Naruto, what kind of Hokage would you be if you didn't roll around!

"Wood Release!"

The Black Zetsu was referring to the White Zetsu.

Of course, these are not the White Zetsu that is one with him, but other White Zetsu that were cultivated from the Gedo Mazo.

That was a battle puppet enhanced by Hashirama's cells and infused with the power of Wood Release.

Once Orochimaru possesses a body, he will naturally possess the same Wood Release power.

Orochimaru licked his lips: "Indeed, a good vessel..."

Tell me, what is your purpose?

Black Zetsu said hoarsely, "You don't need to know."

"However, if you cooperate with me, perhaps one day I will tell you."

Orochimaru smiled slightly: "Deal."

Black Zetsu handed him a small bottle: "This is the first gift, and also the reward for asking you to do something."

"What's inside?"

"Itachi Uchiha's flesh and blood, which is what is known as..."

"Bioinformatics".

Orochimaru's heart skipped a beat, and he understood Black Zetsu's meaning.

"very good."

"I will find the rest myself."

Black Zetsu handed him another scroll: "Here is some intelligence I've gathered. With this, plus your own theoretical knowledge and intelligence network, Orochimaru, I believe you'll be able to do it soon."

Orochimaru took it and glanced one last time at Sasuke on the ground.

We will meet again soon.

Black Despair watched his retreating figure and reminded him, "This is a secret between the two of us!"

"No one is allowed to disclose this!"

Orochimaru left without looking back.

White Zetsu scratched his head: "Black Zetsu, is Orochimaru, that bastard, trustworthy?"

"Of course it's unreliable, but he also has his weaknesses."

"I believe he will cooperate with us well for the time being."

"Well... I hope so."

……

the other side.

The figure of the mysterious masked man has appeared in the heavy rain in Amegakure.

Without Pain's power, the Rain Tiger Free Technique naturally disappeared as well.

In Amegakure right now, it's just really raining.

But Xiao Nan still sensed something.

She protected her hometown with her own strength.

In the homes of those ninjas and villagers, origami figures were hung up, which actually served as rain monitors and protected the entire village.

Upon seeing the man's figure, Xiao Nan's expression changed slightly, but then she breathed a sigh of relief.

She had been waiting for him.

Xiao Nan took one last look at the two people lying side by side on the white paper flowers.

Then his body suddenly changed, and origami wings sprouted from his back once more, and he flew towards the outskirts of the village.

"Nagato, Yahiko..."

"It's my turn to protect you..."

……

"What's wrong, you lecherous immortal?"

Naruto noticed the change in Jiraiya's expression.

Jiraiya took a deep breath.

"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling about it..."

Naruto was also taken aback: "Is it about Sasuke?!"

"No, I don't think so..."

"Naruto, I think I told you before about the prophecy the Great Toad Sage made about me."

"Hmm, it's said that the Perverted Sage will meet someone who will change the ninja world, and that person is your disciple, the so-called Child of Prophecy, right?"

Jiraiya smiled slightly: "Now I have no doubt that that person is you, Naruto..."

Naruto was taken aback for a moment, then broke into a bright smile.

"Hehe, I think so too!"

Jiraiya laughed heartily: "Naruto, you're still as confident as ever..."

"However, the Great Toad Sage once said that one day I would face a choice..."

“When I fought Nagato before, I thought it was a time of choice, and that I, as his master, had to clean house and stop his ambition. However, Naruto, your appearance changed everything.”

"You defeated Nagato, saved me, and made the choices I faced before seem meaningless."

"But now, I have a different feeling..."

Naruto frowned: "What is it?"

"The Great Toad Sage's prophecy is not wrong, but it is not entirely unchangeable, just like when you, Naruto, faced a choice, you chose to save both me and Sasuke at the same time."

"My ominous premonition right now isn't about Sasuke, but rather..."

"Xonan."

"Xiao Nan... is that Senior Sister?"

"Hadn't she already made up her mind to leave the Akatsuki organization and go into seclusion with her two senior brothers, Nagato and Yahiko, so that she would no longer concern herself with the affairs of the ninja world?"

Jiraiya gave a wry smile: "Naruto, if you could just say a word and leave all this turmoil behind, then this ninja world would be far too wonderful..."

Naruto's expression changed: "You mean, those Akatsuki members won't let her go?!"

"Yes, it's not just her, but more importantly..."

"Nagato's eyes."

"The Sage of Six Paths' Divine Eye, the Rinnegan!"

"Indeed, how could those people from Akatsuki give up such a powerful force..."

"Did the lustful immortal anticipate this long ago?"

"Then why..."

Jiraiya said, "Do you want me, as your master, to preserve Nagato's eyes?"

"Especially when he repented before his death?"

"I can not do it……"

Naruto understood what he meant: "So, what should we do now?"

"Sasuke must be saved, and Konan must be saved too..."

Jiraiya said in a deep voice, "Naruto, I'm leaving Sasuke to you. I'll go take care of Konan..."

Naruto immediately stopped him.

"No way, you lecherous immortal!"

"What if Madara Uchiha really goes? What if the Perverted Sage gets into danger?!"

"I can't let you go alone!"

"But Sasuke..."

Naruto thought for a moment and said, "How about this, just like last time, I'll use Shadow Clones and go with the Perverted Sage!"

Jiraiya smiled slightly: "That is indeed an idea."

"However, I felt a little guilty for turning back halfway through my mission to save Sasuke..."

Naruto said, "Don't worry, Perverted Sage! With me, Kakashi-sensei, and Hinata, we'll definitely be able to save Sasuke!"

"Yes, I believe you..."

Kakashi and Hinata nodded as well.

So, the group split into two groups, with Jiraiya and Naruto's shadow clones quickly heading towards Amegakure.

Naruto's main body, along with Kakashi and Hinata, headed towards the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Frost.

……

at the same time.

In the Akatsuki's underground base.

Dark, damp, cold, and cramped.

Sasuke suddenly awoke from his unconsciousness—

"Ah ah ah ah ah--"

A piercing scream echoed throughout the underground cave.

Zetsu and Kisame Hoshigaki immediately heard this and rushed towards the secret room where Sasuke was.

Sasuke suddenly covered his head and frantically pulled at his hair.

The intense pain penetrated to the bone marrow and could not be shielded by any external force.

"What is it? What is the truth...?"

"Was I wrong to have lived solely for revenge all this time?!"

"Uchiha Itachi, Uchiha Itachi..."

"Are you..."

At this moment, Kisame Hoshigaki and Zetsu also arrived.

"You're awake, Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke saw the two of them and instinctively became more alert.

Bai Jue smiled slightly: "No need to be nervous, we are not your enemy right now."

Black Zetsu said hoarsely, "Are you prepared for this, Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sasuke remained silent.

Kisame Hoshigaki looked at him and once again thought of Itachi Uchiha.

He didn't know the whole truth.

However, looking at Sasuke's confusion, he could roughly guess what was going on.

"Sasuke Uchiha……"

"Your strength has indeed improved by leaps and bounds, which has shocked me as well, especially that Lightning Release: Kirin and the Sage Mode from Ryuchi Cave. Even Itachi-sensei probably didn't expect that..."

"Even so, in the end, you two brothers will only suffer mutual destruction."

"In his final moments, Itachi probably still had a chance to kill you..."

“But he didn’t do that.”

"I don't understand why, but I guess you should."