"Brother-in-law, I want roast suckling pig~"
"How about I have someone bring it tomorrow?"
"Nooo~ It looks so delicious right now~"
Rin, who was quietly eating on the side, blinked. The piglet in her arms began struggling wildly.
"Hanabi, eat it tomorrow... that's Tsunade-sama's pig."
Naruto turned his head slightly and glanced out the window.
A flicker of chakra disappeared into the Kamui dimension.
He looked back at Rin and said, "Obito's here."
"Huh?"
Rin blinked. "Well... Kakashi told me. If Obito ever appeared, I should help catch him."
She frowned and added, "But I'm not that strong. Kakashi and Might Guy are obsessed with those books all day long... what a waste."
Naruto chuckled lightly. "It won't happen just yet. You've been dead for years. He's been watching all this time... and I doubt he'll stop now."
Hearing those familiar words, Rin shivered, goosebumps rising across her skin. Something about it unsettled her.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Orochimaru entered, Kabuto Yakushi trailing behind like a scolded child, head lowered.
"Looks like you've figured everything out... and finally found yourself," Naruto said.
He walked up to Kabuto and added gently, "Look up. The future director of Konoha's orphanage can't be hiding like this."
At the word orphanage, Kabuto visibly trembled. His eyes widened as he looked up at Naruto, disbelief written all over his face.
"M-me?"
"Of course," Naruto replied. "Aunt Snake, Kabuto's in your hands now."
He added, "Oh, and Kankurō took Sasori back. The knowledge in Sasori's head far outweighs anything Kankurō can match."
Orochimaru licked his lips, eyes gleaming. "My pleasure."
Elsewhere…
Splurt—!
"Hidan, what the hell are you doing?!"
Even Kakuzu was stunned—so were the shinobi around them.
Internal conflict?!
Hidan grinned wickedly, staring at his own severed hand. "The Jashin-sama demands your life. I have no choice but to obey!"
After the fall of the Uzumaki Clan, many strange masks were found in the ruins of Uzushiogakure—relics for various sacrifices.
Besides the Shinigami invoked by the Shiki Fūjin, there were many other so-called gods. Naruto had absorbed so much divine and spiritual power, he no longer remembered how many deities or malevolent spirits he'd touched.
Some were evil gods... others may have shared the same origin.
That was why Hidan could sense the aura of Jashin-sama—the aura of a god—on the four women traveling with Naruto.
"Idiot!" Kakuzu cursed, leaping back.
His severed arm twitched on the ground, thin threads writhing from the stump.
The tangled threads looked like they were knitting themselves around a pulsing heart. It gave even Shikamaru the creeps.
Boom, boom—thump.
That mass of cords wrapped tighter and tighter until the severed arm began to move.
"A limb can move on its own…?" Shikamaru muttered.
Neji, scanning with his Byakugan, nodded after reading over some intel from Nagato. "No surprise. The Akatsuki are full of monsters like this."
"The two guarding the village entrance were strong too," he added.
The mass of threads finally connected with the main body, reattaching Kakuzu's arm.
Hidan looked at the few visible threads with some regret.
"These threads patched me up more times than I can count... but, an order's an order."
He sighed. "Well, Kakuzu's got more than one life. Killing one won't be a big deal!"
Kakuzu's fate seemed set in stone.
Still, as long as he remained with Akatsuki, Shikamaru wouldn't have him killed outright.
Free labor's still labor.
"Shikamaru," came the sudden voice of Kurama in his mind, "leave Kakuzu alive for now."
Meanwhile…
"You... what's wrong with you all?"
Jiraiya looked around, stunned.
He had been dragged into a dim room by villagers and old Konoha ninja—then dressed in the Hokage's robes.
"You saw what happened out there, didn't you?" he asked. "There's only a handful of you left. Are you still clinging to the past?"
He looked down at the Hokage cloak he now wore. A bitter smile played on his lips.
"Stop talking, Jiraiya-sama—no, Hokage-sama!"
"Back then, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura told us to stay and support you!"
"Support me? What for? Isn't Konoha doing fine now?"
A Chūnin named Kinkame Jirō stepped forward, his voice trembling with anger.
"Hokage-sama, what are you saying?"
"We're not the same fools we used to be. That damn fox and Tsunade—if they show no mercy, don't expect us to!"
"They know they were wrong—so why won't they forgive us?"
"As elders, they should've led by example. Instead, they acted petty and selfish. It's disgraceful."
"Konoha stands because of us!"
"And yet when our people left to fight, they didn't even come back for them..."
