started to cause trouble.

Whether it's investigating within Konoha or attacking mission-bound ninjas, they are all retaliating to some extent in their own ways.

This feeling is quite similar to the period after the Fourth Hokage's death, which was also the most humiliating time for Konoha.

Hyuga Hizashi died because of this.

"Alright, let's hurry back."

Yugao and Shisui were filled with emotion about this, but Shuzawa didn't have many thoughts on it.

After all, the more activities the Cloud Village has, the better for him since he doesn't have any missions to go out for the time being!

Time has quietly passed to the 55th year of Konoha. During this time, both Hidezawa and the entire ninja world have undergone many interesting changes.

The negotiations between Konoha and Iwagakure have ended, and Huang Tu and the group of Iwagakure ninja who were captured by Shusawa and his men have been able to return to their homeland.

As for the outcome of the negotiations, it wasn't bad; it was within the acceptable range for everyone.

However, Danzo, the boss of Shuzawa, did not seem to be satisfied with this, and Konoha held several meetings specifically for this reason.

However, the outcome of the meeting was unknown to ordinary members of the secret service like Xiuze.

All he knew was that his former boss seemed to be in a pretty good mood lately.

"It's good to be happy while we can; it would be such a pity if we didn't have the chance again."

Xiuze declined to comment, since it didn't really matter to him, and besides, he was in a pretty good mood lately!

Yunyin's subtle actions increased his workload after returning to work, but the value these people could provide was much greater than he had imagined!

He no longer needs to stay in the village on patrol all the time; he often has to go out to deal with some 'unidentified' ninjas.

This allowed Xiuze to "make a small fortune" over time, even without any major missions!

[Shihara Hidezawa]

[Overall Physical Fitness: LV11]

[Chakra: LV9]

【能力：木遁LV7，飞雷神LV7，体术6，咒印LV7、阴遁LV6、灼遁LV7、省略】

[Free Points: 0]

Looking at his own panel, Xiuze nodded slightly.

He already had 5 free points left, and with this mission, he finally used up all his points in Flying Thunder God Technique, Taijutsu, and Yin Release.

Xiuze hesitated for a long time about physical techniques, since with his current physical abilities, it seemed that he didn't need to be too proficient in them to kill people.

But after thinking it over, he realized that he seemed to have fallen into a misconception.

"Haven't I started thinking like those Otsutsuki?"

Xiuze clearly remembered just how strong those Otsutsuki were; each of them had obtained the fruit of the Divine Tree and possessed a bloodline limit!

However, the fates of those Otsutsuki were all tragic, one more miserable than the other.

Their failure cannot be explained simply by feeling frustrated. You can call it arrogance, a lapse in judgment, or even a plot device.

However, upon closer inspection, one can understand that even though they had overwhelming strength in ninja battles, they were completely overwhelmed by the lack of tactical and technical skills!

"Their fighting style is more like using brute force to push forward, while the ninjas' fighting style is more like using various techniques to continuously improve their combat power."

To be honest, the only one that left a deep impression on Xiuze was Otsutsuki Isshiki, who managed to completely defeat the chosen duo of Sasuke and Naruto.

Later, Naruto was even forced to use some kind of "particle mode" and sacrifice Kurama to win.

However, Hidezawa later realized he'd been tricked; even Naruto, that idiot, had forgotten that Kurama, as a tailed beast, could be resurrected.

But in any case, from Hidezawa's personal perspective, the battle with the Otsutsuki clan seems to be less brutal than the battle with Madara Uchiha.

Madara Uchiha was someone who had mastered all the technical and tactical skills, and also had all his personal buffs maxed out.

Otsutsuki, on the other hand, seems to fight purely on instinct, recklessly relying on his overwhelming power.

"I can't follow in the footsteps of those Otsutsuki people."

Xiuze sighed inwardly. Wood Release and Flying Thunder God Techniques had been of great help to him, but he couldn't neglect his own skills as a ninja!

Therefore, he slightly improved his physical skills. As for how much he will improve them later, that depends on his own needs.

In addition, during this time he also fused the Scorching Release according to the formula.

As before, he received a notification about the bloodline mutation, which gave him even more confidence in what he was doing.

"I still need to master one more Storm Release technique, fully activate my Chakra Mode, and..."

And a huge number of free points!

Shusawa's consumption of Free Points is getting bigger and bigger, but fortunately the Ninja World won't be peaceful in the future.

