A special thank you to all my patrons.
The List of My "Wandering Reader":
-Lord_Clamiral
-Cain
-Shahzaam
-Goha21
-Splendid
-Jacob Mooe
-Varun Madhu
-sean collins
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - p@treon.com/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
-------------------------------------------------------------
"Can I ask something?" Kakashi suddenly raised his hand. "Since your plan is foolproof, that means you must have other allies, right?"
"Indeed," Tokuma replied, lifting his chin proudly. "Otherwise, you people would never be able to defeat us—or the Hokage."
"Not just that, but also those within Konoha..." Kakashi pointed out.
Tsunade also sneered. "So, you actually have a way to deal with both me and Jiraiya at the same time?"
Kakashi added with a smile, "And our teacher. If they intend to incite a rebellion in Konoha, Sensei would never stand by and do nothing. Not to mention all the other Konoha comrades who have always supported the Hokage."
"Which is why your actions are extremely suspicious," Tsunade narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Tomoyuki and Yasuke.
"As expected of the Hokage and Kakashi," Tomoyuki said with a grin. "It seems nothing escapes your notice."
*Hey! What about me?!
Tokuma glared at him indignantly.
"Blame yourselves for sacrificing Konoha's interests by collaborating with Uchiha Kaito," Yasuke said coldly.
"They're here!!" Tokuma suddenly shouted, looking up at the sky.
Everyone followed his gaze. A familiar giant clay bird was flying toward them from the horizon.
"You—!!"
Tsunade's expression completely transformed. A violent aura erupted from her body as she instantly smashed the ground with a single punch, sending the surrounding shinobi tumbling.
"You bastards actually thought to ally with the Akatsuki?! They killed so many of our comrades not long ago!!"
In a flash, Tsunade lunged forward, both fists striking out. The bodies of two former Root shinobi were sent flying, crashing into the barriers of the Four Violet Flames Formation in a spray of blood.
"This is no joke," Kakashi's eyes turned cold, lightning crackling in his hand. "It seems there's no turning back today!"
His figure blurred with lightning as he closed the distance, his Raikiri piercing straight through Shimura Kazuteru's chest.
"Heh, Kakashi," Kazuteru grinned eerily. "I'm the real shinobi here."
With a "poof", his body dissolved into smoke.
"A shadow clone? How cautious."
Kakashi immediately turned and struck at Tomoyuki instead.
At the same time, Tokuma dashed toward Yasuke.
"Oho? Already fighting, huh? Hm?"
Deidara's voice rang out from above, but the battle below was too intense for anyone to respond.
Deidara let out an annoyed "Tch!" and started complaining.
"That damn leader said there wouldn't be any missions for a while, and now he sends the two of us to deal with this mess. So annoying, hm." He glanced at Sasori. "What do you think, Sasori?"
Sasori, however, was greedily observing Tsunade, Kakashi, and Tokuma in battle. "For someone lacking high-quality materials, this is perfect."
"Ahahahaha—!"
Deidara suddenly burst out laughing, pointing at Tsunade. "Hey, hey, if I remember right, wasn't the legendary Tsunade-hime sealed by you and that Jion guy? Then I heard Uchiha Kaito rescued her. Maybe she's already his puppet now, hm!"
"You idiot!!" Sasori glared at him furiously. "Are you implying that Uchiha Kaito's puppet techniques surpass mine?!"
"I never said that!" Deidara grinned. "But aren't onmyoji supposed to have shikigami? Kinda like puppets, right? Hm!"
Sasori grew even angrier. "What do you mean 'kinda like'?! Keep insulting my art, and I'll turn you into a puppet!"
"No way! Hm! A supreme artist like me would never become part of your mediocre craft!" Deidara lifted his nose arrogantly.
"You little—" A cold glint flashed in Sasori's eyes as he reached for a scroll.
"Gentlemen!!" Tomoyuki, barely holding his own against Kakashi, suddenly shouted. "Please remember the purpose of this mission!!"
"Tch!" Sasori glanced downward.
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Tsunade had already defeated every shinobi except the four maintaining the barrier. Her face was dark as she stared at the violet flames.
Meanwhile, Tomoyuki and Yasuke were clearly outmatched by Kakashi and Tokuma—especially Tomoyuki, who was on the verge of defeat.
Sasori leaped down from the clay bird, spewing a volley of poisoned needles.
However, he deliberately slowed their speed, allowing all four combatants to dodge and separate.
"Ahahaha! Perfect timing!"
With Deidara's laughter, two lumps of white clay landed and transformed into snakes, coiling around Kakashi and Tokuma.
"Katsu!"
A flash of fire erupted as the clay snakes exploded, sending wooden debris flying.
"Tch!" Deidara's clay bird descended. "No matter. There's plenty of time left—you can slowly appreciate my art, hm."
Kakashi and Tokuma, having substituted with logs, reappeared on the other side of the barrier, facing Sasori and Deidara through the violet flames.
"Tell me..." Tsunade's voice was deadly calm as she glared at Tomoyuki and Yasuke. "What did those two old fools promise the Akatsuki?"
Tomoyuki and Yasuke, panting heavily, remained silent.
"Ahahaha! Poor Tsunade-hime, let me enlighten you," Deidara said cheerfully from the ground. "Their bargaining chip with the leader was the Nine-Tails, hm."
"Have you all lost your minds?!!" Tsunade's fists clenched, her eyes burning with fury.
"Even though our positions are... complicated, I kinda agree with you, hm," Deidara nodded sagely.
"Is it really so hard to understand?" Sasori sneered. "Ever since Uchiha Kaito openly appeared in Konoha, certain people have been sitting on pins and needles."
Kakashi sighed. "So they were scared of Kaito? From what I know of him, his revenge ended a long time ago."
"You don't understand the lust for power that drives those people," Sasori's weathered voice clashed with his youthful appearance. "After reviewing the intel before this mission, it's clear that if things continued this way, the faction loyal to the elders would've been completely pushed out of power."
"I see. Even if the two former advisors did nothing, their followers—already branded as part of their faction—would never accept it." Kakashi's gaze turned complicated as he looked at Tomoyuki and Yasuke.
Tokuma exclaimed in shock, "You... for something like this... you'd abandon a tailed beast?!"
"Just a temporary alliance. Wasn't the Five Kage Summit about to convene to deal with the Akatsuki?" Sasori mocked mercilessly. "First, use us to eliminate your enemies. Then, after inciting hatred by having the tailed beasts stolen, unite the villages to destroy the Akatsuki... That was the plan, right?"
"How naïve. Ahahaha—!" Deidara doubled over laughing.
"Gentlemen..." Tomoyuki's usual amiable expression faltered. "This... might be a misunderstanding?"
*****
T/N: Join my P@treon using the code below to get 50% off!
CODE: GREEN