Chapter 51: First Meeting with Orochimaru
"Why conceal your identity?" Uchiha Itachi asked expressionlessly.
Meanwhile, Qianye, with an air of detachment, casually read the Ninjutsu scrolls collected from the Uchiha Clan and Sarutobi, quietly listening to Obito's fabrications.
"Because if people knew Uchiha Madara was still alive, it would be very troublesome. Next, I'm taking you to meet Akatsuki's leader." At this, he glanced at Qianye and said in a deep voice, "Did you hear that, Qianye?"
"Got it, got it. You're Tobi, not Uchiha Madara. From now on, you're a two-and-a-half-year trainee... Ah, no, an Akatsuki Organization intern. We're official members; you're the junior." Qianye yawned, saying dismissively.
"You fellow..." A vein throbbed on Obito's face beneath his mask. He was secretly annoyed but helpless.
He found Qianye to be an incredibly devious person, who usually feigned elegance, kindness, and politeness in Konoha.
In reality, his inner self was more malicious than anyone else.
Even he couldn't guess what the other party was thinking or what his true intentions were.
Yet, his strength was unfathomable.
He wasn't sure if bringing such a person into the Akatsuki Organization was the right choice.
Soon, the three arrived at a building at the end of the river.
This was a temporary gathering place for the Akatsuki Organization within Rain Village.
It was something like a clock tower.
"Qianye, including Zetsu whom you've met before, the Akatsuki Organization currently has nine official members. They don't frequently gather together, and among them are individuals whose strength rivals that of a Hokage."
"Of course, because the Akatsuki Organization is just starting, there are also a few Ninja whose strength only reaches the Jonin level."
"Such people generally don't last long in the organization. I hope you're mentally prepared."
Obito explained, looking at the nearby clock tower.
"I don't care. I just need a place where I can safely settle Izumi." Qianye put away the scroll and shrugged slightly.
Uchiha Itachi remained expressionless.
"Then let's go in."
Once the boat docked, Obito was the first to disembark, immediately changing his demeanor and walking into the tower with exaggerated gestures.
Qianye and Itachi followed closely.
As soon as Qianye entered, he saw someone he had expected: Orochimaru.
"Oh, isn't this Itachi? Long time no see." Orochimaru slowly emerged from the shadows, his voice hoarse and slightly effeminate.
Black long hair, golden vertical pupils, purple eyeshadow extending to his nose, pale skin, and blue-green magatama-shaped earrings.
Even in Akatsuki robes, he still gave off a sinister vibe, identical to the Orochimaru in Qianye's memory.
"Lord Orochimaru?" At this time, Itachi was still green, and he respected Orochimaru. Upon seeing him, a surprised expression immediately appeared on his face.
"By the way, you three are from the same Village, right? And Qianye-kun too. What a nostalgic reunion." Seeing this, Obito, in his Tobi persona, immediately adopted an extremely chuunibyou-like posture, even changing his voice.
Orochimaru ignored Obito and continued to Itachi, "I heard, Itachi, you are indeed a Ninja on this side."
"This side?" Uchiha Itachi showed a puzzled expression.
"Ninja who view relationships like Village, comrades, and family as burdens. And this one too..." Orochimaru pondered slightly, his gaze turning to Qianye behind Obito. "The instigator of the extermination of the Sarutobi Clan and the Shimura Clan. The outside world rumored that you were framed and actually died in the Uchiha Clan's extermination."
"I never thought you'd still be alive."
As he spoke, a hint of killing intent subtly flashed in Orochimaru's golden vertical pupils.
Although he claimed to have completely severed ties with Konoha, and even later executed the Konoha Crush Plan, personally killing Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Yet, both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru, to varying degrees, still harbored a trace of teacher-student affection in their hearts.
In the original work, Hiruzen Sarutobi deliberately held back when Orochimaru defected.
During the Konoha Crush Plan, Orochimaru shed tears when he held Hiruzen Sarutobi at kunai point.
This is the best evidence.
Now that his teacher's family was annihilated, no one would believe that Orochimaru harbored no feelings towards Qianye.
"Oh my, I never thought that the renowned Lord Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, would recognize a small fry like me. It's truly a great honor." Feeling the killing intent emanating from Orochimaru's pupils, Qianye remained unfazed and stepped forward.
His eyes suddenly narrowed slightly, instantly becoming cold, "However, I seemed to feel a hint of killing intent from Lord Orochimaru just now. Could it be that you intend to avenge your teacher's family?"
Meeting Qianye's gaze, Orochimaru inexplicably felt a slight tremor due to his serpentine instincts, secretly surprised. This brat can actually sense my killing intent. It seems he's not an ordinary brat.
He then changed the subject, chuckling, "Qianye-kun certainly knows how to joke. I'm just curious about you."
"After all, you annihilated the family of the Third Hokage, who is known as the Most Powerful Hokage of All Time among the Five Great Nations, and also the family of Danzo, the leader of Root, who is hailed as the Darkness of the Ninja World."
"Most Powerful Hokage of All Time?" Qianye's lips curled into a sneer of disdain, "I have no objection to you saying that Danzo, 'that guy who's useless at everything but internal strife is number one,' is the Darkness of the Ninja World. After all, that old bastard successively harmed and forced out many Konoha Ninja to become Hokage. Darkness of the Ninja World, well-deserved."
"But Hiruzen Sarutobi, that old bastard? Most Powerful Hokage of All Time? Is he worthy? At best, he's just a decaying corpse in a tomb."
"And he shamelessly gave himself the title of 'Most Powerful Hokage of All Time.' If he had that ability, he wouldn't have consistently been 'weak externally and heavy-handed internally.'"
"He constantly spouts things like, 'Where the Konoha dances, fire will burn, and the shadow of the fire will illuminate the Village, allowing new leaves to sprout.'"
"But in reality? He caused Konoha's talent to wither, suppressed other clans everywhere, and persecuted powerful Ninja. Not to mention, he siphoned all the nutrients to his Sarutobi Clan."
"Do you know how many people I killed in the Sarutobi Clan this time?"
"Two thousand seven hundred and fifty-three people. Over eighty percent of them were Ninja, all unfamiliar faces I'd never encountered in any dangerous missions."
"Good heavens, in terms of numbers, this has already reached the combined total of the Hyuga Clan and the Uchiha Clan before their extermination."
"Other clans have grown weaker after three Shinobi World Wars, yet only the Sarutobi Clan has endured, growing stronger instead."
"Tsk tsk... If they continue to develop, in a few more years, I'm afraid this Konoha Village will become Sarutobi Village."
"Speaking of which, the vast populace of Konoha should thank me, after all, I removed the Woodworms that were gnawing at the great tree of Konoha."
At the end, Qianye theatrically pulled out a bottle of drinking water from his pocket and gulped it down.
Orochimaru, Uchiha Itachi, and even Obito were already dumbfounded, at a loss for words.
Especially Uchiha Itachi, his previous perception of the Third Hokage was almost completely overturned.
Qianye's words were simply too shocking.
Not to mention this chuunibyou teenager who had been brainwashed by Konoha's higher-ups.
Even the cunning Orochimaru and Obito, who believed himself to be in control of everything, nearly dropped their jaws.
PS: Third update.