If I remember correctly, quite a few interesting things will happen this year.

"Thank you for your hard work. This mission is now complete."

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples wearily, but still smiled and nodded at Hidezawa and the other two.

However, no matter how you look at it, his smile seems somewhat forced, and the Hokage also seems to look a little more tired.

However, Xiuze didn't dare to say anything more, because he knew very well that all of this was related to him.

He captured the Fourth Raikage, he orchestrated the events at Iwagakure, and he even secretly instigated Danzo's problems!

Danzo is in a good mood now, while the Third Hokage is not, which probably says a lot.

Thinking about it carefully, he really did commit heinous crimes.

Fortunately, Xiuze has a thick skin.

He claimed to be Danzo's subordinate, and that all of this was the boss's problem, so what did it have to do with him?

[Task Completed]

[Catching Spies]

Task Completion Rating: A

[Reward: 1 Free Point]

Looking at the refreshed panel, Xiuze nodded to himself; this kind of task was still somewhat rewarding.

"Since you're alright, you can go and rest now. Thank you for your hard work."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sealed the scroll away before smiling at Hidezawa and the other two.

"Lord Hokage, please wait a moment. I have some information to report to you."

However, Xiuze did not rush to leave. Instead, he bowed slightly and spoke softly.

"Oh?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was slightly taken aback by Hidezawa's words. Although Hidezawa had caused a lot of trouble, Hiruzen Sarutobi still genuinely liked Hidezawa.

Putting everything else aside, this kid's Wood Release and Flying Thunder God techniques are treasures of Konoha, and his work ethic is beyond reproach.

Although he once followed Danzo, and it seems that he did some things for Danzo when he was in the Anbu, such as the incident with Sunagakure.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no evidence, and he didn't think there was anything wrong with it, since he wasn't entirely sure he had snatched the kid away at that time.

He didn't intend to ask Hidezawa about the details of the Sunagakure mission, because in his opinion, while Hidezawa was indeed intelligent, Danzo was the one who was in charge of this matter.

Even if you ask Xiuze, you won't get any crucial information, and it might even make Xiuze feel that he doesn't trust him, which is something he wouldn't do.

However, no matter how good Xiuze is, he has one obvious flaw: he's too extreme in his actions.

"Alright, then Shisui, Yugao, you two..."

"Lord Hokage, there's no need for this. This matter is related to the Akatsuki organization."

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi was being so accommodating, even intending to let Shisui and the others leave, Hidezawa immediately shook his head and interrupted.

"They'll get involved too, so it's better to stay here."

"The Akatsuki organization, huh?" Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "I understand. Kakashi and Itachi are on duty today. Please speak."

"Yes."

Xiuze had actually sensed the presence of these two people long ago, so he had nothing to hide.

"Lord Hokage, I have received reports from the spies I placed outside."

"Oh?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression instantly turned serious. In order to obtain more information about the Akatsuki, Hidezawa had specifically requested that he find suitable people outside to provide intelligence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi readily agreed to this, a common practice among ninjas, and generously offered a monthly mission allowance of 500,000 ryo.

He had originally thought that the money would be enough once there was a response, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly.

"According to the report, it seems that the Akatsuki organization is taking action."

Xiuze lowered his head and immediately began to speak.

"They are recruiting new members, and this person, according to the information I have, seems to be a former member of our Konoha."

Clearly, Xiuze is planning to get some serious work done!

As things progressed, Hidezawa wasn't entirely sure how things would develop on Kabuto's side, but Danzo probably wouldn't let this matter go easily.

Admittedly, Kabuto and Yakushi Nonou are key to his control over Hidezawa, but some things in this relationship can be transformed!

For example, Yakushi Nonou was killed by Kabuto, but Kabuto chose to defect.

If Hidezawa wants to take revenge on Kabuto, he can only rely on Danzo, the one who trained Kabuto!

Or perhaps he framed Orochimaru at a crucial moment, and Orochimaru is known throughout the ninja world for his ability to escape, yet only Danzo and Orochimaru still have contact.

He only needs to make Hidezawa realize that no matter what he does, he has to rely on Danzo. Then, with the help of the cursed seal, Hidezawa will probably have a hard time escaping!

These are all things that Hidezawa can imagine, but what other tricks does that bastard Danzo have up his sleeve? That's really hard to say.

