บท 116: Chapter 116: The Akatsuki's Shock—Uchiha Akira Has Such a Devastating Weapon?
For Uchiha Akira, things were going quite well. His relationship with Sasuke was excellent—after all, Sasuke was the reincarnation of Indra. And now, Naruto was also extremely grateful to him—Naruto being the reincarnation of Asura. With both the main protagonist and the deuteragonist firmly on his side, what could possibly go wrong?
As for handing Naruto over to Jiraiya, Akira had his reasons. First, Akira simply didn't have the time or energy to teach Naruto all the foundational knowledge he needed. Second, looking at Naruto's life as a whole, what were his most crucial jutsu? The Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu and various forms of Rasengan. Akira had already taught Naruto these two essential jutsu—Naruto would never forget the debt he owed Akira for that.
So, with those jutsu taught, Naruto owed Akira a significant favor. The basic training could be left to Jiraiya.
Now, Akira saw himself in a win-win situation. If everything went perfectly, he could use the abilities granted by the life simulator to grow strong enough to punch out Kaguya and kick down Madara. But if things didn't go as planned, no worries—he could retreat and let Naruto and Sasuke handle the heavy lifting, while he cheered them on from the sidelines.
Of course, if Naruto grew strong and ended up competing with Akira for the title of Hokage, Akira wasn't worried. To be honest, Akira had never really aspired to become Hokage. Positions of power like emperor, king, or Hokage were exhausting and burdensome.
Naturally, no one else knew what Akira was truly thinking. For the others present—such as Hyuga Hiashi, Kakashi, and Jiraiya—they were all deeply impressed by Akira's words. Here was someone who was genuinely nurturing Naruto, even though Naruto might one day be his rival for the position of Hokage. Akira's magnanimity was astonishing, especially for a seven-year-old.
Akira's generosity wasn't just lip service—he was genuinely putting it into practice.
"Alright, Akira, I'll follow the white-haired old man to train. We agreed—starting today, we're rivals in the race to become Hokage!" Naruto said, clearly moved, as he extended his fist towards Akira.
Everyone else might have doubted Naruto's dream of becoming Hokage, but Akira had believed in him from the start.
Seeing Naruto's determination, Akira smiled and bumped fists with him.
"Konoha still has a future," Jiraiya thought to himself as he watched the two boys make their pact. When he had left Konoha, he was deeply disappointed in the village—more specifically, in the Third Hokage and the village's leadership. But now, seeing Akira and Naruto, Jiraiya was beginning to think that Akira's coup might not have been a bad thing after all.
Konoha had decayed to its core, and though the process of purging the rot was painful, looking at these two children gave Jiraiya hope for the village's future.
Much like Jiraiya, everyone in the village had their own concerns and ambitions, but ultimately, they all wanted the best for Konoha. Seeing Akira and Naruto, even Might Guy and the others felt as though they were witnessing the future of the village.
Especially Akira's magnanimity—originally, everyone in Konoha believed that Akira was destined to become the Sixth Hokage. Given the state of the village, there simply wasn't anyone else who could compete with him for the title. But now, with Naruto's emerging talent and Jiraiya's guidance, Akira finally had a genuine rival for the position. And it was a rival he had trained himself!
Regardless of the outcome, with Jiraiya joining the group, Konoha's team had grown to nine members. The earlier tension stemming from the possibility of Onoki entering the battlefield had eased significantly. With an old and seasoned Kage-level ninja like Jiraiya on their side, the group felt much more secure.
Jiraiya's presence brought a sense of stability that was much needed.
As the Konoha team continued their journey toward the border of the Land of Earth, let's turn our attention to another scene. In a dimly lit cave, the members of the Akatsuki had gathered.
For the first time, Sasori was presenting himself to the Akatsuki without his Hiruko puppet armor. In his true form, Sasori looked like a youthful teenager, about fifteen or sixteen years old. Cloaked in the Akatsuki's signature black robe with red clouds, no one could see the mechanical modifications he had made to his body, which allowed him to look completely human.
"This is... Sasori?" asked Juzo, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, with a puzzled expression.
