Evil Uchiha Itsuki

"Oh, well, well, isn't this the old man?"

Deidara raised an eyebrow, mockingly saying, "I thought you were dead, but here you are, still alive. Jeez, they say the Hokage of Konoha lives long, but in front of you, he's nothing!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..."

Why do I always feel like I'm the one getting beaten up no matter where I go? 

One by one, they all just have to get a jab in at me.

Why me?! 

What do I owe?! 

Screw you all! 

Damn it, screw you all to hell! 

You bunch of heartless beasts!

"Deidara!" 

Onoki shouted in rage and rushed forward. 

But several small white birds quickly flew over. 

"Ka!"

Deidara formed a hand seal. 

The small white birds instantly exploded, blowing Onoki back.

But it also brought him back to his senses.

He glared coldly at Deidara, his once cherished disciple, now a source of extreme disappointment and fury.

Instead of becoming the great Tsuchikage, he became a rogue ninja! 

Fine! 

Fine indeed! 

At this point, Sasori spoke up, "We, Akatsuki, will be taking the Three-Tails."

"Hmm?!"

The other Kage turned their cold gazes toward him.

What arrogance! 

Deidara shrugged and said, "Our goal in Akatsuki is also the Tailed Beasts, and we've paid quite a price to get them."

In that instant, they all thought of Uchiha Itsuki.

That scumbag, did he rob several villages already? 

It's highly possible. 

The hot-tempered Raikage's forehead vein twitched.

They had already spent 150 million ryo, and adding a bit more, that'd be enough to buy a Tailed Beast.

At least.

If you threw 200 million ryo at Kumogakure, they might seriously consider selling the Two-Tails.

Now, it's just a chance to capture the Three-Tails... Uchiha Itsuki, you're the most cunning merchant I've ever seen.

"Everyone!"

Deidara smiled and said, "Since we've paid such a price, why not let us take the Three-Tails?"

"What do you think?!"

Onoki looked at Deidara as if he were a fool.

They had paid such a heavy price, and now he's just talking? Who did he think he was disrespecting?

"Hey, hey, hey!"

Deidara said irritably, "Old man Onoki, I'm being respectful here. Do I need to remind you of your current condition? Be careful, or we might kill you."

The group felt a chill.

Their current situation was indeed not great.

Onoki had already used his Dust Release three times, and at his age, his energy was almost spent.

He wasn't sure if he could use it a fourth time.

Or, if he did, would he even survive?

The Raikage was covered in injuries, his combat strength greatly reduced.

Hiruzen Sarutobi? He was in an even worse state, having just fought Uchiha Itsuki one-on-one and been utterly crushed.

In fact.

They all had a bit of doubt now.

He actually fought Uchiha Itsuki and wasn't killed? 

That seems too good to be true!

What exactly was Uchiha Itsuki up to? 

Could it be that Konoha and the Hidden Fire Village had some sort of alliance? 

Was their goal to weaken the other ninja villages?

What was Itsuki planning? 

He certainly wanted Hiruzen Sarutobi to stay as Hokage.

When Sarutobi was Hokage, all of Itsuki's enemies were pleased.

It was one of the Hidden Truths of the ninja world.

That's why Itsuki lent him a hand.

Sealing the First and Second Hokage, and then, during this great battle, subtly helping Hiruzen Sarutobi regain some standing, increasing his confidence so that he could return to Konoha and remain Hokage.

This was the help Uchiha Itsuki gave him.

Sasori and Deidara, on the other hand, were in perfect condition.

Although they had just fought a fierce battle, Sasori, being a puppet, had virtually unlimited chakra.

Deidara joined the battle late, so his energy wasn't depleted much.

So, both of them were still in peak condition.

"Hmph!"

The Raikage snorted and gave a signal.

Swoosh! 

Dozens of ninjas immediately rushed forward.

These were the personal guards of the three Kage.

As the leaders of their villages, they would never travel alone.

Even Uchiha Itsuki had ANBU secretly protecting him.

"Knew it!" 

Deidara smirked.

"Hmph!"

Sasori coldly snorted and said, "Let's begin. Uchiha Itsuki has left. We need to move quickly too."

"Of course!" 

Deidara grinned wickedly as he pulled out a slightly larger white bird from his pouch. With a sneer, he said, "I even brought Number 18 for this occasion."

"Old man Onoki, take a good look at my art."

...

Swoosh! 

After using the Flying Thunder God technique, Itsuki teleported ten kilometers away from the battlefield.

