Born in Sunagakure, dedicated to antagonizing Konoha for decades

"You guys... Hmph! I'm tired, I'm leaving first."

The vote count was now four to one. Danzo knew the outcome was already decided and that time was of the essence, so he turned around and slammed the door shut as he left.

As he walked, he kept reassuring himself, "It's okay, he's still young, there are still opportunities in the future. At worst, he'll just outlive Rope Tree too..."

"Hey... Jiraiya, go and inform Tsunade and Nawaki."

Xiaochun, who had just switched dorm rooms, sighed helplessly. Having grown up together, she knew all about her friends' aspirations. It wasn't that they didn't want to support them; it was just that her friends were born at the wrong time—they were simply too old!

1020. Deidara: A sealing technique that can tie Sasori to the bed.

"Alright, I was just planning to take Naruto out for training anyway."

Jiraiya nodded and said.

"You want to take Naruto out for training? No way! Naruto's identity was already exposed during the previous battle. He'll be in danger if we go out."

Upon hearing Jiraiya's words, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were startled and immediately shook their heads in opposition.

Just kidding. How many people watched the battle between the Nine-Tails and the One-Tail's leader? Naruto's identity as a Jinchuriki couldn't be hidden anymore. They hid Naruto's identity before because he was an idiot and weak, yet they managed to let him live until now. Now that his identity has been exposed, they were originally planning how to hide Naruto after this incident.

This kid even wanted to take Naruto out with him, which is basically handing over a tailed beast to him.

They vividly remember how powerful the Nine-Tails was back then. Putting aside everything else, even Jiraiya couldn't control the Nine-Tails inside Naruto if it went berserk.

"Let Jiraiya take Naruto out. Naruto's identity has been exposed; it's more dangerous for him to stay in the village."

Sakumo Hatake advised that if anyone attacked Naruto in the village and caused Kurama to go berserk, he couldn't protect him. Kurama had already destroyed a large part of the village during its battle with One-Tail, and rebuilding would cost a fortune.

"Why....!"

Koharu and Homura exchanged a glance before Koharu reluctantly nodding in agreement with Sakumo Hatake's statement.

However, a sense of desolation lingered in my heart.

How glorious Konoha was in the past, how many battles they fought against one against several, but now they can't even protect a Jinchūriki.

It's truly pathetic, infuriating, and lamentable...

........

"Embarrassing! I thought Konoha was so great, but it was ruined by a mere Orochimaru. Even their Hokage was killed. Brother Kakuzu, you should have listened to me and gone to Konoha for a visit. You could have made a fortune!"

In the Land of Rain, at the Akatsuki's monthly meeting, a silver-haired man with a slicked-back hairstyle, leaning a large scythe on his shoulder, complained to Kakuzu in a bored tone.

"Shut up! Konoha isn't so easy to break into. Orochimaru just caught Konoha off guard by using two tailed beasts."

Kakuzu looked at his little brother helplessly.

Many years ago, Nagato, a rice carrier, felt that Kakuzu was working too hard all year round, running around doing business to support the people of their country. So he had always wanted to recruit a subordinate to assist Kakuzu. However, he had never found a suitable candidate. Either they were not capable enough, or they were too ugly and would affect the team's image.

Several years ago, he met Hidan, who was born in Yugakure, the village of the Land of Rivers, by chance.

Logically speaking, Hidan's level is not high enough to meet the requirements for joining the Akatsuki. This kid is really weak. However, since his appearance is not bad and his abilities are quite unique, it doesn't matter if he is weak. As long as he can be a meat shield for Kakuzu, it's fine. So, they gave him a child labor contract and barely managed to recruit him.

Although Kakuzu loves money, he is definitely a loyal friend. After his little brother acted as his bodyguard several times, he genuinely regarded Hidan as his little brother.

However, this guy has a bad flaw: he's weak but incredibly arrogant. If it weren't for some evil god protecting him, he would have died countless times already.