"Damn it all!"
Jiraiya was confused.
Jiraiya was silent.
Jiraiya rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry, Hokage-sama! We're united now!"
"Besides, Advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura already have the backing of the Daimyō of the Land of Fire!"
"This current Konoha doesn't even acknowledge the Land of Fire's authority anymore. If we let this continue, they'll bring ruin upon themselves. Only under your leadership can Konoha return to its former glory!"
"This is our best chance!"
Jiraiya let out a long sigh and looked at the group in front of him.
"How many people are involved?"
"Don't worry, Hokage-sama. We've got at least three thousand people—ninjas and villagers alike."
Jiraiya slowly stood up and removed the Hokage's ceremonial robe that had been forced on him.
"This plan... it came from Koharu and Homura, didn't it?"
The Chūnin, Kinkame Jiro, lifted his chin proudly. "That's right!"
"Don't worry, with the Daimyō's support, this time we won't fail like before. Once the Daimyō gives the order, even the fox demon and Tsunade will have no choice but to submit!"
"Who else is involved?" Jiraiya's expression darkened.
"Plenty!"
"Not just the Land of Fire—daimyō and ninja leaders from other nations are ready to support us too!"
"This Konoha has become far too overbearing."
"The feudal lords and nobility have had enough. Many of their personal armies are already en route to Konoha."
"Once the Daimyō gives us the token of command, we'll legally reclaim control of the village. After that, we'll work together to capture the fox demon and Tsunade!"
Jiraiya's brows furrowed.
"You didn't see the battle that day, did you?"
Kinkame Jiro scoffed. "The advisors said it was all an illusion. A scare tactic."
"If they weren't worried about their plan being discovered, they would've made a move already."
Jiraiya glanced at the dozen or so people around him. Their expressions weren't just similar—they were identical.
He finally understood why Naruto treated them the way he did.
No doubt… Naruto had known about their existence for a long time.
Still, no matter how twisted their actions, these people were once part of Konoha.
Jiraiya stepped outside and looked at the village.
For a brief moment, he felt dazed—caught between past and present.
"Call it off."
The daimyō and landlords supported this rebellion because in the new Konoha—no, in the new shinobi world—ninjas were no longer disposable pawns.
They were valuable contributors to society.
Civilians were no longer oppressed. There were massive land development projects, construction efforts, and countless new jobs being created.
"If you stop now, there might still be hope."
"Hokage-sama, you..."
Before Kinkame Jiro could finish, Jiraiya turned and glared at him.
"Tell Koharu and Homura to stop this madness."
"End it. As for those who are already outside—I'll figure something out. Otherwise, their lives are going to be hell."
If they failed, Jiraiya was certain Tsunade wouldn't execute them—she'd just send them back.
Straight to the daimyōs and noble lords who backed them.
And those same daimyōs, now stripped of their former influence, would drain every ounce of value from them.
When that happened, it'd be over.
"But..."
"I said now! Tell Koharu and Homura—if they don't stop, I won't help anymore!"
"Understood... Lord Jiraiya."
Jiraiya looked down at his scuffed and dusty clothes, muttering something about needing a shower before facing Tsunade.
Just then, a communication frog from Mount Myōboku appeared.
"Master Jiraiya! Master Fukasaku and the Great Toad Sage have been trying to reach you. Please return to Mount Myōboku as soon as possible."
"What happened? A new prophecy?"
Jiraiya's eyes widened as he spoke.
"I'm not sure… but they said you'll understand once you arrive. They've been waiting a long time."
"...I understand."
As the frog disappeared, Jiraiya turned back to Kinkame Jiro.
"Report everything honestly. And behave yourselves in the meantime."
At the same time, Orochimaru received a message from Ryūchi Cave.
"The White Snake Sage… wants to meet Naruto?"
Naruto had just arrived at New Konoha Hospital.
He was there, naturally, for Erzuzhi.
Sasuke's eyes had recently been transplanted with Itachi's, and his body was still adapting to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Naruto-sama~"
Uchiha Izumi's eyes lit up as Naruto entered.
Kushina, standing nearby, twitched at the smile spreading across her best friend's face.
"It'll take some time for his vision to fully stabilize," Tsunade said.
"Also, Naruto, there's another matter that needs your attention."
"Nadeshiko Village?"
"And the Land of Demons, too?"
Tsunade blinked. "I don't remember telling you that."
Shizune hurried over and whispered something into Tsunade's ear.
Kushina's ears twitched… and a moment later, her fists did too.
...
TN:
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