Chapter 31: Our Leader Takes the Lead in Rebellion

Nagato Uzumaki stared expressionlessly at Jiraiya; though his face showed no emotion, a trace of complexity flickered deep within his Rinnegan eyes.

Nagato Uzumaki spoke slowly: "Teacher Jiraiya, you got one thing wrong."

Jiraiya froze for a moment.

Nagato Uzumaki closed his eyes.

At that instant, he recalled the memory fragment in which he had killed Teacher Jiraiya.

"It's not that we are part of Akatsuki... rather, Akatsuki was founded by us."

Jiraiya’s body stiffened. He gazed at Nagato Uzumaki’s face, his eyes growing heavy with depth, and after a long silence, he finally nodded.

"Ah... if that's the case, then I can understand."

"By the way,弥勒’s current state seems a bit..."

Jiraiya opened his mouth. After such a long separation, there should have been much to say, but seeing Nagato Uzumaki in this state, he found himself at a loss for words.

"And wasn't Konan following behind you as well?"

"弥勒 is dead! His corpse has been turned into the Deva Path puppet! He will become my greatest ally, helping me fulfill our dream."

"Konan is unharmed. Please do not worry, Teacher."

Jiraiya closed his eyes. Though he had vaguely suspected something already, when Nagato Uzumaki confirmed it, his emotions became too complex to describe.

During those three years he lived in seclusion in Amegakure, his relationship with弥勒, Konan, and Nagato Uzumaki was less like teacher and students, and more like father and children.

Minato Namikaze let out a quiet sigh and gently clapped his hands. "Let’s end the reunion here. Brother-disciple, now let’s discuss the formal matter."

Nagato Uzumaki glanced at Minato Namikaze. "Have you made your decision?"

Minato Namikaze hesitated. "What?"

Nagato Uzumaki said expressionlessly, "Even the most basic cooperation between us requires the death of one person."

Minato Namikaze fell silent, suspicions stirring in his heart. Nagato Uzumaki uttered the name: "Danzo, leader of Root!"

"His death is the bare minimum requirement for cooperation between Akatsuki and Konoha."

After finishing Naruto once, Nagato Uzumaki had started watching it a second time, and as he did, he uncovered many details he hadn’t noticed during the first viewing.

For instance, the Konoha ninja who had killed Nagato Uzumaki’s parents were likely acting under Danzo’s orders.

Likewise, the reason Semi-God Sanshōuo Hanzō moved against Akatsuki in the past also seemed to bear Danzo’s hand.

Nagato Uzumaki always repaid kindness with kindness, and vengeance with vengeance.

Hanzō had obstructed his dream and killed弥勒, so he had killed Hanzō.

Now that he had learned of another enemy, how could he allow that enemy to remain alive before him?

Minato Namikaze remained silent for a long time, then shook his head. "I'm sorry. Although I despise Danzo deeply, I cannot kill him right now. I must wait for the right moment—please grant me some time."

Nagato Uzumaki looked deeply at Minato Namikaze, then sneered coldly, "Then come talk about cooperation only after you’ve truly eliminated Danzo."

The Deva Path pushed Nagato Uzumaki’s wheelchair, leaving Ichiraku Ramen.

Then, Shinra Tensei activated, lifting both figures as if gravity had vanished, floating them gently out beyond the borders of Konoha.

Jiraiya reached out toward the departing figures of the Deva Path and Nagato Uzumaki, hesitated, sighed bitterly, and ultimately said nothing.

He merely turned back, took a sip of bitter wine, then looked toward Hatake Kakashi.

“Kakashi, what exactly is going on? Why did Nagato meet you? Do you know him? If my memory serves me right, you two had no connection—and why did Nagato insist on killing Danzo?”

Jiraiya stared at Hatake Kakashi, his voice heavy: “Do you know what happened after I left the Rain Village back then?”