Since that's the case, Xiuze certainly doesn't mind having some fun with him; Xiuze herself is also quite in need of some freedom!

"A former member of Konoha?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, a bad feeling creeping into his heart, and Hidezawa gave him the answer directly.

"It's very likely Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru."

When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard this name, his pupils dilated slightly. He never expected to hear his disciple's name here!

Konoha has never stopped investigating Orochimaru, but unfortunately, information about Orochimaru is really too difficult to obtain.

Orochimaru?

Shisui and Yugao were also slightly taken aback, while Kakashi and Tenzo, who were hiding in the shadows protecting Hiruzen Sarutobi, also fell silent.

Tenzo's arrival in the Anbu was largely due to Orochimaru's influence!

Hearing that name again now, they were somewhat dazed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Xiuze nodded and spoke with a serious expression.

"While the information can't be 100% certain, I think the possibility is quite high, after all, Orochimaru is a rogue ninja, and that organization..."

"I see."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and nodded seriously; he couldn't possibly not take this matter seriously.

"What are they planning to do now?"

"The specifics are still unknown, but it seems they are heading towards Iwagakure."

Hidezawa continued speaking with his head down, but as soon as he heard Iwagakure, Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips twitched again.

Why is it this place again?

However, considering that Iwagakure was recently attacked by Hidezawa, it seems much better in terms of 'safety'.

Besides, the mission is to investigate whether it is related to Orochimaru, which doesn't seem to involve Iwagakure that much, right?

"I know, but this matter needs to be carefully considered, and I will give you an answer as soon as possible."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Xiuze nodded. He had already reported what he needed to report. As for the final result, we would have to wait and see.

As for when the conflict will erupt, Xiuze doesn't have a clear answer, but in terms of timing, it shouldn't be a problem.

"Orochimaru's Akatsuki organization."

After watching Hidezawa and the others leave the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples in annoyance.

He felt that there were a lot of things going on lately, and they were all very troublesome. Not to mention the things outside the village, the same was true for things inside the village.

Danzo's hidden secrets, the rumors circulating among the Uchiha clan, and now Orochimaru has emerged.

"I'm really getting old; there are more and more things I can't do anymore."

With a slight sigh, Hiruzen Sarutobi made a decision.

"Kakashi, relay my order: bring Jiraiya back. This is urgent, understand?"

"yes!"

Kakashi appeared instantly, nodded, and then turned and left the office.

If Jiraiya comes back, perhaps things will become a little easier.

"I never expected to get information about Orochimaru."

After leaving the Hokage's office, Yugao couldn't help but mutter to herself, then she turned to look at Xiuze.

"The intelligence agents you've developed seem to be doing quite well."

"It's still uncertain. After all, many things are unpredictable; it's just a rumor."

Upon hearing Xiyan's words, Xiuze couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

"After all, intelligence cannot be easily determined to be true or false; we can only say whether the intelligence is valuable enough to prompt us to take action."

Intelligence about Akatsuki and Orochimaru is extremely valuable to both us and Konoha. We'll probably have to take action again soon.

Xiuze wasn't talking nonsense; the things he selected were what Konoha currently valued and was most interested in.

If there's still no reaction, then it just means that everything he did before was a failure.

Besides Danzo

"I see."

Xi Yan nodded. Of course, she understood what those words meant, and she was actually looking forward to going on the mission.

Having trained with Tsunade for so long, she had gained more confidence in herself!

"Hidezawa-kun, can I talk to you for a bit?"

But just then, Shisui, who hadn't said much since coming out, suddenly looked at Hidezawa.

"Um?"

Xiuze was somewhat surprised, and Xiyan's eyes also flickered with doubt, but Xiyan quickly nodded and spoke.

"Then you two talk. I need to go to the medical department, so you two talk."

With that, she waved to the two of them and left.

How could anyone not like such a beautiful and understanding person?

"Just say what's on your mind, why make such a fuss?"

Xiuze watched as Xiyan walked away before turning to look at Zhishui.

"You're really weird. I'm going to suffer again tonight."

"You're clearly overjoyed, you bastard."

Zhishui chuckled and cursed, then led Xiuze toward an empty open space, muttering to himself as they walked.

"Hidezawa-kun, I might have to leave the Anbu."

"Um?"

Xiuze looked surprised, but secretly nodded in his heart.

