Chapter 78: The Akatsuki Is Shut Down, and the Bastard Boss Nagato Eats, Drinks, Whores, and Gambles

Nagato slowly moved his body, feeling the long-lost power, his gaze sweeping over the familiar yet alien surroundings.

After many years, he once again felt the true sensation of his legs.

And his body no longer felt as frail and sickly as before.

Nagato looked at Luo Jie standing before him, his lips trembling slightly, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

“Thank Itachi…”

Jiraiya watched Nagato perform a medical miracle right where he stood, equally moved.

After all, Nagato was his disciple.

Jiraiya stepped forward and slapped Luo Jie’s shoulder hard, smiling: “Well done, Luo Jie!”

Luo Jie glanced at him and said seriously: “Call me the Fifth Hokage!”

Jiraiya chuckled, then asked curiously: “Why hasn’t Nagato’s Rinnegan been restored?”

“Is it because it was taken away?”

“Or is your power unable to restore the Rinnegan?”

Luo Jie glanced at Jiraiya again, thinking to himself:

That inherently evil old man from Myōjō Mountain dares to question the Fifth Hokage’s strength—he’s already earned his death.

Luo Jie cleared his throat and said: “The Rinnegan probably wasn’t something he was born with.”

At these words, everyone present was stunned.

Even Nagato looked bewildered.

In his memory, he had possessed the Rinnegan since childhood, never once considering these eyes weren’t his by birth.

He had no idea he’d spent the first half of his life as a free display stand for Madara’s eyeballs.

Luo Jie ignored the shock around him and turned his gaze to Nagato and Konan, his expression turning cold.

“Death may be spared, but suffering cannot.”

“I hereby announce that all Akatsuki members are now granted lifetime passes to the Hidden Leaf Village.”

“From today, the Hidden Rain Village is renamed the Hidden Leaf Rain Country Branch Village; all Pain statues are to be demolished and replaced with a Fifth Hokage-themed park.”

Upon hearing this, Nagato’s face turned pale.

He had struggled half his life, only to hand it all over to the Hidden Leaf.

He wanted to protest, but the words died on his lips.

Without the power of the Rinnegan, he could not possibly match Luo Jie.

Even if he still had the Rinnegan, he had no chance against Luo Jie’s unfathomable strength.

He was not the god of the ninja world.

He was just a crawler hiding in the shadows.

Jiraiya, upon hearing Luo Jie’s decision, also felt this move was inappropriate.

It wasn’t that he harshly criticized the Fifth Hokage for fostering personality cults.

The issue involved two villages and two nations.

Such a hasty decision could trigger numerous problems.

But he also knew this was not the time to argue.

So Jiraiya did not directly oppose Luo Jie in front of everyone, only slightly furrowing his brow.

Absolutely not because he feared the Iron Fist of the Fire Demon’s will smashing his head.

Luo Jie turned back to Nagato: “Gather the Akatsuki.”

“Otherwise, in a few days, that so-called Uchiha Madara will usurp your Akatsuki.”

Nagato looked at Konan.

Konan understood his gaze, nodded, and left the chamber.

Now that Nagato had lost his Rinnegan, he could no longer perform the Illusionary Light Body Technique.

Contacting Akatsuki members had become troublesome.

…

After half a day, dawn began to break.

Almost all Akatsuki members had returned to the Akatsuki base located somewhere in the Hidden Rain Village.

Previously, after learning Luo Jie had swiftly invaded the Hidden Rain Village, Nagato had not gathered the Akatsuki members.

But the Akatsuki members had all withdrawn within the borders of the Land of Rain.

Thus, this summons took little time.

Of course, the current Akatsuki had very few members.

Hidan had not yet joined the Akatsuki.

Kisame was Obito’s loyal lackey—he’d surely followed Obito away.

Ōtsutsuki Chenxiang would never remain in the current Akatsuki.

Thus, only three people now appeared in the base: Sasori, Deidara, and Kakuzu.

Inside the base, the atmosphere was grim.

Deidara sat listlessly on a chair, legs propped high, arms crossed over his chest, like a misbehaving child kept after class.

“Seriously, why did the boss call us back?”

He muttered, then turned to Sasori beside him.

“Big bro, do Itachi know what’s going on?”

Sasori, inside his Hiryūma, played dead perfectly, motionless as a lifeless statue.

This was eternal art!

Only when Deidara’s voice sounded again did he stir slightly.

“Probably Uchiha Itachi brought outsiders to invade the base.”

“Something must have gone wrong, that’s why we were summoned back.”

Deidara stared at the ceiling, recalling.

Indeed, the Hidden Rain Village had nearly become a wasteland.

If not for this base being buried deep underground, they’d have lost their home entirely.

Kakuzu leaned against the wall, arms crossed, fingers tapping his shoulder incessantly.

He was extremely irritated.

Every extra meeting cost him valuable bounties.

After the last meeting, he’d been so angry he turned his partner into cash inside his wallet.

But he hadn’t expected the organization to summon them back again so soon due to an emergency.

Time is money.

Wasting time is wasting money.

For someone like Kakuzu, who valued money above all else.

Every second wasted felt like a knife cutting into his heart.

Suddenly, steady footsteps echoed down the corridor; all eyes snapped toward the room’s entrance.

Four people entered one after another.

The first two were a man and a woman, both wearing the Akatsuki’s black robes with red clouds and white trim.

It was Nagato and Konan.

Although Deidara and the others didn’t know Nagato, they recognized Konan, who had always followed Pain’s Deva Path.

To Deidara and the others, Nagato might be a new member.

But when the two behind them stepped into the room, Deidara and the others’ expressions changed instantly.

It was Luo Jie and Uchiha Itachi.

“Uchiha Itachi!”

Deidara roared, charging forward.

His resentment toward Uchiha Itachi ran deep.

When he first joined Akatsuki, Deidara had been defeated by Itachi’s Sharingan genjutsu.

For years, Deidara trained day and night, obsessed with avenging himself on Uchiha Itachi.

But at that moment, Deidara suddenly felt his body sink into mud, utterly immobilized.

He widened his eyes in terror, struggling desperately, yet couldn’t move even a single finger.

Not just him—Sasori and Kakuzu were equally trapped in this strange condition.

All three were horrified, trying to summon their chakra to break free, but it was useless.

And all of this was Luo Jie’s doing.

Psychic bullying was so effective.

Strong opponents couldn’t be restrained, but weak ones couldn’t even twitch.

Luo Jie scanned the group and said: “Explosion brat, Itachi don’t get to speak here.”

Hearing this, Deidara’s anger surged, but his body was bound—he couldn’t even retort, only glared furiously at Luo Jie.

Then Luo Jie stepped onto the conference table, his aura more leader-like than Pain’s.

“The Akatsuki is disbanded. I declare Itachi all now prisoners of the Hidden Leaf.”

(End of chapter)