Leaving the Amegakure tower, Sasori intended to act on his own ideas.
Namely, he wanted to seize the time to find Senshi and obtain a way to rapidly increase his strength. He craved even greater power.
As for showing Deidara around the Amegakure and introducing him to the Akatsuki, he had neither the time nor the interest.
In his opinion, that guy who's always rattling on about art doesn't understand art at all!
Deidara, likewise, did not acknowledge Sasori!
In the battle at the temple hall, he had lost to Kakuzu, not to Sasori.
Once they reached the streets of the Amegakure, Sasori said to Konan, "The task Pain assigned me is done. Next, I'm heading out to find Senshi and quickly enhance my abilities."
Konan had already heard from Nagato about Sasori wanting to find Senshi for a power boost, so she wasn't surprised to hear it again now.
After thinking it over briefly, Konan nodded. "All right."
Originally, she planned to have Sasori pair up with Deidara for a while. But since Sasori had other things to do, she could only let Deidara team up with someone else.
Among the Akatsuki members, the one who could still be considered relatively normal and reliable at the moment would be Kakuzu.
Apart from being too obsessed with completing missions, Kakuzu had no other glaring issues.
And since Kakuzu was currently without a partner, pairing Deidara with him for the time being was perfect.
While Sasori left the Amegakure to find Senshi, Konan said to Deidara, "Come with me. I'll assign you a suitable partner."
Deidara doubted Konan's words—especially since she was now leading him in the same direction Kakuzu had left not long ago.
So, is that mission maniac going to be his partner?
How could a guy who wants to spend every waking second doing missions possibly be a good match for him? When would he have time for artistic creation and appreciation?
Before long, Deidara realized his suspicions were correct. Konan took him to the Amegakure's black market, precisely to look for Kakuzu.
By the time they arrived, Kakuzu was holding a thick stack of mission request forms, smiling broadly as he prepared to leave the black market and start on his tasks.
Seeing Konan and Deidara appear at the black market entrance, Kakuzu frowned.
At this point, he really didn't want the Akatsuki to hand him any trifling errands that might hinder his mission spree.
Konan got straight to the point. "Kakuzu, for the next while, Deidara will be your partner."
"You're responsible for getting him acquainted with the Amegakure, with the Akatsuki, and helping him adapt to everything here."
Kakuzu: (O_O)!!!
The moment he heard Konan's words, Kakuzu felt a burst of annoyance. Just what he feared most had come right for him.
He'd really hoped the organization wouldn't rope him into dealing with such distractions. But here it was, landing on his shoulders anyway.
What's more, it wasn't just some other task—she was assigning him a new partner!
He was still resentful about how the last partnering arrangement had gone sour. When Senshi took Hidan away, it was basically because Senshi became extremely unhappy that Kakuzu teamed up with him yet also tried to bring in Hidan as a partner on the side.
Kakuzu could somewhat understand why Senshi did that. After all, when they carried out missions together, both sides profited. Separating ended up hurting both of them.
Whenever the two of them took on assignments, they could easily accept a boatload of missions wherever they went. And upon completing them, they would both earn a ton of bounty money.
After he'd parted ways with Senshi, the consequences arrived swiftly. His earnings took a cliff dive and still hadn't fully recovered even now. Senshi's side probably faced difficulties of his own, too.
Thinking of this, Kakuzu spoke up immediately. "Konan, I refuse to accept any partner other than Senshi!"
He truly believed that in the Akatsuki, only Senshi was a suitable teammate for him. Anyone else would just slow him down.
Moreover, he had a bad precedent already burned into his memory: He dreaded the idea that once Senshi returned to the Amegakure, he'd see Kakuzu paired up with someone new again, and that might jeopardize their future potential partnership.
Even if that scenario didn't happen, Deidara's presence would be of no benefit to him. Teaming up with the young man would only drag down his mission efficiency.
With these thoughts swirling, Kakuzu gave Deidara a once-over with his emerald-green eyes, brimming with disdain.
Deidara, of course, caught that look. Instantly he was furious. "Hey! What's with that look of yours? Are you looking down on my art?"
Without waiting for Kakuzu to respond, Deidara had already erupted in anger. "It's not like I'm happy about this arrangement either! How could I click with someone who doesn't appreciate my art?"
Konan felt a headache coming on as she watched the two argue. The Akatsuki's core members all have pretty impressive abilities, but they're notoriously difficult to handle. In contrast, Senshi is much easier to deal with.
Senshi never asks why something needs to be done one way or another, and he never quibbles. Just give him a mission and pay him, and he'll complete it flawlessly. It works great for him but not necessarily for others.
To keep Deidara and Kakuzu from quarreling any further, Konan cut in and addressed Kakuzu calmly:
"You know the Akatsuki's rule: operations in pairs. You can't stay without a partner forever."
She paused, then went on. "Work with Deidara for a while. Once Sasori's back, I'll pair Deidara with him. At that time—assuming there's no issue on Senshi's side—I'll let you team up with Senshi."
Konan had already laid it out. Even though Kakuzu still disliked the idea, he had no choice but to nod reluctantly and agree.
