A glint flashed in Baki's eyes, they had finally taken the bait!
Ultimately, Satoshi was just a child who hadn't experienced the schemes and rivalries between villages.
He was internally thrilled, but outwardly, he asked calmly, "Is it about the rogue ninja? If you have any needs, just tell me. The entire Sunagakure will help with all its might."
As soon as Satoshi thought about what he was going to say next, he couldn't help but smile.
He tried hard to maintain a serious expression and said, "A senior in my clan, named Inaho, is getting married next month. I went to help him out and haven't gotten much sleep recently."
...
A barely perceptible twitch ran across Baki's facial muscles.
In the chaotic and precarious Ninja World, what the hell was a marriage?
It wasn't like your clan leader Fugaku was having a second wedding with Tsunade.
Satoshi said casually, "Inaho-senpai's wife is named Senju… something. I can't remember."
"Cough, cough, cough..." Baki couldn't help but cough.
"Uchiha marrying Senju?"
Satoshi nodded and asked, "Yes, is that so strange?"
Of course, it's strange!
Back then, your legendary clan leader, Madara, invaded Konoha by stepping on Nine-Tails's head, turning the entire Ninja World upside down.
Later intel showed that the Uchiha were not having an easy time in Konoha, and their situation was delicate.
Many villages even secretly sent people to Konoha to try and win over the Uchiha clan, but what happened?
Those spies disappeared silently and never returned.
Now you're casually telling me that Uchiha and Senju have started intermarrying?
Are you taking me for a fool?
Baki angrily drank the last mouthful of cold water. Damn it, he'd been played by a minor.
How embarrassing!
Satoshi asked, "Baki-senpai, what are you going to do?"
Baki said, "Hunt rogue ninja. I'm going to personally flay them."
I can't afford to offend Konoha, but I can certainly afford to offend you rogue ninja.
—
Meanwhile, in a certain cave, Zetsu slowly emerged. "Reduce outings recently to avoid unnecessary trouble."
Sasori glanced at this always mysterious fellow and asked, "What's wrong?"
"A ninja from Konoha, that Satoshi, has arrived in Sunagakure."
Zetsu slowly said, "He has received full assistance from Sunagakure and is now frantically searching for Orochimaru's tracks day and night."
"Sunagakure's Anbu and puppet forces have almost been deployed en masse, and the Land of Wind's border has nearly been turned upside down by them."
"Sunagakure, huh..."
Sasori's movements paused for a moment, and he let out an ambiguous sigh.
Zetsu's tone carried a hint of mockery. "I almost forgot that that's your hometown."
Sasori scoffed, "I have no interest in that place full of lies and decay. All I care about is eternal art."
After a brief silence, Sasori's voice sounded again. "If it weren't for that menace Orochimaru, we wouldn't be so passive. When we meet, I will personally kill him."
Zetsu shook his head. "Orochimaru is one of the Sannin, after all. He's not that easy to deal with. If he hadn't wanted to avoid entanglement with Kakuzu back then, Kakuzu might have been killed by him."
Hearing this, Sasori's interest in Orochimaru grew even stronger.
"If I could turn the Sannin into puppets, that would definitely be a magnificent work of art."
Zetsu didn't want to talk anymore.
What kind of organization is this?
First, Obito used Wood Release to kill Torune and falsely accuse Uchiha, failed, and after being exposed, he jumped the gun and invaded Konoha, failing again.
Then, Kakuzu swaggered alone in the Land of Fire, had five hearts ripped out, and his body was even taken away. He was as dead as dead could be.
Later, Sasori wanted to kill Orochimaru to make him into a puppet, but thankfully, he hadn't acted yet.
This organization is truly a bunch of eccentrics.
Zetsu raised his voice, "Sasori, absolutely no action can be taken without the leader's command."
"Understood."
Sasori slowly moved back to his territory. His fear of that person forced him to suppress the desire in his heart.
That person truly was a monster among monsters.
Just thinking about those eyes made him uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, deep within the Land of Rain, inside a cave enveloped by a powerful barrier.
Konan passed through the dark passage and found the figure sitting high up.
"Pain, the ninjas of the Land of Wind have been quite active recently, and there's a trend of them searching towards the Land of Rain."
"They haven't had such large-scale operations since the end of the Great Ninja War."
She paused, her brow slightly furrowed. "If this continues, we might be at risk of exposure."
Pain looked at Konan, his voice cold. "Haven't we already been exposed, ever since that idiot Kakuzu acted recklessly within the Land of Fire and ultimately died at the hands of that white-haired Uchiha?"
Konan frowned. She heard a hint of dissatisfaction in Pain's words.
"Although he's not trustworthy, we still greatly need his power."
Pain interrupted her, "I just think that guy handled this matter very poorly. Kakuzu's actions were worthless, they only caused us more trouble."
Konan fell silent, she agreed with this point.
Kakuzu's strength was not low. But it was nowhere near the level where he could do as he pleased in the Land of Fire.
If Orochimaru hadn't wanted to avoid entanglement with him and chosen to retreat...
If Danzo hadn't been a coward, fleeing back to Konoha in a panic...
Perhaps he would have died long ago.
Of course, he's dead now too. He died at the hands of that white-haired Uchiha.
Pain repeated himself, his cold tone carrying a hint of sarcasm, "Kakuzu shouldn't have died like that."
In truth, he didn't care whether Kakuzu lived or died. In his opinion, many people in this terminally ill world could die, and many should die.
It was just that with Kakuzu dead, there was one less person to do his dirty work. This made the Akatsuki, which was still in its developmental stage, very uncomfortable.
After all, Kakuzu was different from others. He was a truly dedicated, year-round model worker. He was either killing people or on his way to kill people.
This year, he contributed 47 million ryo to the Akatsuki.
Thinking of that number, Pain felt a surge of irritation.
And Sasori, who had been brought into Akatsuki, was still immersed in his eternal art every day. He mumbled to those broken puppets all day long, like a madman.
Did he even know how much money those things of his cost?
Pain didn't know what was wrong with him today. He seemed to have been stimulated by Kakuzu's death and the subsequent financial pressure, becoming more talkative.
"These great nations, on the surface, are looking for rogue ninjas, but in reality, they have other intentions."
"Ever since the Third Great Ninja War ended, the Land of Wind has been eager to expand its power."
"And the quickest way to do that is to plunder us, the ravaged small nations."
Konan nodded.
She agreed with Pain's view. Although the war had officially ended, small-scale conflicts were everywhere in the Ninja World.
Small places like the Land of Rain, located at the border of three countries, were even more restless.
Previously, Sunagakure often entered the Land of Rain under the guise of executing missions. The two sides also had several conflicts.
Pain's voice sounded again. "If they dare to enter the Land of Rain again, I will make them feel pain."