(Help me in My patron).
"Why are you hiding your identity?" Uchiha Itachi asked coldly, his expression as stoic as ever.
Kirito, on the other hand, seemed utterly uninterested in the conversation. He casually browsed through the scrolls of ninjutsu collected from both the Uchiha and Sarutobi families, his ears only half-tuned to Obito's ramblings.
"Because if people knew Uchiha Madara was still alive, it would create too many complications. Now, I'll take you to meet the leader of Akatsuki," Obito said, casting a sideways glance at Kirito. "Did you hear that, Kirito?"
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Your name's Tobi, not Uchiha Madara. From now on, you're an intern for Akatsuki, while we're official members. So, I guess that makes you the rookie," Kirito replied, stifling a yawn as he answered in a half-hearted tone.
"You..." Obito fumed beneath his mask, feeling a vein pulse on his forehead. Despite his growing irritation, he found himself helpless to do anything about it.
Obito had realized that Kirito was far more devious than his calm, polite demeanor suggested. He was a master of manipulation, more ruthless than anyone could suspect. Obito could never quite figure out Kirito's motives, nor predict his actions, which made him uneasy. And Kirito's strength—his true power—remained an enigma.
Was it wise to bring someone like him into Akatsuki? Obito wondered.
Soon, the trio arrived at a secluded building by the river—a temporary base for the Akatsuki in Amegakure, the Village Hidden in the Rain. It was a tall structure resembling a clock tower.
"Kirito, including Zetsu, whom you've already met, Akatsuki has nine core members. We don't gather often, but many of them possess Kage-level strength," Obito explained as they approached the entrance. "Of course, the organization is still in its early stages. We do have a few members whose power is merely at the level of a Jonin. But such individuals rarely last long. Be prepared."
"I don't mind," Kirito shrugged, slipping the scrolls into his pouch. "As long as I can find a safe place to keep Izumi."
Uchiha Itachi walked beside him, his face unreadable.
"Let's head in."
Obito stepped off the boat first, instantly slipping into his Tobi persona—bouncing around playfully as he led the way into the building. Kirito and Itachi followed close behind.
Upon entering the room, Kirito immediately recognized someone standing in the shadows—Orochimaru.
"Oh, Itachi... Long time no see," Orochimaru purred in his usual hoarse voice, stepping out from the darkness with his trademark, sinister smile.
His long black hair, reptilian golden eyes, and pale skin gave him an eerie presence. Despite wearing the Akatsuki cloak, his malicious aura was palpable, just as Kirito remembered him.
"Orochimaru-sensei?" Itachi's eyes widened in surprise. At this point in time, he still held some respect for Orochimaru, who had once been a revered Sannin of Konoha.
"Ah, Itachi, how nostalgic. It seems even a genius like you has ended up in the company of Akatsuki," Orochimaru commented, his gaze lingering on Itachi before shifting to Kirito. "And you... the one responsible for wiping out the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. Rumors suggested you were framed and perished during the Uchiha clan massacre. I see now that those rumors were greatly exaggerated."
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with malice as he regarded Kirito, though his expression remained calm.
Although Orochimaru had long since severed ties with Konoha, there were still remnants of his old bonds with Hiruzen Sarutobi, his former teacher. That bond, no matter how faint, made the destruction of the Sarutobi clan a deeply personal affair.
Even in the original story, Orochimaru hesitated when he first defected, and during the Konoha Crush plan, he had shed a tear while killing his former master. Now, with the Sarutobi clan entirely eradicated, it wasn't surprising that Orochimaru harbored a grudge against Kirito.
"Well, well, it's truly an honor that someone as renowned as Lord Orochimaru knows of me," Kirito said with a faint smile, stepping forward without fear. His tone, however, suddenly dropped as his eyes narrowed. "But I couldn't help but sense a bit of killing intent from you earlier. Are you perhaps seeking revenge for your former teacher?"
For a moment, Orochimaru's instincts as a snake caused him to tense up, feeling an inexplicable unease under Kirito's sharp gaze. This kid... he's more perceptive than I gave him credit for, Orochimaru thought.
Quickly adjusting his demeanor, Orochimaru let out a dry chuckle. "You're quite the joker, Kirito. I'm simply... curious about you. After all, it's not every day one meets the man who wiped out the Strongest Hokage's family and Danzo's Root."
"The strongest Kage?" Kirito let out a sarcastic snort. "I won't argue with you about Danzo. That 'Darkness of the Shinobi World' certainly earned his title, given the number of Konoha shinobi he had killed or exiled to advance his own ambitions. But Sarutobi Hiruzen? The so-called 'strongest Kage'? Don't make me laugh."
Kirito's expression turned icy. "That self-righteous old man couldn't even live up to his own words. He claimed to be the 'strongest Hokage,' yet he was all bark and no bite."
He mimicked Hiruzen's famous phrase, his voice dripping with disdain. "'Wherever the leaves dance, fire burns bright, casting its shadow on the village...' What a joke. The reality is, Hiruzen drained Konoha dry, snuffed out its potential, and hoarded everything for his own clan."
Kirito's tone grew even colder as he continued, "Do you know how many Sarutobi I killed that night? Two thousand, seven hundred and fifty-three. Eighty percent of them were ninjas. Faces I had never even seen before in any high-level missions. In terms of numbers, they rivaled the combined size of the Hyuga and Uchiha clans before their own downfalls."
He smirked, pausing briefly to let his words sink in. "The Sarutobi clan was thriving while the rest of Konoha was withering. Left unchecked, they would've turned this place into their own little fiefdom. I did Konoha a favor, ridding them of those parasites."
With a casual flourish, Kirito pulled out a small water bottle from his pocket, took a sip, and wiped his mouth.
Orochimaru, Itachi, and even Obito stared at him, utterly speechless.
Itachi, in particular, was visibly shaken. Kirito's words shattered the image of the Third Hokage that had been ingrained in his mind since childhood.
Even Orochimaru, who had long severed ties with Konoha, and Obito, who believed himself the master of manipulation, were left stunned by Kirito's brutal honesty.
(End of the chapter).
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