"The border of the Land of Fire… I understand," Pain said faintly.
"So, what are you planning to do now?" Konan asked curiously.
Obito hesitated for a moment. "I want to make up for the mistakes I made in the past."
Pain and Konan hadn't expected Obito to say something like this. Was this really the same arrogant and domineering "Madara" they knew?
It seemed that after going to that shop, he had completely changed.
Pain's interest was immediately piqued. Just what exactly did that shop owner say to "Madara" that caused such a drastic change?
"I'll go atone for my sins first. Everyone, goodbye…" As he spoke, Obito's body began to fade away.
Everyone present was surprised. They hadn't expected him to actually possess space-time ninjutsu.
After Obito left, Konan turned to Pain. "Pain, what should we do now?"
"Since he said that shop can help us achieve our ideals, we might as well go and take a look…" Pain said as he stepped out of the base.
Konan nodded and followed behind him.
After the two left, Sasori of the Red Sand suddenly stored his puppets into a scroll, stretched his body with a lazy yawn, and stood up. "Time to go out and stretch my legs a little."
Just like that, Sasori left the organization.
Hidan glanced at Orochimaru, who was still meditating, then at Kakuzu counting his money in the distance. Suddenly, he clutched his stomach and said: "Ugh… my stomach feels weird, I'll be right back…" With that, he ran off clutching his belly.
At this moment, only Kakuzu and Orochimaru were left in the base.
Kakuzu stopped counting his money and looked up at Orochimaru. "Orochimaru, why aren't you leaving?"
Orochimaru slowly opened his eyes. "I don't have money…"
Kakuzu's lips twitched slightly. Orochimaru had practically spoken his inner thoughts aloud.
Even though Kakuzu still had more than 18 million left, it was still far from enough.
He regretted joining the Akatsuki, feeling that he had been deceived by the organization's leader. After spending two days in the organization, he hadn't seen a single coin.
"How about we go earn some money?" Kakuzu asked tentatively.
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru nodded. "Exactly."
He also felt that Pain was merely feeding them empty promises. Instead of staying, it was better to follow Kakuzu and make money outside. After all, although Yun Xiao's items were good, they were outrageously expensive.
And so, the two of them decided to go earn some side income.
Land of Fire, Konohagakure.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, walked into the Hokage Building with a pipe in his mouth and a cheerful smile on his face.
"Today is truly a good day!"
It was payday for the Anbu. As Hokage, every time he went to the treasury to take money, he would always pocket a portion for himself.
After all, aside from his meager salary, the Hokage had no other sources of income.
Surely, one couldn't expect the Hokage to take on missions at the assignment hall like an ordinary ninja, right?
Therefore, Hiruzen's income, aside from his small stipend, came entirely from embezzling small amounts from the treasury whenever he withdrew funds, as well as from gifts he regularly received from the village's major clans.
What displeased him, however, was that among all the clans in Konoha, only the Uchiha Clan had never once sent him gifts.
Even the Hyūga Clan, another prestigious dōjutsu family, had given him plenty of offerings.
Despite his long years in power, the two successive heads of the Uchiha Clan had never once given him any form of gift!
The most infuriating part was that not only did they refuse to send him gifts, but they also carried themselves with an air of arrogance. Especially during the Nine-Tails' attack, the pair of Sharingan that appeared in the Nine-Tails' eyes was without a doubt the doing of the Uchiha Clan.
And yet they still refused to admit it, which made Hiruzen furious. But for the sake of the village's peace, he could only grit his teeth and endure it.
Thus, on the advice of his old friend Danzo, the Uchiha Clan's territory was relocated to the outskirts of the village.
…
"Hehehe, money, here I come…" Hiruzen chuckled as he opened the treasury's heavy iron doors.
As the vault creaked open, Hiruzen's half-closed eyes suddenly widened in shock.
Just yesterday he had checked— the money was all there. How could it all be gone overnight?!
"Ahhh!!!" Hiruzen let out a shrill cry.
His voice echoed throughout the Hokage Building. The nearby Anbu, upon hearing it, immediately rushed over.
As soon as they entered, they saw Hiruzen collapsed on the ground, crying out in anguish: "Where's my money? Where did all that money go?!"
Anbu: "???"
"Who on earth stole my money…" Hiruzen shouted in despair.
The defenses of this treasury were the highest possible. Logically, no one except him should have been able to open it.
Even if someone had tried to force it open, there was no way it could have been done silently. The only exception would be someone with space-time ninjutsu.
But in this ninja world, everyone who knew space-time ninjutsu should already be dead…
"No matter who you are! Don't let me catch you!" Hiruzen roared in fury.
Very soon, the news of the Hokage's office being robbed spread to Shimura Danzo's ears.
Root Headquarters.
"Hmph, Hiruzen really is a fool. Even the treasury got robbed. Let's see how he explains this to the Daimyō!" Danzo sneered with glee.
Danzo had already made up his mind. Even if Hiruzen came crawling to beg him for money, he would absolutely never lend him a single coin.
If the Daimyō learned of this incident, Hiruzen would surely be blamed for failing to safeguard the treasury. He might even be stripped of his title as Hokage. When that time came, it would finally be Danzo's turn, the so-called 'Darkness of the Leaf,' to ascend to the Hokage's seat!
With that thought, Danzo felt a surge of excitement. He decided to open the Root's safe.
Over the years, thanks to the organization's activities, he had amassed a great fortune—at least two "small goals." As for the exact amount, he hadn't counted it yet.
He decided now was the time to open it up and count just how much he had.
This way, he could better prepare his resources and connections for when he became Hokage.
Creak—
The safe door swung open. Danzo's smile instantly froze.
The safe, which should have been filled to the brim with banknotes, was now completely empty. Not even a strand of hair remained inside!
Danzo's blood pressure spiked instantly. "Who is it?! Which bastard did this?!" he cursed furiously.
"You lot, go search! Even if you have to dig into the depths of the earth, bring my money back!!!"
"Yes, sir!"
Upon hearing his command, the Root operatives quickly dispersed to carry out the search.
Danzo nearly fainted from anger. He finally understood exactly how Hiruzen must have felt earlier.
He couldn't comprehend it. What kind of thief would dare to infiltrate Konoha just to steal his money?!
"No matter who you are, don't let me catch you!" Danzo growled through gritted teeth.
Had any of Root's information operatives been present, they would have been stunned, for Danzo's words were exactly the same as Hiruzen's.
Outside Konoha Village.
Inside a pitch-black cave—
"Ten, hundred, thousand, million…" A dark figure was counting money.
He hadn't expected that in just one night, he had "earned" ten billion ryō!
"As expected of Konoha, they're really rich…" Black Zetsu muttered. Just from raiding two safes, he had gotten ten billion!
If only he didn't have to carry the money one trip at a time, he would have been able to take even more.
"Looks like I'll have to trick that fool Obito into helping me…" Black Zetsu murmured.
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