**Chapter 17: The Man Who Almost Kicked Out the Grand Finale**
The mysteries multiplied, and so did the doubts in Uchiha Sasuke's heart.
Uchiha Sasuke gradually realized that this world seemed completely different from what he had learned in the Ninja Academy.
The things he learned in the Academy seemed far too childish.
"What you want is the Nine-Tails inside Naruto, right?"
Hatake Kakashi recalled what one of the Sannin, Jiraiya, had mentioned to him before—that terrorist organization named **Akatsuki**.
It contained famous missing-nin like Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. It even included the one who made him incredibly wary and had just attacked Konoha—one of the Sannin, Orochimaru.
This organization had a total of nine members. Among the three known members, Orochimaru was someone he couldn't defeat, and Uchiha Itachi could easily handle him. If a real fight broke out, he probably wouldn't have any chance of winning either.
Especially since Uchiha Itachi excelled in Genjutsu and could even resolve him without making much noise.
This was the characteristic of a Genjutsu ninja.
As for Hoshigaki Kisame, judging merely from his brief action earlier, he was at least an existence at the Elite Jonin level.
Currently, Hoshigaki Kisame hadn't yet displayed his true, terrifying combat power as the "Tailless Tailed Beast," so in Hatake Kakashi's assessment, he had to lower the rating by a level, but it was still at the Elite Jonin level.
If everyone in this organization was like this, then this organization was extremely dangerous.
Even for Konoha, gathering Elite Jonin wasn't difficult, but gathering Kage-level ninja was far from simple.
Having one Kage-level powerhouse presiding over a village already made it outstanding outside the Five Great Ninja Villages. For example, that Demigod of the Land of Rain, who bestowed the title of Sannin—an honor in the eyes of outsiders, but undoubtedly a title of shame for the three of them.
Then, among the remaining six unrevealed members, how many more were Kage-level?
If there were another two or three, then this organization would be incredible.
At least in terms of expert reserves, it wouldn't be inferior to the level of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Especially for Konoha, which was currently lacking successors, this would be a massive trouble.
"Naruto? Nine-Tails? What is that?"
Outside the screen, Uchiha Sasuke had no idea that there was a Nine-Tails inside Naruto.
Or rather, he didn't know what the Nine-Tails was. Because the Konoha higher-ups deliberately concealed it, ordinary people didn't have much knowledge about the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox.
Even someone like Uchiha Sasuke, because he lacked the systematic teachings of his clan, only knew that a terrifying Demon Fox existed over a decade ago and took the Fourth Hokage with it.
But he didn't know what this had to do with Naruto.
No, Uchiha Sasuke immediately recalled that he remembered some people calling Naruto the "Demon Fox brat."
He had heard this form of address more than once; those who said it included both children and adults.
He hadn't taken it seriously before. How could he believe something as ridiculous as Naruto transforming into the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox?
But now, listening to Hatake Kakashi's meaning, Naruto hadn't transformed into the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, but there was a Nine-Tails *inside* Naruto's body?
"I know it's not just you two in action. Your organization is called **Akatsuki**, right?"
Hatake Kakashi probed further.
Hearing this, everyone present was shocked.
Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame were shocked that Hatake Kakashi actually knew about the Akatsuki organization, while Sarutobi Asuma and Yuhi Kurenai were shocked that the two of them had never heard the name of this organization before.
"Kisame, take Kakashi away. As for the others, you can make them disappear," Uchiha Itachi ordered directly.
Just as Hoshigaki Kisame was about to act, a figure knocked him flying directly. The newcomer was none other than Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey, the Taijutsu Jonin, Guy.
And when Guy appeared, a comment from Reo actually floated across the screen again.
**[Woohoo, the man who almost kicked out the grand finale has appeared!]**
Neither Uchiha Sasuke nor Hatake Kakashi knew what this so-called "almost kicked out the grand finale" meant; they just treated it as another instance of Reo's mischievous taste.
"Absolutely do not look at his eyes."
In the video, Sarutobi Asuma hurriedly reminded.
Guy, however, said directly, "I've known that for a long time. To deal with Kakashi, I've long studied how to counter the Sharingan. You can open your eyes."
"When fighting someone with the Sharingan, as long as you don't look them in the eye, it's fine. You can perceive the opponent's intentions by observing their feet and then take action."
Guy then imparted the tactics he had drilled over many years to counter Hatake Kakashi.
The reason he and Hatake Kakashi could basically draw even without either using their full means was precisely this skill targeted at the Sharingan.
Although there was definitely a significant gap between Hatake Kakashi's Sharingan and Uchiha Itachi's, the general method was always similar.
Facing this sudden fierce beast, the Sublime Green Beast of Konoha, Uchiha Itachi didn't intend to stay entangled for long, especially after the opponent stated that he had already notified the Anbu.
Uchiha Itachi called for Hoshigaki Kisame to stop. His return this time wasn't for the Nine-Tails inside Naruto; that was merely rhetoric for the outside world. Through this action, he was also passing some intelligence to Konoha.
His true goal was to come back and see Uchiha Sasuke, and at the same time, convey a message to the Konoha higher-ups: *I am still alive, you cannot touch Uchiha Sasuke.*
Of course, Hatake Kakashi and the others didn't understand this because they hadn't reached that level yet; they were just ordinary members of the Jonin Council.
Although theoretically, the Jonin Council was Konoha's highest authority, and even the Hokage was voted in by the Jonin Council...
However, among the Hokage, the only one seriously voted in by the Jonin Council was the Fourth Hokage.
There's no need to mention the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama; he was the bona fide founder. The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, also succeeded the Hokage position logically; there was no talk of election.
As for the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, he was designated by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, on the battlefield. The Jonin Council had no part in it at all.
It wasn't until the time of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, that the Jonin Council played its role for the first time, choosing Namikaze Minato between Orochimaru and Namikaze Minato.
It was just that behind this voting choice, the will of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was also implemented, rather than the true will of the Jonin Council itself.
So logically, the Jonin Council is Konoha's highest authority, but in reality, the ones with the most power in Konoha are still the Hokage and that small group of Hokage Advisors.
Regarding the matter of Uchiha Itachi being a spy, even the Jonin Council Commander, Nara Shikaku, probably didn't know, let alone these few ordinary members.
After watching Uchiha Itachi leave, everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
And with that, the video finally ended.