He could go wherever he wanted.

He sat on a tree, looking in the direction of the Three-Tails.

Swoosh! 

A ninja appeared beside him.

"Lord Itsuki, we're not taking the Three-Tails?"

There was confusion in the ANBU's voice.

That was a Tailed Beast! 

From Itsuki's posture, she always thought they were determined to get it! 

They even had the upper hand.

But then they just left.

"We don't need it!"

Itsuki said casually, "We already have the Two-Tails, and from the outside, it looks like we also have the Nine-Tails. If we take the Three-Tails now, all eyes would be on us."

"Tailed Beasts aren't something you need more of."

The ANBU removed her mask, revealing an exceptionally beautiful face.

Uzuki Yugao.

She pouted and scoffed, "From the way you talk, it's as if the other villages aren't already watching the Hidden Fire Village."

"It's different!"

Itsuki shook his head. "At least with Akatsuki's appearance, they'll help take some of the pressure off us."

"From the way you talk, Akatsuki is definitely going to get the Three-Tails?"

"Of course!"

Itsuki laughed. "I've weakened the power of three ninja villages, with all three Kage injured, especially Onoki and Hiruzen Sarutobi, who are almost finished. If Akatsuki can't capture the Three-Tails now, then they're useless."

Just then.

Boom!

A massive explosion echoed across the land.

Even from ten kilometers away, both Itsuki and Yugao could feel it.

"See that?"

Itsuki spread his hands and said, "With attacks like that, unless you're a Tailed Beast, who could withstand it? You could fight with your eyes closed."

Yugao stared at the source of the explosion and murmured, "If this kind of explosion happened in a village..."

"You're overthinking it!" 

Itsuki shook his head. "It could never happen inside a village."

His Susano'o was a long-range attack.

If Deidara even thought about using a giant clay bomb, Itsuki would shoot him down with an arrow before he could do anything.

Deidara wouldn't be foolish enough to anger him like that.

Itsuki also focused his gaze on the explosion.

Ahead was Konoha, the First Ninja Village, weakened and without its Tailed Beasts.

Behind them was Akatsuki, a new force with rogue ninjas and now Tailed Beasts.

Akatsuki was well on its way to becoming the Seventh Ninja Village!

With these two groups leading the way, he really wondered which other ninja village would still be focused on Konoha.

If there were any, he would just have to take them out.

Itsuki smiled faintly and opened his hand.

A small orb formed in his hand, containing the chakra of the Three-Tails.

That was the chakra power belonging to the Three-Tails.

Itsuki had collected quite a bit, enough to account for one-fifth of the entire beast!

During the Chunin exams, he had collected the powers of both the One-Tail and Nine-Tails.

He had the Two-Tails in his possession.

He also had the Three-Tails.

And as for the Eight-Tails, everyone believed he had already captured it.

Then there was Son Goku, the Four-Tails!

Kokuō, the Five-Tails!

Saiken, the Six-Tails!

Chōmei, the Seven-Tails!

"This doesn't seem too hard after all!"

The power of the Six Paths.

Back then, how did Naruto do it?

He absorbed some power from all nine of the tailed beasts and received the gift of the Sage of Six Paths, forming the Six Paths Yang Power.

So, what would happen if I gained the power of all nine tailed beasts?

Itsuki stroked his chin, deep in thought.

The power of all nine tailed beasts, the power of the sage, and the power of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Not enough!

Itsuki murmured, "The Eternal Eye... I need to figure out how to make it the Rinnegan!"

He then glanced at his golden finger.

[Uchiha Itsuki!]

[Age: 17]

[Ninjutsu: Level 7 (7%)]

[Taijutsu: Level 6 (39%)]

[Genjutsu: Level 7 (33%)]

[Kekkei Genkai: Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan {Prowess: Level 7 (55%)}]

[Chakra: 24 K (23%)]

...

[Ninjutsu]

[Fire Release]

[Great Fireball Technique: Level 7 (27%)]

[Phoenix Sage Fire Technique: Level 7 (25%)]

[Dragon Fire Technique: Level 7 (54%)]

...

[Water Release]

[Water Bullet Technique: Level 7 (10%)]

[Water Dragon Bullet Technique: Level 7 (11%)]

...

[Lightning Release]

...

[Earth Release]

...

[Sage Mode: Level 7 (90%)]

[Flying Thunder God Technique: Level 7 (27%)]

[Chakra: 242,307 points!]

