Seeing Byakuya's desolate figure fade away into the distance, Yahiko and Konan felt a deep sense of depression settle over them. In their minds, this attack was orchestrated by someone within Konoha who was dissatisfied with Jiraiya and chose to vent their anger on the Akatsuki organization instead. Now, because of this vendetta, both the Akatsuki and Byakuya were entangled in the repercussions.
Although Byakuya possessed immense strength and the previous attack seemed insignificant in terms of physical damage, they were deeply concerned that it might have wounded his fragile and sensitive heart.
Despite his usual demeanor of wisdom and intelligence, Byakuya was somewhat neurotic. His sense of insecurity was profound, and he harbored an intense need for the approval of others. When encountering someone with a similarly troubled background, he would exhibit a near-pathological tendency to care for them.
To Yahiko, Byakuya was not only a mentor and guide but also a child who had yet to mature fully. When he exchanged a glance with Konan, it was clear that she had guessed what he was thinking. She shared his view of Byakuya, expressing her own struggles in trying to fully understand his complex inner thoughts.
This shared understanding of Byakuya's nature only deepened their worry. They knew that beneath his strong exterior lay an easily bruised heart, and they feared the emotional impact this attack might have on him.
After listening to this, Yahiko sighed softly.
"Konan, you still don't know Byakuya's background, do you?"
Konan was slightly taken aback and replied, somewhat puzzled.
"Isn't he an orphan like us?"
Yahiko shook his head and explained.
"It's true that Byakuya is an orphan, but he hails from the Land of Whirlpools. Like Nagato, he is a descendant of the Uzumaki clan and wandered for an even longer time."
"The Uzumaki descendants? But Nagato and Akane have red hair, don't they?"
Konan asked, recalling what she knew about the Uzumaki clan through Nagato.
"Nagato confirmed Byakuya's identity as a descendant of Uzumaki. As for why his hair is black instead of red," Yahiko said, intertwining his fingers and resting his chin on them, "the hair of Uzumaki descendants is usually red. Still, there are exceptions when other bloodlines within the individual are more dominant than the Uzumaki bloodline, which explains his black hair."
"What kind of bloodline could overshadow the Uzumaki bloodline? Who are his parents?"
Konan asked, her surprise evident. However, hearing Yahiko's explanation, she began to understand why Byakuya was so powerful at such a young age—it was due to his unique bloodline.
Yahiko shook his head, his eyes reflecting confusion.
"I don't know who Byakuya's parents are, and it seems he doesn't know either. However, his fragile and sensitive personality might be related to his experiences and bloodline. We should take good care of him in the future. He is our family, too."
"Okay."
Konan agreed. She had no objections to taking care of Byakuya. The Akatsuki organization was built on mutual support, and she often received care from Byakuya as well.
At this point, Konan seemed to remember something and asked.
"Yahiko, are you really planning to contact Jiraiya-sensei? We haven't been in touch with him for years, and we've even lost the communication toad."
Yahiko nodded and smiled.
"Even if the toad is lost, we can still find Jiraiya-sensei. I wonder if, after all these years, Jiraiya-sensei is still the same, wandering aimlessly."
Recalling past fond memories, Konan also showed a gentle smile.
---
While Yahiko and Konan were immersed in speculation, Byakuya returned to his room. The room remained arranged as it was before his mission, but subtle signs indicated that his notes had been tampered with; they were now excessively neatly arranged.
Despite his habit of keeping his desk organized, he didn't possess a compulsion for perfect order. Thus, it was evident that someone had rummaged through his belongings during his absence, most likely one of the obsessive-compulsive White Zetsu clones.
Though these notes were intended to craft his persona, the invasion of his privacy didn't sit well with Byakuya. He likened it to the necessity of consent in reality shows, emphasizing the need for compensation for such intrusion.
In a sarcastic tone, he wondered about Madara joining the Akatsuki and offering him gold coins or even a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, implying the absurdity of freeloaders hindering his ability to create entertaining performances.
After venting his frustrations, Byakuya meticulously documented the mission details in his notebook. In his notes, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the mission and took the opportunity to voice his grievances regarding Akatsuki's leadership.
Once he finished jotting down his thoughts, Byakuya reclined on the sofa, allowing his body to relax as he contemplated his following tasks. For someone with multiple identities like him, missions served as a form of respite; life at the base proved more draining.
On the surface, Byakuya appeared as a mid-level leader in the Akatsuki, second only to Yahiko's trio. Apart from his daily training, he oversaw the special training of Akane, Nagato, and others.
Yahiko occasionally called him for small meetings involving two or three people.
In secret, he stayed in contact with subordinates like Shigure to monitor movements in Amegakure, ensuring the village wouldn't launch a sudden attack on the Akatsuki. He had also become a subordinate of Danzo, a pawn in Danzo's schemes in the Land of Rain.
Danzo could assign him a task to stir up trouble in the Land of Rain at any moment. Additionally, he had to maintain his persona in front of Madara Uchiha and White Zetsu.
With so many tasks, his life was planned and very fulfilling.
Despite the challenges, as long as the Akatsuki could develop and provide him with steady resources, these hardships were worth it.
In his previous life, he was just a hardworking employee. In the Shinobi world and the Akatsuki, he was one of the founding elders and had already become a candidate for the leader.
After resting with his eyes closed for a while, Byakuya suddenly got up from the sofa, frowning. He gently pushed open the door and walked straight towards the forest outside the Akatsuki base. Soon, he arrived at a secluded spot and performed the Summoning Technique.
With a "poof" sound followed by a puff of white smoke, a bird appeared on Byakuya's shoulder with a scroll tied to its leg.
Byakuya picked up the scroll, dismissing the summoning contract with a resigned expression. This bird wasn't just any summoning beast; it was the dedicated courier hawk he used to communicate with Danzo.
The main issue was that he had returned to the Akatsuki base less than half a day ago, and Danzo had already contacted him, which was a bit too frequent as if he were treating him like a subordinate.
Byakuya frowned, very displeased with Danzo's behavior. However, upon opening the scroll and seeing the A-rank ninjutsu and the attached check, his frown eased considerably, thinking that Danzo did show concern for his subordinates.
As long as Danzo continued to provide resources, their cooperative relationship might last for a long time. After some critical thinking, Byakuya slowly opened the communication scroll and began to read it carefully.
===
BONUS CHAPTERS!
Let's aim for the ranking this time, and you will get bonus chapters:
1000 PS = 5 Bonus Chapters!
1500 PS = 10 Bonus Chapters!
Please get this book in ranking so I can translate more chapters in a batch.