"I've said it all along: Uchiha clansmen cannot be trusted!"
As Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts surged, a deep, aged voice came from the side.
It was an old man leaning on a cane, one eye wrapped in bandages: the leader of "Root," Danzo Shimura.
His face was currently filled with anger as he stared fiercely at Lexon in the crystal ball.
"Whether it's Uchiha Itachi or Uchiha Lexon, neither can be trusted! The Uchiha clan should have been completely annihilated! They are all a scourge! Not a single one should have been left!"
His agitation made Danzo's old face twist.
Judging by his emotions toward Lexon, the "Kotoamatsukami" had clearly been undone by Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other Konoha higher-ups using some special method.
After all, this was Konoha, the number one shinobi village in the ninja world. They still had many secret jutsu in reserve and wouldn't be left helpless by a single "Kotoamatsukami."
"That's enough, Danzo!" Sarutobi Hiruzen barked. "It's disgraceful enough to have been controlled by your subordinate's ocular jutsu! Don't spout any more nonsense!"
"Henceforth, your position as 'Hokage's Aide' is revoked. 'Root' shall also be disbanded!" Sarutobi Hiruzen said with a grim face.
"You... You! Sarutobi! You!" Danzo was so angry he glared, his expression dark.
But the other man was the Hokage, and he had been caught in a compromising position. He had no way to refute it.
"That damned Uchiha Lexon stole 'Shisui's' Mangekyo Sharingan from me and used 'Kotoamatsukami' on me! We can't let him escape!" Danzo said, his face as dark as water.
Working backward, he had roughly guessed that Lexon had stolen Shisui's Sharingan and used "Kotoamatsukami" on him.
Therefore, he didn't refute Sarutobi's dismissal. Instead, he turned his aim to Lexon, unwilling to let the guy who had made him lose face escape.
'The "Hokage's Aide" position can probably be restored after discussing it with the other two Konoha elders. The members of "Root" have already been brainwashed by me and are absolutely loyal. Even if "Root" is disbanded, my people are still my people!'
'So, the most important thing right now is this Uchiha Lexon!'
Danzo truly couldn't stomach this, being played like a fool by this guy.
"They have already left Konoha together. It's too difficult to pursue them now," Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head slightly. "If you really can't stand it, you can send your own people after Uchiha Lexon."
Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, Danzo reacted as if he'd heard the world's biggest joke, shouting, "Hunt down Uchiha Lexon? Why would I send men to hunt down a subordinate I trust implicitly? Sarutobi, have you lost your mind!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen quietly looked at Danzo, whose attitude was now completely different from a moment ago, and sighed inwardly.
'Sigh... He's ruined... ruined...'
Seeing his rival and partner of several decades suddenly become like this, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a wave of sorrow.
Evidently, the "Kotoamatsukami" hadn't been completely removed. The effect was still present, just fluctuating—effective one moment, suppressed the next.
It had turned Danzo into this state: hating Lexon when he was lucid, and trusting him implicitly when influenced by "Kotoamatsukami."
'As expected, "Kotoamatsukami," a terrifying ocular jutsu with a cooldown of over ten years, isn't a genjutsu that can be easily broken. Even the number one village in the ninja world is having trouble with it.'
...
"Here." Uchiha Obito led Uchiha Itachi and Lexon to a dense forest.
A person then walked out.
It was Kakuzu, whom Lexon hadn't seen in a long time.
"Hi, Kakuzu," Lexon raised his hand in greeting.
"Hi..." Kakuzu forced a reply, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"Long time no see. I've missed you," Lexon's flat tone held no trace of longing.
"Me too," Kakuzu's voice, devoid of all emotion, came from under his black mask.
Kakuzu didn't know if the other party really missed him. He only knew that if he didn't respond enthusiastically, this "friendly" partner of his would definitely make his life difficult.
He had seen through him. The other guy was just a bastard with a bad personality.
Itachi quietly watched their interaction. He was already mentally prepared for Lexon knowing people from "Akatsuki," so he wasn't surprised.
"Catch." Uchiha Obito didn't say much to Kakuzu. Instead, he pulled two cloaks from who-knows-where and tossed them to Itachi and Lexon.
Lexon caught his and saw it was the "Akatsuki" organization's uniform: a black cloak embroidered with red clouds.
'It looks pretty cool,' he thought.
Itachi, however, received one more item than Lexon. It was a ring engraved with the character "Vermilion" (朱).
"Put on the clothes. Uchiha Itachi, come with me," Obito said. "Uchiha Lexon and Kakuzu, you're free to move."
He then left with Itachi, presumably to find him a partner.
After all, Uchiha Obito was the man pulling the strings of "Akatsuki" from behind the scenes, rarely showing himself.
Only later in the story would he incarnate as "Tobi" and join "Akatsuki," gradually moving from the shadows to the forefront.
"So what are we doing next?" Lexon looked at Kakuzu.
"I don't know," Kakuzu replied.
"Hm?" Lexon was puzzled. "What did your previous team do?"
"I'm the organization's financial manager. My mission is to make money," Kakuzu replied like a meek little lamb, answering whatever was asked.
'Ah... the organization's tool-man, I see...'
Lexon looked at him with a hint of pity.
"Then you go make money, and I'll be in charge of gathering intelligence. Any problem with that?" Lexon decided, planting his hands on his hips.
His meaning was clear: Kakuzu would do the work, and he would slack off.
"No problem." Kakuzu had no objection.
He would be thrilled to act separately from Lexon.
Being with this person, for some reason, just made him feel uneasy, as if everything was being grasped, everything was seen through. It was a very uncomfortable feeling.
"Good. A clear division of labor. That's how it'll be. If you need me, find me through this." Lexon took out a communicator and handed it to Kakuzu.
This was an item sold in the Reincarnator Plaza that was quite expensive but could be used freely in story worlds.
"What's this?" Kakuzu was a bit confused.
Lexon then explained how to use it.
"The 'Akatsuki' organization's financial problems are all on you!" Lexon clapped Kakuzu on the shoulder.
"..." Kakuzu nodded, somewhat speechless.
"Ah... by the way, do you have any money on you? Spare some for me. Just count it as an internal expense." Lexon suddenly remembered he had been living on welfare in the Uchiha clan and didn't have much of this world's currency in his space ring.
Kakuzu's expression darkened, but under Lexon's gaze, he still took a wallet from his pocket, pulled out a thick wad of cash, and handed it to Lexon.
"Thanks." Lexon took it without ceremony and stuffed it into his space ring.
Suddenly, both Lexon and Kakuzu noticed their rings glowing.
"The leader is calling a meeting," Kakuzu said. "He's probably going to assign a mission."
"Doesn't that mean I can't slack off?" Lexon muttered.
Hearing Lexon's words, Kakuzu's expression darkened again. 'And I really thought you were going to gather intelligence.'
"We probably can't separate, so my money..." Kakuzu's voice trailed off.
"Hurry and immerse your consciousness. Don't be late," Lexon said with a smile, as if he hadn't heard Kakuzu at all.
Kakuzu's face turned black.
'Damn you...'
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]