Aoyama muttered to himself,
"Maybe I should just switch professions and become a summoner. Relying on taijutsu is asking to get wiped out. Being a summoner is way easier… and way more broken."
Taijutsu had too many limitations. Against opponents skilled in ninjutsu, if he couldn't close the distance, he basically couldn't attack at all.
But with summoning? Much simpler. Call out two monsters, sit back, and watch the small fry get flattened.
"Ahhh! Help! What the hell is that thing? Don't come any closer!"
Godzilla ignored the screams. With a single swipe of its claw, it tore apart the rising water jutsu that looked like it was about to take the form of a dragon, shredding the wandering ninja who had cast it in the process.
The one hiding in the shadows—waiting for the perfect moment to strike—finally lost patience. He rushed at Kong, a strange device strapped to his arm. When he flexed his muscles, the mechanism snapped open, launching a crescent-shaped blade that gleamed like a silver moon.
Aoyama looked at him with utter contempt.
Seriously? A flimsy little crescent blade, and he thinks he can hurt Kong? That's like a dung beetle trying to move a mountain. Utterly delusional.
The rogue charged right in, convinced victory was in hand. He swung the blade down with all his strength, aiming to carve into Kong's back.
"Got you!"
As Kong's summoner, Aoyama knew exactly how strong the beast was. Even in his smaller, somewhat goofy form, a single swing of Kong's fists carried several tons of force.
Kong roared, his whole body tightening like steel. The crescent blade only sheared off a few strands of fur—it didn't even scratch his skin.
The attacker's pupils shrank. Crap!
Normally, a team of four ambushing one rogue ninja should've been an easy job. And at first, Aoyama had almost been caught off guard. But with the Monster Book as his cheat, a single thought was enough to summon his beasts.
Godzilla was utterly savage, with claws capable of tearing apart anything. No ninjutsu could hold it back—its raw power combined with terrifying resistance to chakra-based techniques made it unstoppable.
Kong was a little less overwhelming only because he lacked a proper weapon. If he had his legendary battle axe, Aoyama did not doubt that when grown, Kong could split a mountain with a single swing.
With the fourth enemy revealed, the battlefield suddenly lost its tension. It felt more like a sightseeing trip. Aoyama leaned back in a comfortable pose, watching Godzilla and Kong fight. Honestly, it was better than watching a monster movie.
Once the fight ended, Godzilla gave a guttural roar and lunged at the corpses. Aoyama immediately jumped in front of him, blocking the beast.
"Damn it."
Sure, they were summoned monsters—but watching them eat human corpses still made him uncomfortable. Especially since Aoyama treated Godzilla and Kong like his own pets.
There was no way he'd let them eat corpses. With a stern expression like a strict parent, he scolded,
"No. The stuff on the ground is dirty. If you eat it, you'll get sick. Who knows how many viruses and bacteria are in a dead body? If you're hungry, we'll hunt something fresh later—yeah, yeah, the grilled meat you like."
Godzilla, as always, was endlessly hungry—a child who could never be full. But once calmed, Aoyama turned to lead his two beasts out for some fresh prey.
And then—
Clap, clap, clap.
A slow applause rang out. From the shadows stepped a familiar figure, with a voice that stirred deep memories.
It was Orochimaru.
The moment he appeared, both Godzilla and Kong dropped their guard, rumbling in low growls that sounded almost like, We're hungry.
Orochimaru smiled.
"A truly delightful battle. Godzilla's speed and strength have improved by several levels again. No wonder you refused to sign a contract with Ryūchi Cave. With little Godzilla and Kong growing like this, their potential is terrifying."
Because they recognized him, the beasts relaxed. In the past, Aoyama had done whatever it took to survive—even becoming Orochimaru's very first disciple.
Unfortunately, he had no talent for ninjutsu. Unlike Anko, who could inherit the Snake Style techniques, Aoyama's only gift was the Monster Book—a bizarre cheat that cut off his ninjutsu path entirely, leaving him only taijutsu and his summons.
Aoyama raised a brow.
"So, sensei, you saw everything from the beginning? That means you came here looking for me, huh?"
Orochimaru nodded.
"Correct. I heard you were searching for me, so I came. And what I found was quite the performance. What surprises me more… is that you've become a rogue ninja yourself. Tell me, are you planning to follow in my footsteps?"
"Not exactly. I just found Konoha boring. And besides, if even you chose to betray the village, why shouldn't your student do the same?"
"Well said. Then let's skip the small talk. Why exactly are you seeking me out? Don't tell me it's just because a child feels insecure and needs comfort from his teacher."
"It's nothing too serious. I recently joined an organization, and I think you'll be interested. I came to invite you to join as well—the Akatsuki."
"...Akatsuki?"
Orochimaru murmured the word, then smiled curiously.
"I've heard the name before. If even you joined them, then perhaps they're worth some attention."
Aoyama grinned.
"Let me give you a little preview. Once you hear this, you'll know Akatsuki is anything but ordinary."
"Then I'll be all ears." Orochimaru's smile widened, elegant and expectant.
Like a snake fascinated by living prey, Orochimaru was only ever interested in the unknown and mysterious. As the foremost scientist of the shinobi world, finding things that could intrigue him was no small task—but Akatsuki certainly had a few.
Aoyama leaned in, voice low and mysterious.
"There's a man who once fought the First Hokage and survived. Not some old fossil like Ōnoki, either. He's still in his prime, strong as ever."
"How's that? Doesn't that sound interesting, sensei?"
"And there's another—who abandoned his human body and turned himself into a puppet. His name is Sasori of the Red Sand, grandson of Chiyo from Sunagakure."
At that, Orochimaru grew serious, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
"Someone who fought Hashirama and lived? Now that's worth seeing. He might even make for a fascinating test subject. As for that old hag's grandson… heh."
He chuckled darkly, saying no more. The sneer on his face showed his disdain for puppeteers. And with Orochimaru's power, he had every right to look down on them.
Aoyama just shrugged. As long as Orochimaru was interested, that was enough. After all, Akatsuki's mission for him was simple: locate his former master and extend the invitation.
Sometimes, Aoyama wondered if recruiting Orochimaru was the real mission, and his recruitment had just been a convenient excuse.