"Wasn't Sasori supposed to have defected from the Sand Village over a decade ago? But he looks like he's only fifteen or sixteen. Did he defect as a baby?" remarked Kakuzu, his tone equally confused.
"Maybe he's like the Mizukage—a natural baby face?" Juzo speculated.
Beside them, Itachi remained silent, adhering to his usual practice of observing more and speaking less, as if he were just a transparent bystander.
"Alright, enough chatter. This is indeed Sasori—the chakra signature is unmistakable," said the leader, Pain, in his commanding voice. The Rinnegan's authority was enough to quiet the rest of the group instantly.
"Now, Orochimaru, care to explain why you left Sasori behind during the battle and fled alone?" Pain's gaze turned to Orochimaru, and the other members of the Akatsuki followed suit. Orochimaru had abandoned his comrade and fled—such an act would require a very convincing explanation if he was to avoid severe repercussions.
Sasori also glanced at Orochimaru, his eyes filled with a hint of anger. Although they got along well as fellow "scientists," Orochimaru's sudden retreat had cost Sasori his Hiruko puppet, which he had used for many years.
"Orochimaru's expression didn't change as he calmly began his explanation. 'Uchiha Akira revealed a Mangekyō Sharingan that once belonged to Uchiha Shisui. That eye possesses a fearsome technique known as Kotoamatsukami—a genjutsu that can manipulate a target's will without them even realizing it.'"
At this, Orochimaru paused, his snake-like eyes turning toward Itachi. A wicked smile crossed his lips as he added, "Itachi, you were quite close to Shisui during your time in Konoha. I'm sure you know exactly what Kotoamatsukami is capable of. Why don't you explain it to everyone?"
Following Orochimaru's suggestion, the entire Akatsuki turned their attention to Itachi. A Mangekyō Sharingan? A genjutsu called Kotoamatsukami? Could it really be so terrifying that Orochimaru fled without a second thought?
Itachi, maintaining his calm exterior, sighed inwardly. It seemed that Orochimaru had a thorough understanding of Kotoamatsukami, leaving Itachi with no choice but to explain.
"Kotoamatsukami is the ultimate genjutsu housed within Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan," Itachi began, his voice steady. "Its power lies in its ability to manipulate the target's will, altering their mental state without them even being aware of it."
As Itachi's words sank in, the entire cave fell into a stunned silence.
The members of Akatsuki, who had initially thought it was just another genjutsu, now understood why Orochimaru had been so terrified. The idea of a technique that could control a person's mind without them even realizing it sent chills down their spines.
"How could anyone defend against something they can't even detect? The ability to alter someone's will at will... That's truly terrifying," Kisame Hoshigaki muttered, his usual nonchalant demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness.
No wonder Orochimaru had fled the moment he saw that Mangekyō Sharingan—who wouldn't, when faced with such a threat?
The Akatsuki members now fully grasped Orochimaru's decision to run.
"If Kotoamatsukami is that powerful, does this mean that if we ever encounter Uchiha Akira, we should just run? With such a technique, he could theoretically make everyone in the ninja world loyal to him," Juzo speculated, voicing the unease that had settled over the group.
"Kotoamatsukami has a significant cooldown period. It takes a very long time before it can be used again," Itachi clarified, though he deliberately withheld the exact cooldown time.
"That's a relief!" the Akatsuki members collectively exhaled, feeling slightly less apprehensive. If the ability could be used freely, it would indeed make Uchiha Akira unstoppable.
"Wait, Itachi, you also have a Mangekyō Sharingan, don't you?" Kakuzu suddenly asked, directing the attention back to Itachi.
"My Mangekyō possesses different abilities than Kotoamatsukami," Itachi replied, giving Kakuzu a measured glance. Naturally, Itachi had no intention of revealing the specifics of his own Mangekyō techniques.
"Given what we've learned about Uchiha Akira, we need to be prepared for any encounters with him," Pain finally spoke after a long silence, his voice carrying a weight that settled over the group.
The Akatsuki members, now fully aware of the threat Uchiha Akira posed, nodded in agreement. From this moment forward, they would have to tread carefully around this rising star from Konoha.
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