After Konan left, Kakuzu took Deidara and departed the black market, continuing on their way.
"So what are we doing now?" Deidara asked casually.
Kakuzu waved the thick stack of mission request slips in his hand. "Obviously, we're going to enjoy doing missions."
Deidara scoffed. "How could doing missions be any fun?"
That remark infuriated Kakuzu. What could be more fun in this world than making money off missions?
Recalling Konan's instructions, and considering Deidara was just a brat, Kakuzu decided to try a way of persuasion that Deidara might accept.
With a serious expression, Kakuzu looked at Deidara and spoke in a heartfelt tone: "Deidara, don't you want to continually hone your art through nonstop missions so your artistic mastery can improve further?"
His words struck Deidara like lightning. Hone his art through an unbroken series of missions—allowing his art to reach new heights!
At that moment, he began to realize why his art had failed against Kakuzu back in the temple hall. It lacked tempering.
"So that's it! My art was missing refinement?" Deidara exclaimed in sudden understanding.
He then snorted and looked at Kakuzu: "Hmph! Next time my art won't lose to you!"
Kakuzu didn't care much about the threat. He had only said that to motivate Deidara so they could accomplish missions together more smoothly.
Having reoriented his outlook somewhat, Deidara tagged along as Kakuzu spoke again: "Keep up! We're about to embark on a mission spree like you've never seen!"
And with that, Kakuzu charged swiftly out of the Amegakure, ready to start another round of frenzied missions. Deidara blinked in confusion and followed close behind, suspecting something still felt off.
…
While Deidara was being talked into joining Kakuzu on a manic mission campaign, Orochimaru, too, was on the move—talking people around.
Initially, Orochimaru wanted to head to the Land of Water, one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, and make a big score. Kirigakure has Senshi's Anti-Fraud Center. If he dared to ply his trade there, it would be huge trouble!
Still, one door closes, another opens. After leaving Kirigakure, he found out some key information from Jiraiya by chance, regarding Konoha's recent situation.
Though somewhat unbelievable, Jiraiya's intelligence was definitely reliable. The matter of the one billion ryō had yet to come to light, and somehow Danzo was taking all the blame on his own.
Not only did Danzo end up with nothing, he's been lambasted by the "Konoha F3" ever since. Later, the great people from Kumo gave him a fierce beating, nearly sending him to meet the First and Second Hokage in the afterlife.
Worst of all, Danzo gained absolutely nothing but was still held responsible—and the matter is far from over. Konoha's top trio are still out for his blood over this.
Orochimaru neither knew nor cared about Danzo's misery. The only "favor" Orochimaru could do for him was to make Hiruzen Sarutobi as miserable as Danzo—so that Danzo might feel slightly vindicated.
He and Kabuto hurried toward Konoha at top speed. Orochimaru's plan was to slip into the village and make some serious money before word got out that he and Danzo were connected.
Having once been a Konoha ninja himself, Orochimaru knew the village inside and out. With his current level of ability, he could infiltrate the village with Kabuto undetected, easily evading the guards.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office at Konoha, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was in a good mood. He had just received some great news from Jiraiya—Jiraiya had found Orochimaru and engaged him in conversation. Surprisingly, Orochimaru wasn't vehemently opposed to returning to the village.
That was cause for optimism. Orochimaru's main issue was his forbidden experiments, which were clearly unacceptable to Konoha. Even if he did return, the village wouldn't let him conduct them freely. But there might be some compromise.
For instance, criminals who had committed heinous acts, those slated for execution, could be passed to Orochimaru's lab instead. They were going to die anyway—if Orochimaru used them for experimentation, it wouldn't be harming innocent villagers or allies.
Taking a puff on his pipe and gazing out the window, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a tinge of melancholy. Konoha had run into crisis after crisis lately, while various forces outside the village changed rapidly—both Kumo and Kiri were developing fast. Even smaller villages like Ame and Kusa were showing startling growth.
Konoha's development was good overall, but its progress had stalled due to a string of still-unresolved incidents, and its mission request rates had taken a noticeable downturn. The number of clients coming to Konoha for commissions was dwindling—and that trend was continuing.
As the village's Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the pressure. He thought that if Orochimaru could return and direct his talents properly, it would be a huge benefit to Konoha.
Yes, Orochimaru had made mistakes—human experimentation was brutal. But now there seemed to be a way to manage him so that he could contribute without harming village members. That, for Konoha, would be an unexpected boon.
While Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered all this, Orochimaru and Kabuto had already arrived outside the Hokage Building at a hidden spot. Kabuto, lacking the powerful abilities Orochimaru had—or the power of something like the Yamata no Orochi Fruit—wasn't nearly so bold. Standing near the Hokage Building, he asked anxiously:
"Lord Orochimaru, are we really going straight to the Hokage to do business?"
Orochimaru, recognizing Kabuto's nerves, patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. "Don't worry. As long as you follow my plan, nothing will go wrong."
"And even if the worst does happen, I have the means to get us both out in one piece."
Kabuto believed him. Though Konoha was a formidable place, Orochimaru's current level of skill was more than enough to ensure an escape.