He's a typical example of someone who's bad at the game but addicted to it. He didn't go to the last Konoha Chunin Exams because he was worried about this little brother's life and property. This little brother's abilities are indeed outstanding, but his strength is just too trashy. If others can't kill you and seal you up, do you think you can live for hundreds of years like a tailed beast?

However, he couldn't say these things clearly, lest he dampen his younger brother's enthusiasm.

"Tch! What's so great about him? Let him kill me if he dares!"

Hidan said with a mix of arrogance and haughtiness.

"Hehe, they might not be able to kill you, but I don't know if you're afraid of being sealed. Konoha has the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques... If they were to seal you for ten or eight years... that's a sealing technique that could tie Brother Sasori to his bed... um."

Deidara, standing next to Sasori, said with a grin.

After witnessing Sasori's daughter's cool sealing techniques and her deep understanding of the Uzumaki clan, Deidara was utterly amazed by them. However, Sasori was in a bad mood for some reason and wanted to learn more, so he didn't say a word.

“(??0?)?~”

As soon as Deidara said this, several of the Akatsuki members looked at Sasori's strange shell with surprised eyes.

It wasn't because of the power of the sealing technique; although the Uzumaki clan had been gone for decades, the reputation of their sealing technique remained.

What bothered them was that this statement was rather grandiose. What did it mean to tie Handsome Scorpion to the bed? Considering Handsome Scorpion's cold personality, they couldn't help but imagine a scene.

Who knew that handsome Scorpion had such a past....

"Deidara, are you looking for death? (▼へ▼メ)"

The handsome scorpion hiding in the strange shell turned green with rage!

I should have known better than to go to Konoha to see my daughter. And that big-mouthed old bastard, I really regret not sewing that bastard's mouth shut when I came back.

"Ahem... Konoha is the stepping stone of our plan. We must always confront them. One of you should go to Konoha and check on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

At this moment, Pain with his round eyes and the wealthy Nan walked in. Nagato looked at the people's positions and postures through Pain's perspective and said.

The pants are certainly nice, just hope they're not all style and no substance...

"I'll go there; I'm quite familiar with Konoha."

Seeing that Hidan was about to speak again, Itachi Uchiha spoke first.

He wasn't worried about this guy going to Konoha, since the guy's strength was just average. The key was that this guy was Kakuzu's teammate. If this guy went, Kakuzu would definitely go too. Given this guy's arrogant personality, who knew how much trouble he would cause Konoha.

He had been teammates with Sasori for a while and knew a bit about Kakuzu, the Minister of Finance. Kakuzu was a man who had fought three hundred rounds with their First Hokage. Although there was some boasting involved, the First Hokage had been dead for decades, and Kakuzu was still living so freely, which showed how strong Kakuzu was.

"Alright, you can go with Kisame."

"We've received word that Orochimaru is in Otogakure in the Land of Rice Fields. Sasori, you and Deidara go and bring him back. If all else fails, kill him..."

To be honest, Nagato was still somewhat reluctant to eliminate Orochimaru. The larger the team grew, the more it needed a learned strategist like Orochimaru. The recent Konoha incident further proved Orochimaru's abilities. Therefore, Nagato was truly reluctant to kill Orochimaru unless absolutely necessary. However, to ensure the success of his world-destroying plan, if Orochimaru didn't change his mind, he would have no choice but to reluctantly do so...

1021. Nagato still harbors designs on Orochimaru.

"....knew."

Handsome Scorpion reverted to his previous trousers-like appearance, and after a cold voice came from the strange shell, trousers turned and left.

If we stay any longer, who knows what that idiot Deidara will say next?

Do you even care about your reputation?

He was genuinely starting to regret it. He had been doing well teaming up with Itachi Uchiha, so why did he inexplicably agree to switch teammates with Pain?

Thinking back to when I teamed up with Itachi Uchiha, although Itachi wasn't as handsome as me, his unique aura instantly elevated the team's prestige.

Replacing him with Deidara would only lower his prestige.