In his memory, Shisui did not appear in the uniform of the Anbu, which clearly indicated that he had already chosen to leave the Anbu and focus his energy on other things.

Perhaps it was a mission, or perhaps it was his family.

By the 55th year of Konoha, the situation within the Uchiha clan had become extremely complex.

Perhaps it was also due to Xiuze's instigation that Obito Uchiha was exposed ahead of time, and his Mangekyou Sharingan gave them a good jolt.

In order to deal with Obito, Shisui revealed his hidden eyes, which caused a sudden change in the atmosphere within the Uchiha clan.

Xiuze could foresee that Shisui was probably not having an easy time either, with the pressure from his family clashing with his own inner desires. This guy's pressure must be immense.

"I see."

Xiuze quickly composed himself and nodded.

"Your Uchiha clan is indeed in a bad situation right now. It would be a good choice for you to withdraw and focus on dealing with the problems within your clan."

Anyway, the Anbu still has that brat Itachi Uchiha, so I think you can rest assured.

"Are you reassured?"

Shisui shook his head, sighed, and nodded.

"Perhaps, Itachi is indeed intelligent, but... never mind, I'll ask you to mentor him more in the Anbu from now on."

At this point, Shisui stopped. He could clearly sense that Shisui seemed to want to say something but couldn't bring himself to say it.

Xiuze understood this, but he didn't know what this guy was planning.

But he couldn't bring himself to bring it up, and he shouldn't even listen to it.

It's best to avoid doing things that could cause trouble.

"Teaching him? I think we should forget about it. Let's leave this to Kakashi."

Xiuze chuckled softly, then patted Shisui's shoulder and smiled nonchalantly.

"Besides, even without us, you can still teach him within your own clan, can't you?"

Also, it's just about leaving the Anbu; why are you telling me this privately? Seriously.

"Because I might have decided to take a gamble."

Shisui stared intently at Shusawa, and in an instant, his eyes transformed into Sharingan mode, rapidly scanning his surroundings.

He was clearly checking if anyone was nearby before speaking in a low voice after a moment.

"Do you remember the story you told me? You said that if it were you, you would kill the leader of the first type of people."

I've thought about it carefully for a long time, and I think you're absolutely right.

Moreover, you know the situation within the clan, or rather, the entire Dark Division knows it; everyone has been driven mad!

If this continues, the first type of people will probably smugly say: "Look, that's how they are."

Xiuze-kun, I think you can understand me.

At this point, Shisui paused slightly before a smile appeared on his face.

"Your story is very philosophical and truly inspiring. Perhaps I would have been much better off hearing it sooner, so I could have shared it with more of my people."

But that's no longer possible given the current situation. Perhaps taking a gamble is my best option right now.

But don't worry, I will still go on this mission. I will quit after I come back.

This will be our last mission, and I will do my best to complete it. But afterward, I hope you can take care of Itachi. Thank you.

After saying this, Shisui bowed deeply to Shusawa before turning and leaving.

The latest novel is first published here!

After watching Shisui's departing figure, Xiuze smiled helplessly after a long while.

"Your little brother is probably even more extreme than you, you idiot."

Although Shisui didn't say much, Shuzawa could almost guess what he was going to do.

It's nothing more than luring Danzo out, meeting him alone, and then finding an opportunity to kill him!

The best way to lure Danzo out would probably be to reveal his kaleidoscope to Danzo, though Hidezawa himself didn't know if he could succeed.

It might be possible, but the most likely outcome is failure, after all, Danzo has Izanagi and Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan.

If this one shot is used at the crucial moment, and Shisui is caught completely off guard, the outcome is already decided!

It can only be said that Shisui also possessed the arrogance unique to the Uchiha clan.

His arrogance stemmed from putting all the pressure on himself, believing that he was the only one who could solve all problems!

Of course, now it's up to him to solve this problem on his own.

Should I remind him?

Hidezawa had absolutely no interest in taking care of Uchiha Itachi, after all, they didn't have much of a relationship, and besides, Hidezawa had no idea what the kid was thinking.

Besides, at this age, the kid's thinking is basically set, and Xiuze feels uneasy when he sees someone like that.

What if I end up selling myself? Wouldn't that be a huge loss?

"Hmm, wait a minute, it seems like there's something we can't do in here, is there?"

Suddenly, Xiuze seemed to have thought of something. He stood still, gently touched his chin, and fell into deep thought.

