Chapter 54 – A Wager with Yahiko
"As a shinobi of Konoha, isn't it only natural for me to know the Legendary Sannin of our village?" Yusuke replied casually, a teasing glint in his tone.
"That's not what we meant," Konan said, eyes narrowing. "What we want to know is—how do you know about our connection to Jiraiya-sensei?"
Yusuke smiled faintly. "Because he told me himself. Besides… it's not hard to guess when one of you wields the Rinnegan."
Yahiko stepped forward—he had recovered from the earlier blow, though traces of tension still lingered in his expression. Yet now, hearing Jiraiya's name, his attitude softened. It seemed that Yusuke's link to Jiraiya had shaken something inside him.
"This place isn't exactly ideal for a proper conversation," Yusuke said as he glanced around the base.
"…Very well. Follow me," Yahiko said, leading him deeper into the hideout.
He brought Yusuke to a sealed, dimly lit room—simple, yet secure.
"Please, have a seat," Yahiko offered.
Without wasting time, Yusuke laid everything out. "Konoha is willing to provide a funding incentive—as a form of rental, if you will. In return, we'd like to commission Akatsuki's aid against Hanzo and Iwagakure."
"…No," Yahiko answered flatly. "First of all, I won't throw away the lives of Akatsuki members. Second, I could never raise a hand against Lord Hanzo."
"You're really… too naïve," Yusuke said, his voice as calm as ever.
"You—!" Yahiko clenched his fists, eyes burning. Nagato, standing quietly at his side, directed a sharp gaze toward Yusuke. He'd never trusted shinobi from the major villages—especially not from Konoha. To him, they had always been oppressors of the Rain.
"Yahiko," Konan stepped in, trying to keep the situation from escalating further.
"What makes you say that? Do you really think Akatsuki should help defeat the man who protected the Rain?" she asked, trying to understand where Yusuke was coming from.
"To be honest, I don't even see Akatsuki as much of a threat. Even with Nagato's Rinnegan… I'm confident I could defeat all three of you if it came to that," Yusuke said, not out of arrogance, but as a statement of fact.
The room went silent. Despite how outrageous it sounded, they couldn't refute it. If they were up against another Kage-level shinobi, perhaps they could hold their own using a combination of strategies, especially with Nagato's ocular powers. But Yusuke's sheer speed… It was overwhelming—far beyond their level.
"Before coming here, I met with Hanzo," Yusuke continued. "He asked us to help him destroy an organization—yours."
"That's impossible!" Yahiko said immediately, his voice filled with disbelief. "Lord Hanzo would never betray us!"
"And how do we know you're not lying?" Konan added, doubt heavy in her tone.
Nagato said nothing—but Yusuke could read the conflict brewing in his eyes. He knew what kind of person Nagato was, even in this timeline.
"Do you really believe Hanzo hasn't changed?" Yusuke asked. "His pride is long gone. Even if his ambitions remain, he won't tolerate the existence of a rising force like Akatsuki. Not anymore. Not when it threatens his power."
Konan's lips pressed into a thin line. Deep down, the logic in Yusuke's words was hard to ignore.
"I won't believe it," Yahiko said stubbornly.
"…I really underestimated just how naïve you are," Yusuke muttered. "That kind of thinking will get your entire organization killed. So—how about we make a wager?"
"A wager?" Yahiko narrowed his eyes.
"If Hanzo truly makes a move against Akatsuki… I win. And you agree to cooperate with Konoha," Yusuke said evenly. "But if I'm wrong—if he never makes a move—I'll walk away from Konoha and join Akatsuki instead. Deal?"
Yahiko didn't hesitate. "Deal!"
"Yahiko, wait—don't rush into this," Konan tried to stop him.
"Relax," Yusuke added. "Even if I win, I won't ask Akatsuki to fight Iwagakure head-on. All I need is for you to stall Hanzo's forces on the battlefield. That's all."
Konan fell silent at those words.
"Trust me, Konan. This time… we'll win," Yahiko said, his voice brimming with determination.
Watching him, Yusuke couldn't help but think of Naruto. Their personalities were so similar—headstrong, idealistic, filled with belief in a better future. But their paths were different. Without overwhelming power, dreams were nothing more than words. Unless there were people like Naruto and Sasuke standing at the forefront of that future… the world would never change.
In the past, as long as Hashirama and Madara were alive, the great nations never dared to act recklessly. But when Madara vanished and Hashirama died, the First and Second Great Ninja Wars broke out. History repeated itself.
"I'll stay here for a while," Yusuke said calmly. "I'm sure Hanzo will make his move soon."
With that, he began investigating Hanzo's movements more thoroughly. What he discovered only confirmed his suspicion—Hanzo had already formed an alliance with Iwagakure.
Yusuke advised Tsunade and Jiraiya to return to Konoha, while he remained behind.
He had decided—he would save Yahiko. Just this once. What happened to Akatsuki afterward… wasn't his concern anymore.
"I'll report back once everything's in motion," Yusuke told them.
"All right."
A swirling ripple of water opened in midair.
Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato stared in surprise as Yusuke stepped into it. The portal closed silently behind him.
"…That was advanced Space–Time Ninjutsu," Konan murmured in awe.
"To think someone like him exists in this era…" Nagato added, almost in disbelief.
"What do you think, Nagato?" Konan asked.
"If he knows about us, it could only have come from Jiraiya-sensei. And if Jiraiya-sensei sent him… I don't believe he means us harm," Nagato replied.
Konan nodded slowly.
"Then we'll win this," Yahiko said with fire in his eyes.
Konan and Nagato smiled. They chose to believe in him. If Yahiko was right, they would gain a powerful ally. And even if things went south… they trusted that Yusuke wouldn't abandon them to die.
Meanwhile, Yusuke returned to his temporary residence via his Water Door.
He met with Jiraiya and Tsunade and told them what had transpired—though, naturally, he left some parts out.
"How are the three of them?" Jiraiya asked.
"They're doing well. All three possess enough power to hold their own in a fight," Yusuke answered. "But… Yahiko. With the way he thinks, he's going to get himself killed."
Tsunade simply nodded in silence.
Jiraiya paused, then smiled. "I believe in him."
He remembered Yahiko's dream—of a world at peace, where people understood one another. It was a distant hope, but Jiraiya had chosen to believe… just like he would later believe in Naruto.
"Jiraiya-nii, I don't mean to look down on him," Yusuke said. "I like him too. But without the power to control the world of shinobi… idealism won't get you far."
He didn't finish his sentence.
Jiraiya said nothing either. He knew the truth. But still—he chose to believe in Yahiko. In Nagato. In Konan. Because he believed that one day, Yahiko would pass his will onto Nagato… the one destined to change the world.
Yusuke looked at Jiraiya silently.
He couldn't say that he came from another world. This was real. Even though he'd managed to change his father's fate… that didn't mean he could change everything.
Yahiko… no matter how hard he tried, would still be swallowed by Madara and Black Zetsu. Nagato was too valuable a pawn. Unless Yusuke could kill Madara and Black Zetsu themselves, Yahiko's destiny couldn't be altered completely.
And right now… he wasn't strong enough. Madara might be old—but that didn't mean he was out of tricks.
This time, he would help Yahiko. Just this once.
The rest… was up to fate.
As Tsunade and Jiraiya made their way back to the Hidden Leaf, Yusuke turned once again toward Akatsuki's hideout.
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