“Master, the reason I called you back this time is precisely for this matter.” Hatake Kakashi’s eyes flickered slightly. “It’s a long story. I wonder… are you willing to hear it out?”

“Of course I am.”

The livestream ended abruptly here.

Clearly, Hatake Kakashi had deliberately cut the livestream.

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “???”

Tony Isn’t the Richest: “???”

Xia Shizi: “???”

My Sister Is Way Too Unlovable: “Ended like this? Isn’t that a bit too rushed? I thought they were going to discuss some world-shaking conspiracy—or kill Danzo… Turns out they just met, said nothing, and parted ways. What’s the point of this?”

Su Xiao: “Just meeting once is enough! That meeting already signifies a connection has formed. And the Fourth Hokage used Jiraiya to further solidify their master-brother bond… Or did you expect them to actually do something when they met? Kill Danzo?”

Su Xiao: “Danzo is undoubtedly the number one scapegoat in the Hidden Leaf world—anything wrong gets thrown onto him, and it’s usually correct. But you must understand one thing: at least for now, Danzo has done nothing to betray the Fourth Hokage. In name, everything Danzo does is for the Hidden Leaf.”

My Sister Is Way Too Unlovable: “Even so, I still don’t quite get it… What’s the problem with killing Danzo?”

Su Xiao: “The problem is huge! Danzo is still one of the Hidden Leaf’s top figures! If the village leader suddenly kills a top figure without cause, what do you think will happen?”

My Sister Is Way Too Unlovable: “!!!”

Su Xiao: “What the Fourth Hokage will do next is probably to gather evidence of Danzo’s betrayal—then pin him firmly to the rack of shame, so he can be publicly condemned and finally killed. As long as the evidence the Fourth Hokage gathers is solid, even the Third Hokage won’t be able to overturn it.”

Su Xiao: “This approach is far superior to blindly leading Uzumaki Nagato straight into Root, then killing Danzo… After all, acting now without cause is meaningless, and could very likely cause a rift between the Fourth Hokage and the Hidden Leaf.”

Symbol of Peace: “Terrifying. Truly terrifying.”

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “Hmm… If things reach that point, doesn’t that mean our leader is leading a rebellion?”

Let the world feel pain: “If Minato Namikaze truly had the resolve to kill Danzo, then even if I helped him complete his reform of Konoha, what of it? Unfortunately, his character is too weak.”

Su Han raised an eyebrow, muttering to himself. This isn’t even about being weak or strong.

Or conversely, someone like Naruto Uzumaki who only charges forward without immense strength as a foundation would cause massive problems, wouldn’t they? Such a person is utterly unsuited to lead a major power.

Tony Isn’t the Richest: “There it is! The legendary warrior who can match an entire ninja village single-handedly—the top combatant of the Naruto world: Naruto Uzumaki!”

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “Exactly! The supreme combatant of the world! In this era, now that Uchiha Madara is dead, Naruto Uzumaki is surely the undisputed number one in this world!”

My Sister Is Unbearable: “I, Snake Uncle, say nothing—I quietly focus on technology as the primary productive force, diligently studying all kinds of techniques and slowly developing. When the Fourth Shinobi World War begins, watch me use the Edo Tensei to summon past masters and take on the entire ninja world alone!”

Xia Shizi: “Are you people even sure you’ve properly watched Naruto? The one who summoned past masters and challenged the ninja world was药师兜, not you!”

Su Xiao: “Don’t say that! The depths of the Naruto world are far greater than you imagine—don’t forget there’s still the Six Paths Sage, who’s dead but retains his soul, and who at the final battle transmitted Yang and Yin chakra to Naruto Uzumaki and Uchiha Sasuke!”

Let the world feel pain: “Irrelevant.”

Let the world feel pain: “Anyway, meeting the Fourth Hokage this time disappointed me.”

Fourth Hokage: “...”

Fourth Hokage: “...I really can’t do anything about you! If the one who met me this time were Minato’s actual ruler in Amegakure—Kurenai—it might have gone a bit better.”