Uchiha Shisui lured Danzo out, knowing Danzo's nature, he would definitely try to steal the eyes, and Shisui was Shisui's teammate.

"Perhaps Danzo will send me to protect him, then..."

Then, Hidezawa could try to make Danzo have some fun here!

Xiuze didn't know what Shisui was going to do to their already insane clan, but in his opinion, it would be pointless no matter what he did.

He had said before that if he wanted to use Kotoamatsukami, he would have to prove that he had the ability, but once he proved it, he would be questioned.

If he doesn't prove it, and he takes action against Danzo, the consequences will only be worse. But there are other things he can try.

For example, Itachi Uchiha

"Looks like you're not so bad after all."

Thinking of this, Xiuze smiled.

Moreover, Danzo was suspended from his post for a period of time because of the Uchiha incident, which was the opportunity that Hidezawa had been waiting for!

He seemed to be able to see Danzo's doom.

After meeting with Shisui, Xiuzawa's life returned to its usual tranquility.

After all, he still had to wait for news from Hiruzen Sarutobi, so he couldn't rush this matter.

During this time, he also kept in touch with Kabuto using his communication scroll to find out about the situation in Iwagakure, while also telling Kabuto to provoke Danzo.

After all, if Danzo isn't provoked, some things really won't be so easy to get done.

"But why can't you understand my good intentions?"

Xiuze casually erased the information in the communication and rubbed his face.

Kabuto seems extremely dissatisfied with some of Hidezawa's actions. Is he trying to provoke Danzo at this moment because he thinks things will get worse?

Especially since Xiuze and the others haven't shown any signs of leaving, this is really inappropriate!

"Sigh, concern can cloud judgment; it's only human nature."

If we were to ask who Kabuto, before he completely fell into depravity, cared about the most, it would have to be Yakushi Nonou.

Any information about her could cause Dou's judgment to become slightly unbalanced, as if he was afraid of harming her.

However, there are really not many choices available in this situation. Rather than saying it's harmful, it's more accurate to say it's a matter of "living towards death."

Since we're going to provoke Danzo anyway, the extent to which we go about it isn't a big deal.

"But why hasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi responded yet? Could it be that the old man has given up after hearing that Iwagakure isn't backing down?"

Xiuze admitted that he was indeed a little extreme in handling some things.

But such an extreme situation is not a big deal under normal circumstances, right?

"Hey, kid."

Just as Xiuze was pondering, his door was suddenly opened, and what came into view was a pair of fair thighs!

Seeing this, Xiuze couldn't help but wonder what it would look like if they put on stockings.

Fortunately, he quickly came to his senses. He's fifteen this year; he just needs to hang in there a little longer.

"Teacher, what brings you here?"

"Let's see what you're up to."

Tsunade walked with a swaying gait. She walked over to Hidezawa and sat down directly next to him. She glanced at the scroll in Hidezawa's hand before speaking.

"They hide in their rooms all day, and even when they're looking at these things, they don't put in any effort. I really don't know what the point of these boring things is."

"Understanding the past is also a form of respect, right? Besides, there aren't any tasks right now, so we can just use it as a way to pass the time during our rest periods."

Xiuze said nonchalantly, but he was also wondering why Tsunade had come to find him.

Normally, shouldn't Tsunade be at a tavern or card game club at this time?

"By the way, teacher, is there something you needed from me?"

"Why"

Tsunade sighed softly, then raised her head and looked at Hidezawa seriously.

"I heard you have information about Orochimaru?"

So that's how it is.

Xiuze nodded knowingly. The three legendary Sannin of Konoha, although they had long since separated for various reasons.

But how can the affection and bond between them be so easily severed?

Hidezawa guessed that Tsunade probably got the information from Hiruzen Sarutobi, which is why she came to him to ask for the truth.

"More or less."

Xiuze nodded. There was no need to hide this matter, but of course, that's not how it should be said.

"I have some intelligence, but I don't know the specifics and need to confirm it. However, what I do know is that the Akatsuki organization is probably taking action."

"The Akatsuki, huh? They really are a bunch of persistent ghosts."

Tsunade frowned; she had absolutely no liking for this organization full of rogue ninja.

"So what are your plans? If you really encountered Orochimaru, what would you do?"

That would naturally be an opportunity to increase Danzo's strength!