But when you're out in the world, you have to see it through, even if you have to crawl. He has nothing to complain about; he can only try his best not to be influenced by this idiot in the future...

"Nagato, do we really have to kill Orochimaru?"

After the meeting, Tuhao Nan said to his friends with some hesitation.

It's not that she's soft-hearted, but it's such a waste to lose such an outstanding talent as Orochimaru, who could elevate the team's culture and prestige.

Back then, they didn't think much of it, only that Orochimaru's departure was a bit of a pity. But in the years since Orochimaru left, they have finally realized the benefits of having a talent like Orochimaru in a team. Over the years, she and Nagato have been the ones who have been thinking about everything. Of course, although their intelligence is not bad, their education level is still too low, and they do not consider many aspects thoroughly. If Orochimaru were still here, they wouldn't have to waste so many brain cells.

Of course, Orochimaru isn't the only cultured person in the organization; Sasori is also a top student. However, Sasori's character is such that he's impossible to get a straight answer from you even after asking him for a long time. You might as well ask Kakuzu instead.

But Kakuzu was always on the go to support the entire Land of Rain, so they were too embarrassed to bother him.

Speaking of which, it's really fortunate that we brought Kakuzu into the organization back then. Look at how the living conditions of the people of the Land of Rain are gradually moving towards a moderately prosperous life. This is the role of outstanding talents. If it were them who were in charge, it's hard to say whether they could support so many people.

"If all else fails, we'll have to do this: eliminate anyone who might hinder our plans. Orochimaru has been with us for so many years. Although he didn't explain our plans back then, with his intelligence, he should have guessed them by now. So, if Orochimaru isn't willing, his death will put our minds at ease."

That being said, Nagato wasn't sure if Orochimaru could guess their purpose, but just in case, they wanted their Akatsuki group to make a stunning debut and soar to great heights, and any necessary threats had to be eliminated.

However, just like his friends, he still harbored ill intentions towards Orochimaru. If Orochimaru were to be pragmatic and return with Sasori, that would be the best outcome. This time, Orochimaru, with his bunch of nobodies, managed to single-handedly take down Konoha and even kill the Hokage. Most importantly, he managed to escape from Konoha. This shows that Orochimaru is not only highly educated but also very capable. There are very few people in the entire ninja world with such talent and charisma. If Orochimaru were to return, with his intelligence and their strength, he felt that the goal of destroying the world was a bit too low.

It would be a real shame to kill him...

......

"Brother Kakuzu, are the Uzumaki clan really that powerful? They actually managed to tie Brother Sasori to the bed... But isn't Brother Sasori a super puppeteer? Who could possibly tie him to the bed?"

I don’t know if he was abused by Pain back then. Hidan was so arrogant in front of others and would have people kill him at the drop of a hat. But when Pain was around, he was a good boy. Even though he was very curious about the mysterious person who tied Sasori to the bed and the legendary Uzumaki clan that Deidara mentioned, he still suppressed his curiosity and waited until the meeting was over before asking his older brother.

Born in a small country and a small ninja village, and with only a short time in the industry, he had heard of the Uzumaki clan but didn't know much about them. Moreover, because his elder brother was Kakuzu, he was quite familiar with Sasori, the beautiful man who always stayed in his strange shell. Not to mention Sasori's great reputation in the ninja world, his elder brother said that Sasori was the strongest puppeteer of the era, and that someone had even managed to tie him to a bed. All these strange events fueled his restless gossip-loving nature.

The reason he liked hanging out with the older brother was because the older brother had been in the ninja world for decades and was practically an encyclopedia of the ninja world. He would always get all sorts of questions answered by the older brother and learn a lot from him.

This time, he didn't leave either. As soon as he finished asking the questions, he already had paper and pen in his hand, ready to take notes.

