Chapter 73: One of Us Is a Traitor! (Request First Subscription!)

In a deep, enclosed underground space, the massive silhouette of the Outer Demon Statue flickered faintly in the darkness.

This was the Outer Demon Statue’s second time this month being forced to serve as a meeting room backdrop.

No hourly wage—arguably the most miserable worker in the ninja world.

One after another, the illusions of Akatsuki members appeared atop the statue’s fingers.

Standing before all the illusions was Pain, the Deva Path, with his Rinnegan eyes.

He radiated a cold aura, as if he were the new world’s god.

Translation: A severe case of chuunibyou is activating “God’s Gaze.”

Nearby, Kakuzu scowled impatiently and began shouting complaints:

“Why the hell did Itachi suddenly call us here for a meeting?”

“I was on a bounty mission—this delay costs me a fortune!”

I’d have to kill how many Asuma’s just to make up for it!

Pain, the Deva Path, acted as if he hadn’t heard, completely ignoring Kakuzu, Akatsuki’s biggest money-maker.

Just a money-making tool.

He waited silently until all members’ illusions had taken their designated positions, then spoke slowly:

“One of us is a traitor.”

At these words, everyone fell into a deathly silence.

Finding a traitor in Akatsuki is like searching for feces in a latrine.

Look around—there’s feces everywhere.

After all, Akatsuki was assembled from rogue ninja from various villages.

Betrayal has long been woven into the organization’s blood.

The organization even once had an outstanding member like Orochimaru, who got expelled for trying to steal the boss’s eyes.

So for those present, a traitor within the ranks was nothing unusual.

At that moment, Pain, the Deva Path, slowly turned his head, his emotionless gaze locking onto the illusion of Sasuke Uchiha.

“Sasuke Uchiha, begin your defense.”

Sasuke Uchiha remained calm, slowly closing his eyes, then reopening them to reveal a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan glowing with crimson light, piercingly bright in the darkness.

“There’s nothing to say.”

He seemed to have anticipated this moment—or simply no longer cared about any of it.

Upon hearing this, Pain, the Deva Path, immediately gave his order:

“From now on, issue a kill order on Sasuke Uchiha.”

He paused briefly, his gaze shifting to Kabuto Yakushi.

“Kabuto Yakushi!”

Kabuto Yakushi had been stunned.

He knew full well that Sasuke was a spy.

In fact, he himself had been ordered by Obito to monitor Sasuke Uchiha.

But Kabuto Yakushi never expected Sasuke Uchiha’s identity as a spy would be openly exposed like this.

Upon hearing his name, Kabuto Yakushi instinctively looked up.

“I leave it to Itachi.”

“He’s your partner. Go kill him.”

Kabuto Yakushi was utterly bewildered.

Me? Fight Sasuke Uchiha?

Yet before he could recover his wits,

the next moment, the Illusionary Body Technique dissolved.

All the illusions vanished like bubbles, leaving only an empty, dark space.

…

In a cave somewhere in the Land of Grass.

Outside the cave, fine rain fell, weaving a hazy curtain of moisture.

Kabuto Yakushi opened his eyes and swiftly scanned the distance.

There, Sasuke Uchiha stood with his back turned, having stripped off his Akatsuki robe, and walked without hesitation toward the cave’s entrance.

“Mr. Uchiha.”

Kabuto Yakushi spoke, his voice echoing inside the cave.

Sasuke Uchiha pretended not to hear, his steps unbroken, not even glancing back.

Only one voice drifted into Kabuto Yakushi’s ears:

“Kabuto, Itachi’re no match for me.”

Kabuto Yakushi said nothing, only continued forming hand seals.

Sasuke Uchiha seemed to sense the movement behind him, paused, then slowly turned his head.

In an instant, his eyes transformed fully into Mangekyo Sharingan, radiating a chilling crimson glow.

Tsukuyomi!

The next moment, the forced shutdown protocol activated—Kabuto Yakushi collapsed into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Sasuke Uchiha gazed silently at the fallen Kabuto Yakushi, then turned and stepped out of the cave.

He lifted his face, letting the fine rain fall upon his skin.

The cold touch sharpened his clarity.

Soon, Sasuke Uchiha’s figure melted into the rain, vanishing from sight.

…

Several days later.

Rojie and Jiraiya arrived at the lawless border region between the Land of Fire, the Land of Grass, and the Land of Rain.

According to their prior agreement with Sasuke Uchiha, they met here.

True to form, perched silently on a branch nearby was Sasuke Uchiha.

In his hand he held the Hidden Leaf headband, scratched with a single line, his eyes half-lidded, lost in memories of the past.

At that moment, a voice reached his ear:

“Stop staring. After this mission, return to the village.”

“I’ll give Itachi a new headband then.”

The speaker was none other than the Fifth Hokage, Rojie.

The next moment, Rojie and Jiraiya appeared on another branch.

Sasuke Uchiha’s pupils contracted sharply, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

He never imagined Rojie would come in person.

Is the Hokage really this idle?

Doesn’t he have paperwork to sign?

Too bad the Uchiha clan had zero experience with this.

Still, he silently placed the headband back on his forehead.

“My identity has been exposed.”

“Akatsuki has issued a kill order on me.”

Rojie didn’t care.

“No problem. Just lead the way. The rest is my job.”

“I’ll push through everything in my path.”

Jiraiya stared at Rojie, utterly baffled.

What the hell?

Wasn’t the plan to infiltrate and gather intel?

Why did the tone suddenly change?

Did the infiltration mission turn into a one-man slaughterfest?

Even Sasuke Uchiha’s cold expression finally cracked.

He looked at Rojie in disbelief and couldn’t help warning:

“Every member of Akatsuki is an S-rank rogue ninja—each stronger than I am.”

Subtext: Boss, be careful! The enemy team is all boss-tier!

Rojie’s brow furrowed instantly, a flash of displeasure in his eyes.

What’s that supposed to mean?

Questioning my strength?

These Hidden Leaf traitors have already earned their deaths.

Rojie snorted, said nothing more, and impatiently urged:

“Enough talk. Lead the way.”

Upon hearing this, Sasuke Uchiha prepared to rise and lead.

At that moment, Luo Jie suddenly reached out and gently patted his shoulder.

Instantly, Itachi Uchiha felt a warm current surge through his entire body.

He felt his body grow light, and all the long-standing internal injuries he had accumulated vanished in that instant.

Even the severe depletion caused by overusing the Mangekyo Sharingan, and his gradually declining vision, were restored to their original state in that moment.

Itachi Uchiha stared at Luo Jie in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Such a level of medical ninjutsu…

Even Tsunade, the strongest medical ninja in the ninja world, could never accomplish this.

No, this had long surpassed the realm of medical ninjutsu.

Only the Sage of Six Paths, in legend, could possess such power.

Itachi Uchiha’s mind cleared suddenly—he finally understood the source of Luo Jie’s confidence.

What Luo Jie had used was the power of Ma Fu’s talisman.

Now he commanded two of Konoha’s greatest illusionary gods.

Jiraiya and healthy Itachi.

Who in the entire ninja world could possibly match him?

(End of Chapter)