Let the world feel pain: “Fourth Hokage, you think dragging out Jiraiya will make me back down? If you believe my will and my pursuit of peace are this fragile, then you’re vastly underestimating me.”

My Sister Is Unbearable: “Exactly! You’re vastly underestimating Naruto Uzumaki! Aside from kneeling before Naruto Uzumaki’s verbal persuasion, when in my life have I ever bowed to anyone?”

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “Hahaha... Naruto Uzumaki, forgive me, it was purely instinctive, hahaha...”

Let the world feel pain: “...”

For Naruto Uzumaki now, being defeated by Naruto’s verbal persuasion in the Naruto memory副本 is undoubtedly the darkest of dark histories.

Let the world feel pain: “You lot! Don’t let me encounter you face to face. Otherwise, you’ll learn what true cruelty means.”

Su Han watched the various chat messages in the guild, a faint smile forming on his lips. Another familiar day of mutual bickering.

But as he read on, Su Han suddenly frowned—he felt something was missing. After thinking for a while, he remembered one person.

Su Xiao: “By the way, where’s Old Man Whitebeard? He usually spends most of his time in the water chat room—I feel like he hasn’t appeared since earlier!”

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “Maybe the old man is busy with something, or perhaps he’s fighting an enemy? Though he’s called the strongest man in the One Piece world, he’s aged now. If someone like Kuma or another Yonko came to challenge him, it wouldn’t be surprising if he struggled.”

Tony Isn’t the Richest: “That sounds plausible—but when you think about it, nonsense! I’m certain that, given Old Man Whitebeard’s personality, if he really wanted to crush Kuma, he’d livestream it—maybe even earn some points, perfect!”

Xia Shizi: “Tsk! Mr. Shitball, do you really think everyone in this world is as obsessed with showing off as you? Don’t force your own values onto others! Maybe Old Man Whitebeard is just more reserved by nature.”

Tony Isn’t the Richest: “Shit... Shitball?!”

Jackie Chan Doesn’t Want to Dig: “I think it’s unlikely—would a pirate really be reserved? It’s more believable that Old Man Whitebeard is just old now, his temper not as fiery as in his youth. He’s an elder, after all.”

I Am a Marquis: “Mr. Chen Long, do you have some issue with the elderly?”

Jackie Chan Doesn’t Want to Dig: “...”

Jackie Chan Doesn’t Want to Dig: “I’m wrong.”

Jackie Chan Doesn’t Want to Dig: “Shaking in fear,不敢说话!”

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “Shaking in fear,不敢说话!”

Xia Shizi: “Shaking in fear,不敢说话!”

Su Han looked at the guild chat and smirked.

Though Marquis Vorbis is also elderly—even the oldest in the current guild—

Marquis Vorbis is fundamentally different from the others.

Whitebeard has aged; his physical condition has declined. In this state, it’s natural for him to avoid anger.

As for Marquis Vorbis? Unless something unexpected happens, he could live another few hundred years in peak condition, hopping around the world as lively as ever.

Su Xiao: “I’m curious—if you’re all wondering what happened to Whitebeard, why not just call him? @BeMySon.”

Fallen Angel Twelve-Winged Black Cat Clan: “!!!”

Wu Geng Liuli was stunned. Isn’t Old Man Whitebeard possibly fighting a powerful enemy right now? Is it really appropriate to tag him under these circumstances?

Tony Isn’t the Richest: “If the guild master says so, then it must be fine! Then I’ll tag him too. @BeMySon.”

I Am a Marquis: “@BeMySon. I just checked the price of the穿越符—it only costs 100 points. That shouldn’t be much for you. If you’re really facing a strong enemy, summon me over—I’ll lend a hand!”

Symbol of Peace: “Ah... if the opponent is trash like the Celestial Dragons, or pirates like Kuma or Big Mom, please call me too! Though I’ve already given up my flame, I can still fight for a while longer...”