Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Snake
'As expected, it was about Jiraiya.' Yuto's mind raced, but his face remained calm.
"Who might it be?" he asked.
"The Toad Sage."
"Oh... Jiraiya-sama." Yuto spoke softly, "I am a shinobi of Konoha. I need to know the purpose of your message."
This statement was flawless. If Yahiko and his companions had formally submitted a letter, it would have definitely reached Jiraiya. But they entrusted a Konoha shinobi, clearly not wanting outsiders to know. As a Konoha shinobi, Yuto had every reason to ask.
Yahiko nodded and said what he had prepared, "The three of us spent some time with Jiraiya-sama. We are old friends."
"How can you prove it? I can't deliver a letter of unknown origin to Jiraiya-sama."
"Don't worry, we won't make it difficult for you." Yahiko smiled, "Just pass on a message for us. I believe you have a technique to communicate quickly with Konoha. Once Jiraiya-sama responds, you can safely deliver the letter."
"Let's hear it."
"The message is, 'The frog's board has been flipped.'" Yahiko's smile was warm and nostalgic, "Rest assured, we are friends of Jiraiya-sama."
—"The frog's board" was a secret code shared between Jiraiya and the three from Amegakure. Only they knew it.
"Alright, I will use a summoning technique to send this message back to Konoha."
"Thank you. This is very important."
"It's nothing. I'm on vacation anyway."
"As a token of our appreciation, Yuto-kun, we won't let you work for free." Yahiko, who had formed the Akatsuki over the years, now possessed the demeanor and skill of a leader. He stepped forward, facing Yuto directly, and asked seriously, "What would you like, Yuto-kun? We will try our best within our capabilities."
"Hmm..." Yuto turned his head, glancing at the indifferent Konan, then at the quietly standing Nagato, "Do you have money?"
Konan's beautiful eyes narrowed. As the person in charge of Akatsuki's intelligence and finances, she was now a complete miser, preferring to risk her life rather than spend money.
"For someone like yourself, money isn't important. Offering money as a reward is disrespectful." Konan's voice was cold, but her words were elegant, suggesting she had experienced many hardships over the years.
'Looks like I'll have to continue saving money for the base,' Yuto thought to himself. He changed his request, "Do you have someone proficient in chakra nature transformation? I have a technique that I haven't been able to complete."
Yahiko's eyes lit up, "Of course! Nagato."
Standing at the back, Nagato spoke gently, "I understand, Yuto-kun. I will guide you."
"You?" Although Yuto knew Nagato was a genius with the Rinnegan like the Sage of Six Paths, mastering six types of chakra nature transformations, he still had to pretend he didn't know, "You don't look much older than me... Can you really do it?"
"Trust him, Yuto-kun." Yahiko's tone was full of undisguised pride, "My brother, Nagato, is the most talented shinobi I've ever met."
"Alright, I believe the leader of Akatsuki wouldn't deceive me." Yuto yawned, "While waiting for Jiraiya-sama's response, I..."
"Stay here, Yuto-kun. We'll find you a room, and Nagato can conveniently guide you."
...
A few minutes later, Kaoru led Yuto out. The three from Amegakure remained, showing no intention of leaving.
"Yuto Hyuga... Tsunade-hime's disciple..." Yahiko mused on the recent conversation, "If everyone was so willing to communicate, the world wouldn't have so many tragedies and conflicts."
"But Yahiko," Konan spoke, "Isn't he trusting us a bit too much? He followed Takeda in without hesitation. Would a Hyuga genius be so unguarded? He..."
"Tsunade-hime's disciple, knowing about us isn't strange. His sensei has met us and might have mentioned it." Yahiko turned, touched Konan's face, and gently pinched it, laughing, "Don't overthink it. It's too tiring. Human relationships shouldn't be so complicated."
"Hmph..." Konan pouted, her cheeks turning red, but she wasn't angry.
Nagato crossed his arms and smiled, watching them in amusement, remaining silent. He was a professional bystander.
"Alright, you..." Konan cleared her throat and sighed, "Do we really need to find Jiraiya-sensei? Won't it trouble him?"
"We're just seeking advice. Our current situation is unprecedented, and we need an experienced senior's guidance." Yahiko's expression turned serious, "Akatsuki is growing larger and more complex... A small squad could all be spies from other nations! This is very detrimental to us."
Konan and Nagato also sighed, feeling helpless about their current predicament.
Amegakure, situated in a strategic location, was always chaotic and violent. As Akatsuki grew, Yahiko and his companions realized their actions were often known in advance, not only by Hanzo of the Salamander in Amegakure but also by the five great shinobi villages.
Their intelligence was severely compromised, a fatal issue for an organization striving for peace in the shinobi world.
No one wanted to be stabbed in the back by their own people during an operation. Yahiko, despite his dreams, understood the gravity of the situation. However, despite several purges, they had only caught a few spies with no significant improvement.
For instance, today, the fourth-ranked member of Akatsuki, Takeda Takeshi, was ambushed by a dozen bounty station assassins. The top-level member's action and route was completely exposed. Who wouldn't suspect foul play?
External enemies were undoubtedly dangerous, but the traitors within were the real threat to Akatsuki's survival.
...
In Akatsuki's steel underground base, Kaoru settled Yuto in and hurried back to her room.
She was the most trusted subordinate of Takeda Takeshi, Akatsuki's fourth-ranked member, acting as his assistant, bodyguard, and secretary. With Takeda's assassination attempt and the top-level action route exposed, Kaoru had to analyze and report to Yahiko by morning, identifying the most likely leaker.
Of course, this was just a small part of her heavy workload.
After brewing a cup of hot tea and drinking it all at once, Kaoru took out a scroll and began writing with special ink.
"To Danzo-sama, the plan to leak Takeda Takeshi's information was successful. However, today, Yuto Hyuga appeared in Amegakure, possibly sent by Tsunade Senju..."
(End of Chapter)
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