Xiuze muttered to himself, actually he had already figured out how to handle this matter.

Orochimaru was at most just one part of his plan to play.

The same applies to the Akatsuki organization!

Hidezawa was certain that Kakuzu played a significant role in Akatsuki's presence there.

If you're going to put on a show, you have to go all the way; Xiuze is very clear about that.

Even if he's unlucky enough not to run into Orochimaru, he still has to run into the Akatsuki so he can come back and report.

Even just one corner.

"Teacher, I've dealt with him, so please don't worry."

Hidetsawa appeared quite confident, and he casually smiled at Tsunade.

"Besides, if all else fails, I can always leave."

Your grandfather's skills are amazing!

"Tch, I told you before, don't believe in Flying Thunder God."

Tsunade shook her head, then sighed.

"If he were really that effective, my second grandfather and that brat from the fourth generation wouldn't have died."

Kid, are you working so hard because of your dream of becoming Hokage?

"Um"

Although Shuzawa felt that Tsunade might have misunderstood, he still nodded honestly.

"To be honest, I really don't understand why you guys are so obsessed with that cursed location."

Tsunade smoothed her hair and gently shook her head.

"It's clearly destined to end badly, yet you all rush headlong into the flame like moths to a flame. It's really idiotic."

At this point, Tsunade paused, perhaps recalling her younger brother and her former lover.

It took her a while to come to her senses, and then she moved closer to Xiuze.

In an instant, Xiuze seemed to feel a delicate fragrance enter his nostrils, and Tsunade's voice rang in his ears.

"Watch your own safety, got it, kid?"

"Um"

Xiuze nodded dazedly, his attention completely drawn to the green pendant on the white ravine.

"Kakuzu, did you need to see me?"

"Yes, I have something to report."

Inside a tall tower in the Land of Rain, Pain looked at Kakuzu with a puzzled expression.

Kakuzu, who had just been thought of by Hidezawa, was also in a bad mood.

To be honest, he didn't really want to come see Pain, especially since the order from that kid who knew Wood Release made him even more annoyed.

After all, that brat had defeated him and almost killed him.

If it weren't for the fact that this kid had some other motives and wanted to keep him around to do things, then no matter how many hearts he had, it would probably be useless.

How could Kakuzu possibly feel comfortable about something like this?

Fortunately, Kakuzu is still a down-to-earth person.

For him, money allows him to do many things, and that kid actually makes regular payments to him every month!

For a moment, Kakuzu really wanted to say to Shusawa: Boss, you have a great eye for people.

Moreover, he would never forget a sentence that Xiuze whispered to him during one of their secret meetings.

"For a bounty hunter, money is your pursuit, and green banknotes are your destiny."

"So don't let loyalty ruin you!"

Actually, I really want to say something: I have no loyalty, all I care about is money.

Otherwise, why do you think I cooperated with you? Isn't it because you gave me way too much?

Where can you find a boss who can get paid to slack off every month and also make extra money on the side without having to split the profits?

This time, however, he had a bit of a headache.

After all, he was trying to deliver information that even ghosts didn't know if it was true, and his boss was planning to get the Akatsuki organization to cooperate with the operation.

But he'd already taken the money, so he had to do it even if he had to hold his nose.

"I've heard that our organization is recruiting new members, and I think I have a recommendation."

Kakuzu composed himself and spoke earnestly to Payne.

"Oh?"

Payne was somewhat surprised. After thinking for a moment, he asked a question.

"Who would you recommend?"

"A person who has a grudge against Konoha also has some grudge against Hanzo."

Kakuzu recited the script that Hidezawa had given him during their previous meeting.

"I think it would be good for all of us to bring in people like this!"

He has a grudge against Konoha and also has a feud with Hanzo?

Upon hearing these words, Nagato, who was controlling Pain, instantly brightened up.

"Who is he? Do you have accurate information?"

"Actually, I think you know him too. He is Orochimaru, a rogue ninja from Konoha."

Kakuzu continued reading his manuscript, while Nagato raised an eyebrow upon hearing the name.

Orochimaru?

He certainly knew Orochimaru, not only because of his reputation, but also because Orochimaru had almost killed him when he was a child.

Nagato remembered that when he met Jiraiya, Orochimaru had the idea of ​​killing them.

The purpose was because war orphans were so pitiful that they saw no hope for the future.