With that, Orochimaru leapt up with Kabuto to the rooftop of the Hokage Building, very close to the Hokage's office. Should Hiruzen open the window, he would see them both.
As expected of someone with the Third Hokage's vigilance, Hiruzen Sarutobi sensed them immediately. He opened the office window, peering in their direction with a stern expression.
The moment he recognized one of them as his former prized pupil, Orochimaru, Hiruzen's eyes flickered with surprise, tinged with complicated emotions. He never expected Orochimaru to return to Konoha so soon. Just moments ago, he'd read Jiraiya's report; now Orochimaru was here.
Was it that Orochimaru truly felt homesick, or did he have another scheme in mind? Hiruzen couldn't be sure. He had mixed feelings about this student of his—love and hate in equal measure. Orochimaru was absolutely a natural prodigy, but in his pursuit of immortality, he had strayed, even resorting to cruel and forbidden experiments on the First Hokage's cells.
Upon seeing Orochimaru again, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew stern, and his tone turned cold. "Orochimaru, you've got some nerve coming back! Do you know how much damage you've done to the village and its people? This time, I'm arresting you, and you'll face the consequences!"
Orochimaru did not appear tense. He sighed lightly. "Lord Third, I admit that what I did in the past was wrong."
Hiruzen Sarutobi: (O_O)???
He gaped, stunned by Orochimaru's words. Did Orochimaru truly regret his actions, or was this just another trick? If he genuinely realized his mistakes, that would be the best possible outcome for Konoha.
While the Third Hokage stood there, baffled, Orochimaru went on. "Lord Third, much of what I did in the village—the taboo experiments—were indeed my fault. But the truth is…for example, the whole Wood Release research, I was deceived by Danzo into believing you still wanted to further develop Wood Release. I went to extremes and harmed many people, all in the name of serving you. It was Danzo's fault for misguiding me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi: (⊙_⊙)???
Those few words left him more puzzled than ever. Was that really the truth behind Orochimaru's forbidden experiments? If so, perhaps he himself had been blaming his pupil unjustly, and the real culprit was Danzo all along?
As the Third Hokage wavered, Orochimaru continued calmly: "Lord Third, I know you'll find all this hard to believe, so I brought a witness." Orochimaru glanced at Kabuto, then said, "You should remember this shinobi, right?"
Kabuto stepped forward, letting Hiruzen Sarutobi get a better look. Hiruzen recognized him immediately and recalled everything about him. He knew Kabuto was one of Danzo's subordinates in Root. That alone made the situation more baffling—would a Root ninja really betray Danzo? That was quite a stretch.
But there was a chance Danzo had done something truly unforgivable, something so terrible that even a loyal Root subordinate couldn't stomach it anymore.
While Hiruzen was ruminating on this, Orochimaru said, "Lord Third, allow me to summarize Kabuto's history. Once you've heard this, you'll understand how long he's been by Danzo's side and how much he knows. And you'll also see why he chose to betray Danzo. Afterward, you can better judge whether our words are true."
"Very well," said the Third Hokage, still watching them warily.
Orochimaru wasted no time, explaining the events surrounding Kabuto and Nonō Yakushi. "Kabuto was adopted by the orphanage Dean, Nonō Yakushi. However, Danzo threatened Nonō, saying that if she refused to continue working for Root, he would cut off funding for the orphanage. With no other choice, she served Root—and she even had to bring Kabuto along."
"Nonō viewed Kabuto as her own child. Kabuto considered her his mother. Yet during Kabuto's upbringing, Nonō never had the chance to see him. She only received photos of him…"
Within Orochimaru's account, one detail especially outraged Hiruzen Sarutobi: Danzo had unilaterally stopped the village's orphanage funding, leaving all the orphans on the brink of survival—then used that funding as leverage to force Nonō to serve Root, dragging Kabuto into it as well.
Worse yet, Danzo swapped out photos during Kabuto's childhood and finally made them fight each other without either side recognizing the other. Nonō died without ever realizing her opponent was the child she loved most.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face clouded as he fell silent, uncertain of what to think. He hadn't known Danzo's doings outside his sight. If Orochimaru was telling the truth, Danzo had committed acts that defied all morality.
But he still wasn't entirely sure it was the truth. It could be just Orochimaru's claims. At that moment, Kabuto spoke, pressing the advantage:
"Lord Hokage! Everything Lord Orochimaru said is entirely true! Danzo killed Dean Nonō Yakushi, and he nearly killed me too. If not for Lord Orochimaru's protection, I'd have died by Danzo's hand long ago! And that's only the tip of the iceberg. I can offer more evidence of his crimes!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback. Orochimaru's statements alone could be suspect, but Kabuto's allegations carried weight. As a former Root ninja, he would have known much of Danzo's dealings. And the details matched Orochimaru's version perfectly.
If this were checked out, the truth could be confirmed. Orochimaru's confidence in specifying these details suggested he wasn't bluffing.
In that case, it meant Hiruzen had grossly underestimated just how vile Danzo's actions had been. For a long moment, the Third Hokage stood silent, his expression dark and shifting, unsure how to respond.
~~~
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