~ Support & Read 40 Advanced Chapters on Patreon
❁❁❁❁
All the Akatsuki members gathered.
Black Zetsu and White Zetsu were also present. Only Obito Uchiha, who preferred to remain in the shadows, was absent.
Hidan, who had been caught in Shin’s Genjutsu earlier, had recovered and was now standing, though he looked at Shin with considerable fear.
Who knew what horrors he had experienced in that illusion?
Shin stood atop the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, making no comment. He was purely here as an observer.
However, the Akatsuki’s Tailed Beast collection plan wasn’t entirely unrelated to Shin.
Gyūki, the Eight-Tails, was currently under Shin’s control.
“When you joined the Akatsuki, I explained our objective: to retrieve all the Tailed Beasts. The Tailed Beast capture plan officially begins now.”
Pain didn’t give a lengthy speech.
Nagato, unlike Yahiko, was introverted and not one for grand pronouncements. Besides, did capturing Tailed Beasts really require a motivational speech?
Next came the assignment of Tailed Beasts. The task of capturing the One-Tail, Shukaku, fell to Sasori and Deidara—the “Art Duo.”
“Mind if I tag along?” Shin asked Sasori and Deidara with a faint smile.
Pain glanced at Shin.
Nagato, hidden in the shadows, frowned. Hopefully, Shin Uzumaki won’t cause any trouble.
If Shin disrupted the plan, Nagato wouldn’t hesitate to become his enemy. The Tailed Beasts were crucial for achieving World peace—Yahiko’s dream.
Nagato couldn’t allow any mishaps.
Nagato’s resolve was even firmer now than in the original story. Shin wondered if Naruto Uzumaki could still defeat him with “Talk no Jutsu.”
“If Shin-dono wishes to accompany us, I have no objections,” Sasori said.
In terms of age, Shin and Sasori were peers. But Shin’s strength commanded respect; “Dono” was appropriate.
Deidara glanced at Sasori. He had no objections either.
This was a good opportunity to learn more about Shin Uzumaki.
He’d heard that Ōnoki had almost been killed by Shin.
Deidara wanted to see for himself how strong someone capable of nearly killing Ōnoki truly was.
Zetsu, responsible for intelligence gathering, provided Sasori with all available information on the One-Tail Jinchūriki.
“The One-Tail Jinchūriki is the Fifth Kazekage? This will be a bit challenging. Master Sasori, returning to your village… any thoughts?” Deidara asked Sasori.
Sasori glanced at Deidara, then controlled Hiruko and departed without a word.
Seeing Sasori ignore him, Deidara wouldn’t pursue the matter further. He turned his gaze towards Shin.
“Shin-dono, I heard you fought Ōnoki, Is it true?” Deidara’s personality was quite lively. He was very interested in this matter, mainly because he couldn’t stand his stubborn old teacher, Ōnoki.
“Ōnoki? I just… Put him in his place. Nothing serious,” Shin said dismissively, waving his hand.
Deidara looked skeptical. Is he bragging?
Though he disliked the stubborn Ōnoki, Deidara recognized his strength. Deidara doubted Shin Uzumaki could actually defeat Ōnoki, let alone “Put him in his place.”
He considered Shin’s claim an exaggeration.
The truth was, Shin wasn’t bragging.
Though his strength back then was far from his current level, defeating Ōnoki had been child’s play. He hadn’t even needed to use his hands—his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan alone could have overwhelmed Ōnoki.
——
The Akatsuki members dispersed, each with their assigned tasks. However, the Tailed Beast sealing process had to begin with the One-Tail and end with the Nine-Tails.
Shin treated the journey as a leisurely sightseeing trip. Deidara, however, was frustrated by Sasori’s slow pace.
“Master Sasori, are you going soft because we’re attacking Sunagakure? Is that why you’re moving so slowly?”
“Soft? Heh.” Sasori sneered coldly. He wouldn’t go soft even against Sunagakure. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have killed the Third Kazekage back then.
“This weather’s awful.” Shin looked at the sandstorm raging in the distance.
It didn’t affect Shin much. He formed a repulsive force field around his body, blocking all the wind and sand.
Deidara, however, was unlucky, getting several mouthfuls of sand, his appearance quite disheveled.
Sasori was fine, hidden within Hiruko, impervious to the sandstorm.
“If I had known, I wouldn’t have joined this mission.” Deidara couldn’t help but complain.
Eating sand here… how does that compare to blowing up a few villages?
Yes, Deidara was a terrorist…
Art is an explosion!
So, Deidara often blew up villages to showcase his “Art.” If not for Pain’s overwhelming threat, Deidara might have even blown up the Akatsuki base.
——
Arriving at Sunagakure, the situation was somewhat better. The village was built on an oasis, far superior to other parts of the Land of Wind.
“Sunagakure should have asked Hashirama Senju to plant some trees back then,” Shin couldn’t help but comment.
If Sunagakure ‘had’ asked Hashirama, given his personality, he might have actually come to help.
“How do we get in?” Deidara asked Sasori.
“I have a spy in the village. They will help us get in,” Sasori replied calmly.
“I don’t care how you get in. I’m going in first. By the way, don’t expect any help from me.”
Shin glanced at them, then strolled openly into Sunagakure.
“No way… Are the Suna guards blind? Why aren’t they stopping him? Maybe we should just walk in like that too!” Deidara, seeing Shin casually walk in while the guards at the gate didn’t react at all, also wanted to try.
“If you don’t want to die, don’t,” Sasori said coolly.
Just because Shin Uzumaki could walk in didn’t mean they could. If they were spotted, it would jeopardize their plan.
“Tch! I’ll just fly in.” Deidara glanced at Sasori, then used his explosive clay to create a giant bird. He leaped onto its back and directed it towards the interior of Sunagakure.
“That idiot…” Sasori was quite annoyed.
Though rumors claimed Sunagakure’s internal strength had weakened, Sasori knew that if it were just the two of them against Suna, their chances weren’t great.
Having originated from Sunagakure, Sasori was very familiar with the village’s true strength.
❁❁❁❁
~ 40 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)