Rather than living a miserable life, not knowing when they will die in some stinking ditch, it is better to send them off with dignity and without pain.

But in the end, Jiraiya stopped it all and became their teacher.

However, none of this matters, because Orochimaru was already an important candidate that Nagato was considering.

This guy was one of Konoha's former Legendary Sannin, his strength is beyond doubt, and he also knows a lot about the internal affairs of Konoha. It would be a good thing for him if this guy joined!

"This will allow us to better understand the information about Shimura Danzo."

The pitcher plant did provide him with a lot of information, but Nagato did not trust him or the guy who called himself Uchiha Madara.

He needs more sources of intelligence to cross-reference their claims!

"As for the intelligence, it's not comprehensive, but there is one rather interesting piece of information."

Kakuzu had no idea that Payne had so many thoughts on his mind, and he continued to speak.

"Based on the information I have so far, I can determine that this guy is probably from the vicinity of Iwagakure. Perhaps we can go there and take a look."

"Iwagakure?"

Nagato snapped out of his daze, muttering to himself as the Rinnegan in his eyes swirled slightly, as if he were contemplating something.

After a while, his gaze became firm.

"Iwagakure, it wouldn't hurt to go and take a look."

"Jiraiya, how does it feel to be back?"

Konoha, inside the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, with a pipe in his mouth, looked at the tall, white-haired man beside him, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

"But speaking of which, it seems you haven't seen Tsunade at all; she doesn't even know you're back."

"Let's not talk about it yet, there's no rush."

Jiraiya stood by the window, looking at the scenery of Konoha outside. He gently shook his head, and his white hair swayed with his head.

"But old man, really, you're something else. She finally met someone from her own clan, and you still send her people on a mission?"

"You're still such a jerk."

Hiruzen Sarutobi almost choked on his words. He glared at his disciple and finally said helplessly.

"You understand the current situation in Konoha; young people need time to grow."

Moreover, Xiuze's carrying out of the mission wasn't entirely my request; he himself also desired to do it.

Speaking of Hidezawa, Hiruzen Sarutobi was also quite helpless. He also wanted to protect the bloodline, but he knew even more clearly that a ninja who had not been tempered could never stand alone.

It's cruel, but it's the truth.

"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore."

Shaking his head, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't want to talk about this topic either.

"You've already looked at the information. What do you think of this kid?"

"An infuriatingly troublesome guy."

After recalling the materials he had read, Jiraiya felt a terrible headache coming on.

He grew up in an orphanage and was then taken to Root by Danzo. His style of doing things is exactly like Danzo's, and he is extremely extreme in his actions.

"But it cannot be denied that he is an extremely intelligent person. He also knows Wood Release and Minato's techniques. I really don't know how Danzo trained him."

"It's a technique from my teacher, the Second Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly corrected him, but seeing that Jiraiya didn't care at all, he didn't bother to emphasize it again.

"Although Danzo has many problems, he is quite good at training people. However, I do not intend to let this child continue to have contact with Danzo."

"Tsunade can help him, and I believe you can too. Besides, this mission is of great importance, which is why I brought you back."

"To put it bluntly, do you want me to be your bodyguard?"

Jiraiya said it jokingly, but this time Hiruzen Sarutobi took it seriously.

"No, maybe he's your bodyguard."

"."

Jiraiya rubbed his face, feeling that his old man had hurt his pride.

"Teacher, that's very rude of you."

"Stop talking nonsense, I hope you can help him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled smoke rings as he gazed into the distance.

"You've seen this kid's resume, and you know his style. This time, it involves Iwagakure and Akatsuki."

Most importantly, Orochimaru is involved, and I'm really afraid he'll cause some trouble again.

So I need someone to mentor him and help him. Jiraiya, can you do that?

When Orochimaru was mentioned, Jiraiya's expression instantly became much more serious.

He had been wanting to bring this old friend back ever since it left, and he had been working hard to do so.

After a moment of contemplation, he nodded seriously.

"I understand. I'll put more effort into this, and..."

"I'll bring Orochimaru back too!"

When Jiraiya said this, his voice seemed to become somewhat ethereal, and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent beside him.

The room was filled with smoke.

"By the way, old man."

"Um?"

"Aren't you the strongest Hokage? Why don't you lead the team yourself? You just met with Onoki before."

"You little bastard, you're so rude!"

(End of this chapter)