This battle had also set many tasks in motion, and the final calculation had yet to be done.

Once complete, his attributes were sure to improve even further.

But!

It's still not enough!

It seemed that from now on, his focus would have to be on eye techniques.

Sage techniques would work too.

Those two were the key to dealing with big bosses like Uchiha Madara.

Itsuki started to feel anxious.

Because the Akatsuki had begun to move, it meant that Obito had started acting too, and Madara would also be on the move soon.

Even though Itsuki had somewhat influenced Akatsuki's actions this time.

Still!

Itsuki knew deep down that even without his involvement, Akatsuki was ready to act.

"Too bad I don't know where Uchiha Madara's coffin is."

Itsuki sighed.

If he knew where Madara was resting, he would go pay respects to the old man.

Maybe even send him off early.

Scatter his ashes while at it.

"Let's go, it's time for us to act too."

Itsuki patted Yugao's head and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take her back to Konoha.

Just as they arrived at the village gate, Guren came out to greet them.

Itsuki: "…I think I promised this woman I'd make her a jinchūriki... Maybe I'll use tailed beast chakra for that?"

...

"Damn it!"

Ōnoki crawled out of the ground.

Covered in dirt, he glared angrily into the distance.

At that moment.

Deidara and Sasori were already riding on the back of the Three-Tails, drifting down the river, their destination unknown.

Ōnoki stared at their retreating figures and snorted.

After all, Deidara was his disciple.

Though angry, Ōnoki was handling it better than the Raikage.

In fact, he even felt a bit proud.

Deidara's strength had clearly improved.

Give him another three to five years, and he would definitely be worthy of becoming the Tsuchikage.

The Raikage, on the other hand, was covered in savage scars, exuding a menacing aura.

He looked like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

In contrast.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked utterly defeated.

He helplessly stared at the Three-Tails in the distance, reaching out as if to grasp it, but his efforts were in vain.

He wanted to cry!

Why, as a man nearing seventy, did he have to endure this suffering?

What had he done to deserve this?

"Sigh!"

In the end, everything dissolved into a sigh.

"That was Number 18!"

Ōnoki's cold voice broke the silence, "A powerful clay bomb in Deidara's hands."

"And what good does it do to talk about it now?"

The Raikage glared coldly at Ōnoki.

"Kid, no need to look at me like that!"

Ōnoki scoffed, "Even if you knew, could you stop it?"

Bombs are area attacks; knowing or not knowing doesn't make much difference.

The point is, it's going to explode regardless!

Deidara's attacks are so rare and difficult to defend against, knowing won't help much.

In the original story, Sasuke blocked it with Lightning Release.

But Itsuki had one thing to say about that: nonsense!

That was Deidara being stupid. Why engage in close combat with an enemy who knows Lightning Release?

Why not stay in the air and keep bombing them?

If he had thrown a few more Number 18 bombs, do you think Sasuke would have survived?

Knowing someone can use Lightning Release and still fighting them up close? If you don't die, who will?

Serves him right!

"What's the point of discussing this any further?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly, "Deidara and the other guy—he's a rogue ninja from the Sand Village, Sasori of the Red Sand."

"Hmph!"

Both Kage snorted coldly, their gazes towards Hiruzen Sarutobi filled with disdain.

They were both pissed off.

And they needed someone to vent that anger on.

Konoha was the perfect target.

"Gentlemen, I have some information about the Akatsuki. Would you be interested?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled, "Trust me, this intel will pique your interest."

"Stop playing games, Hokage."

The Raikage growled, "If you want to share, then share it. If not, fine."

"Heh."

Hiruzen didn't mind and handed them the intel he had gathered on Akatsuki.

Konoha's first awareness of Akatsuki had come from Orochimaru.

Then there was the intel Jiraiya had gathered.

Later, Uchiha Itsuki provided some more.

Orochimaru gave some too.

And finally, Konoha collected some on their own.

With all these contributions, the intel Konoha had was quite detailed.

At least.

As the Raikage and Tsuchikage read through it, their expressions grew more serious.

"Ten S - rank ninjas?"

"Deidara and Sasori are just two of them?"

Even that was enough to make them uneasy.

Because they both acknowledged the strength of Deidara and Sasori.

Especially Sasori.

His power wasn't far off from theirs.

What shocked them the most was...

"Is this for real?"

The Raikage pointed to a section of the report, "The Rinnegan? You're saying someone in Akatsuki has the Rinnegan? Hokage, you've got to be kidding!"

(End of chapter)