"Please remove the '么' at the end. The Uzumaki clan was once a super-powerful clan in the ninja world, second only to the Senju and Uchiha. Their sealing techniques were unparalleled. Most of the sealing techniques used in the major villages of the ninja world today are derived from the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques. Furthermore, the Uzumaki clan is renowned for its powerful chakra and vitality, more than ten times that of ordinary people. Don't think that just because Itachi Uchiha could defeat the Uchiha clan single-handedly, these super-powerful clans are nothing special. The reason Itachi was able to defeat the Uchiha clan was because the Uchiha clan had gradually declined over the decades. After the three world wars, they had almost wiped out their top fighters. Especially during the Third Shinobi World War, their fierce battle against the Kaguya clan of Kirigakure..." Their strength was even weaker. You must understand that at its peak, the Uchiha clan could single-handedly take on the entire Iwagakure village. While the Uzumaki clan wasn't as powerful as the Uchiha at their peak, their diverse and unpredictable sealing techniques were incredibly difficult to defend against. Almost no ninja village dared to provoke them. Do you know how the Uzumaki clan was wiped out? It was because their sealing techniques were so terrifying that everyone in the ninja world feared them. So, all the villages except Konoha united to destroy the Uzumaki clan. Even so, it's said that the Allied Shinobi Forces suffered heavy losses. You can imagine how strong the Uzumaki clan was back then; their sealing techniques had been passed down for hundreds of years, a history exceeding that of ninety percent of the clans in the ninja world.

Actually, Kakuzu also quite enjoys the feeling of teaching and nurturing people. Every time he tells a story to his younger brother, he feels a strange sense of accomplishment, something he hasn't experienced in all his years of running sales.

If he hadn't been betrayed by those old guys back then, he would probably be the greatest educator in the history of Takigakure.

Alas! Fate is so cruel...

1022. Hidan is too naive.

"Sigh! I didn't expect the Uzumaki clan to be so powerful. But wasn't the Uzumaki clan wiped out? Then who tied Brother Scorpion to the bed? Could it be someone from the Uzumaki clan? Wasn't Brother Scorpion supposed to be pretty strong?"

Hidan was like a sponge, constantly taking notes in his notebook, absorbing the knowledge his elder brother was teaching him. These were things he had never heard of before, coming from a small country and a small ninja village, so he listened very attentively and was shocked by the strength of the Uzumaki clan. The fact that all the ninja villages in the ninja world except Konoha had teamed up to destroy a clan showed just how terrifying the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques were.

At the same time, he voiced the doubts in his heart.

"...It's a bit of a tragic story, really. Do you know why the former site of the Uzumaki clan is now two separate islands that have become tourist attractions?"

Kakuzu admired his younger brother's inquisitive attitude, but instead of answering immediately, he asked a question in return.

"What? Wasn't the Uzumaki clan like this before?"

I've been there several times over the years, following my older brother on business trips. It's a famous tourist destination, especially known for its Iron Country warriors, who are everywhere. People who don't know the area might mistake it for Iron Country territory.

"How could that be? What kind of family would be so brain-dead as to use two islands as their clan territory? The Uzumaki clan has lived there for hundreds of years. Back then, it was a single, intact island. However, when the Allied Shinobi Forces destroyed the Land of Whirlpools and reached Uzushio Village, they were blocked by the Uzumaki clan's powerful barrier, preventing the Allied Shinobi Forces from advancing. If the time had been delayed, Konoha's reinforcements would have arrived, and the Uzumaki clan wouldn't have been wiped out. But this powerful barrier, which the Uzumaki clan had set up with the full strength of the clan, was cleaved in two by Sasori's uncle, the Golden Lion of Sunagakure. In fact, due to the excessive force, it cleaved the island in two. The Golden Lion's sword strike was truly earth-shattering. And because the Golden Lion cleaved the island with his sword, it became very popular among the samurai of the Land of Iron."

"Sikkoi! I didn't expect Scorpion's uncle to be so powerful! But if Scorpion's uncle, that Golden Lion, is so powerful, how come he was tied to a bed...?"

As Hidan spoke, his hands never stopped scribbling down notes in his notebook.

He thought the two islands were naturally formed, but it turns out they were cut out by Brother Scorpion's uncle. But then another problem arose.