"You said, he asked you: Are you big bro Minato?" Masahiko said with a solemn expression.
Minato was startled, then nodded.
Masahiko closed his eyes and sighed.
"This kind of bloody thing shouldn't have happened. The longer you live, the more you will see." Masahiko bitterly shook his head.
The words "Big bro Minato" drove his thoughts back thirty years ago. At that time, a young man called him that. If it wasn't for that accident, he would have been his fourth disciple.
"What's wrong? Grandpa?" Kushina asked.
Masahiko sighed and shook his head, "It's okay, you take care of Minato. I'm going out."
Even though he expects that crazy old man to be Chusuke, he doesn't want it to be true.
(T/N: Chusuke: First Appearance Chapter 85)
"Huh, it seems that my little girl will have to wait a bit longer."
Masahiko was really excited to see his daughter, but he had to fly immediately to Yugakure. At that time, the village was destroyed by the Gold and Silver Brother. Masahiko thought that this peaceful village will never exist again. Unexpectedly, after so many years, Yugakure has become "the village that has forgotten wars."
The traces of Minato's team battle was still there, but the villagers weren't nervous or annoyed by that. They just cleaned the place and continued their peaceful life away from conflicts.
"It's really interesting. Perhaps Hidan will grow up to become the most peace-loving person in the Shinobi World because of what happened to Yugakure."
Masahiko sensed his surroundings slightly, and he realized that there aren't many Shinobi in the village. It's really a strange place to see in the Shinobi World.
"Mind's Eye of the Kagura!" Masahiko closed his eyes.
No one here has an amount of Chakra matches the Akatsuki's members, but Masahiko could find Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
In a guesthouse not far away, Masahiko went to see both of them.
"Orochimaru, what are we still doing here? We have been delayed for more than a day."
When Masahiko arrived, Jiraiya was complaining to Orochimaru.
"Elder, it's been a long time." Orochimaru greeted first.
"What are you talking abo…" Masahiko wanted to say, but he suddenly remembered that the last time they met, he was using Hagoromo's identity; Of course, it has been a long time.
"Elder, how is Minato?" Jiraiya hurriedly asked.
"He's okay. He already woke up. And he will be fully recovered in two days." Masahiko reassured him.
Jiraiya got relieved and murmured, "Tsunade's medical Ninjutsu has improved again."
Masahiko didn't explain; that whole incident mustn't spread anymore…
"So, you've spent the last two days here?" Masahiko said, then he couldn't help but add, "You two slept in the same room?"
With a darkened face, Jiraiya struck back, "Elder, I'm not you."
Masahiko choked, "I'm asking if you two have learned anything because I couldn't find any traces about the Akatsuki."
Jiraiya rolled his eyes, then he gestured to ask Orochimaru.
Orochimaru slowly said, "I have something, come with me." Then he went out.
Masahiko followed him, while Jiraiya was left with a dumbfounded expression. He and Orochimaru had spent a whole day here and he didn't speak a word about this, but told Masahiko the moment he showed up… "Hey, wait for me!"
Masahiko followed Orochimaru and walked out of Yugakure. Two miles away, they came to a… well?
"Under the water, there is a channel leading to a cavern," Orochimaru explained.
Masahiko nodded and didn't ask how Orochimaru knew about it. He could guess that the latter used his snakes to explore the place.
Using the gravity force, the water in the well rose rapidly and poured tens of meters away.
When the well was completely dry, Masahiko jumped down, followed by Orochimaru.
Sure enough, there is a cave in the well. After traveling more than ten meters, Masahiko saw a slightly familiar door.
"This material is exactly the same Tobirama's used in his lab. It can block my perception…" Masahiko frowned. He roughly guessed what's inside, but he needed to be sure. Times like these always prove that he cannot always rely on his ability, and he should come up with other investigative methods.
"Orochimaru uses snakes, but I'm stuck with the slugs…" Masahiko smiled bitterly; slugs aren't exactly the best-summoned beast for such a task.
As he was thinking, Jiraiya caught up to them.
"What is this place?"
Masahiko waved his hand, "I'm going to blast this door open, get ready for battle." It should be Jashin's base. Although it's unlikely that a group of undead ninjas will emerge, they better be careful.
"It's okay, Elder." Orochimaru opened the door casually, "There aren't any more living people inside."
Masahiko was startled; the smell of blood that came out after he opened the door made him understand what Orochimaru meant.
Jiraiya looked angry the moment he saw the nearly hundred corpses in front of him, ranging from children to the elderly.
After he stepped forward to investigate, Jiraiya shook his head slightly, indicating that there weren't indeed any living people left, and added, "The time of their death should be three to five days."
Masahiko sighed, glanced at the outfits of these people. Their clothes weren't all the same, but everyone wore a slightly familiar necklace around their necks, which should be a symbol of Jashin.
"One of the most mysterious cults in Naruto, and when I finally found it, they're all dead?" Masahiko smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Suddenly he stumped his leg on the ground, and it turned over, burying all the corpses under it.
"Elder, you…" Jiraiya's expression changed. He wanted to investigate these corpses more and see if he could find any useful information.
"It's okay. The wounds on their bodies are the same as the one Minato had. With one glance, I could tell that they were all killed by the same person from the Akatsuki. No need to look at it."
"There is still something else inside," Orochimaru said hoarsely and walked deeper.
There were no corpses inside, only hideous statues that made Masahiko smile helplessly upon seeing them.
"So this is what that evil god looks like? It's quite scary…" Masahiko said secretly. He didn't believe in these gods and ghosts, especially after dealing with that ridiculous Shinigami.
There are also rooms behind these statues, which should be the residences of these Jashin's followers.
The three of them searched these rooms for a while, then walked deeper, until they reached the deepest room where they saw an altar stained red with blood, and they finally stopped…