"Pfft, bahahahaha!"
Inside the Spirit Pearl, Kushina doubled over with laughter. "Genius! You're an absolute genius! 'Granny's big iron hammer?' How the hell did you come up with that? Is that really a forbidden technique?"
"Like hell it is," came Yuto's exasperated reply.
"So it really was a curse after all!" Mikoto couldn't help but chuckle, though she wasn't as openly boisterous as her best friend.
"Man, curses can be hilarious sometimes!" Kushina grinned ear to ear. "Just when you least expect it, they pull out some next-level absurdity that blindsides you!"
"Please, stop. I'm suffering here."
Yuto took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his usual gentle and scholarly demeanor.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's smile had completely vanished. His golden serpentine eyes turned icy as they locked onto the young man in the arena. "That forbidden technique you mentioned—would you care to demonstrate it for me, Yuto-kun?"
"Apologies, but that was actually just an insult," Yuto admitted bluntly, not even bothering to sugarcoat it.
The Akatsuki hideout plunged into an eerie silence once more, all eyes shifting to Orochimaru, whose face had darkened to the shade of a thundercloud.
This legendary Sannin, this rogue ninja of Konoha, now found himself simmering with murderous intent.
Never in his life had anyone dared to mock or insult him so brazenly to his face. This brat had just set a precedent—one that painted a very clear picture of just how furious Orochimaru was at this moment.
"Yuto, know your limits when joking around," Konan suddenly interjected, her tone cool.
On the surface, it sounded like a reprimand. But anyone with half a brain could tell she was drawing a line in the sand: 'This was just a harmless joke. Surely you, as the senior here, aren't so petty that you can't take it, right?'
"Yes, my apologies," Yuto replied humbly, bowing his head.
"...Heh." Orochimaru let out a cold, mirthless laugh, but ultimately reined in his killing intent.
Something was off.
Both the masked man and Itachi sensed something unusual about this entire exchange.
Konan rarely involved herself in the conflicts between Akatsuki members—yet today, she'd gone out of her way to shield this kid.
The favoritism was glaring.
Itachi merely found the situation odd, but the masked man, who knew the history of Akatsuki inside out, felt like he was witnessing something downright supernatural.
"What the hell?'
Yeah, no joke—this kid was weird.
Not only had he inexplicably popped up on their radar, but both Nagato and Konan were treating him with blatant preferential treatment.
'Why?'
Logically speaking, after Yahiko's death, those two should've completely walled off their hearts, caring only for their goals and their mission.
So what was going on today?
First, Nagato forced Kakuzu to stand down, and now Konan was stepping in to protect the kid?
If someone walked in now, they'd probably think this brat was the real leader of Akatsuki…
'Just what's the deal here?'
The masked man fell deep into thought.
"Orochimaru-senpai."
Yuto's voice cut through the silence again, his gaze fixed on the cold-faced Sannin. "I was wondering—how much expertise do you have in the Edo Tensei?"
Orochimaru's pupils constricted sharply, his brow furrowing. "How interesting. You know of the Edo Tensei?" The mention of this forbidden technique immediately diverted his attention, pushing aside his earlier grudge.
"Oh, it's more than just knowing, Orochimaru-senpai," Yuto said with a gentle smile.
"How… surprising," Orochimaru replied, his voice dripping with sinister amusement. "I was under the impression that I was the only one left who'd inherited that technique."
"What the hell is Edo Tensei?" Jūzō muttered, completely lost.
"I've only heard rumors," Kakuzu supplied, his tone indifferent. "They say it's a forbidden technique developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. It summons and controls the souls of the dead, forcing them to fight for the caster."
"Summoning the dead?!" Jūzō sucked in a sharp breath.
Pain's voice cut in, cold and detached. "Those resurrected by Edo Tensei possess infinite chakra and are effectively immortal. So long as the caster has enough materials, they could theoretically summon an unstoppable army of the undead to sweep across the shinobi world."
*Ah.*
The masked man finally understood why Nagato and Konan valued this kid so much.
It was all about Edo Tensei.
If Akatsuki could secure Yuto as their caster, their combat strength would multiply exponentially.
'Damn it!'
Why hadn't White Zetsu uncovered this kid's ridiculously overpowered skill sooner?
Had he known, he would've snatched Yuto up immediately—hell, he could've even accelerated the Eye of the Moon Plan!
But… it wasn't too late.
If he offered the right incentives, he might still be able to lure the kid to his side.
The masked man's mind raced as he plotted his approach.
"Leader Pain summarized it perfectly," Yuto said, addressing the entire Akatsuki assembly. "And it's exactly why I've been entertaining a… unique idea." He paused, then dropped the bomb. "I plan to assemble an army composed entirely of Konoha's greatest heroes."
"An army of Konoha heroes?" Jūzō frowned.
"Indeed." Yuto's smile was serene. "For example—the White Fang of Konoha, Shisui of the body flicker, the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze…"
Silence.
Hearing these legendary names, the Akatsuki members exchanged uneasy glances.
"Imagine forcing these heroes to attack the very village they once gave their lives to protect." Yuto adjusted his glasses, the lenses flashing white, obscuring his eyes. "Now that would be a sight to behold."
A chill ran down the spines of every Akatsuki member present.
Some even looked at him with something akin to fear.
"This kid…'
'He's a goddamn demon.'
Sure, they were all hardened criminals—terrorists who'd burned villages and slaughtered without remorse. But even they had never considered desecrating the dead and trampling on their honor and legacy.
This was something even demons wouldn't do!
The only one who regarded Yuto with approval was the masked man, who now saw the boy as the perfect potential ally.
Unbound by rules, unshackled by morality—if the two of them joined forces, it'd be an unstoppable partnership.
'Dammit, why?!'
He'd been annoyed earlier, wondering why Nagato and Konan favored Yuto so much. Now, he was just pissed at Nagato for stumbling onto such a gem.
'Lucky bastard.'
But no matter.
The masked man was confident that with the right persuasion, he could win Yuto over. Beneath his mask, his lips curled into a smirk.
From his elevated seat, Pain remained expressionless as he gazed down at Yuto. "An intriguing plan. Have you begun preparations?"
"I intend to start with the easier targets first," Yuto replied solemnly. "Practice on the lesser-known heroes before moving up."
"It seems you already have someone in mind," Orochimaru mused. "Care to share who?"
"Her name," Yuto said without hesitation, "is Rin Nohara."
"...?..."
The masked man's smirk vanished instantly.
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