Chapter 338: Konoha and Akatsuki Face Off
Haneda glanced at the darkened sky and then at the increasingly deranged Hiruko.
He couldn't help but wonder, What did Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya do to this guy when they were kids to traumatize him so much?
Orochimaru's eccentricity made sense; that guy was a category all their own. But Tsunade and Jiraiya seemed relatively normal.
With a sigh, Haneda pitied the former Konoha prodigy who had lost his way.
Stretching out his hand, Haneda activated his Magnet Release, drawing all the hidden iron sand from the ground into a compact sphere.
At that moment, Hiruko's Storm Release—Thunderstorm Dragon descended from the heavens.
The massive, natural-energy-infused dragon resembled Haneda's own Kirin technique in its grandeur. Its colossal size and unparalleled speed made it appear unstoppable.
BOOM!
The resulting explosion rocked the landscape, and Hiruko's eyes lit up with triumph as he watched the dust settle.
Rainwater carried traces of iron sand to the ground, and as the debris cleared, Haneda's unscathed figure stood calmly amidst the chaos.
Hiruko froze, his jaw dropping in disbelief.
Why? Why didn't my ultimate attack even scratch him?
Was it because of his reputation as the strongest shinobi? Or was it his undeniable skill and strength?
Haneda's gaze shifted to Hiruko, who had collapsed in the mud, his clothes drenched by rainwater.
Sensing Hiruko's confusion, Haneda explained calmly:
"Once, there was another who also called themselves a genius."
"This person read about an interesting concept in a report on Faraday's experiments—a phenomenon called the Faraday Cage."
"One of its core principles is shielding."
"Whether it's against magnetic fields or electricity, a properly constructed Faraday Cage renders even a million volts of electricity ineffective."
"They used that knowledge to nearly defeat me."
Hiruko's eyes widened. "Who was it?"
"Scorpion—the Red Sand Scorpion," Haneda answered.
Hiruko's expression shifted from shock to complex emotions.
He knew his teammate, the Scorpion of the Red Sand, was a prodigious puppet master. Yet, until now, he had never truly respected puppeteers, no matter how skilled.
But to think that a puppet master could nearly defeat Uchiha Haneda, the undisputed strongest…
What shocked Hiruko even more was that Haneda had learned from his past opponents, using their knowledge against him.
In that moment, Hiruko saw a reflection of Jiraiya in Haneda—someone who grew stronger by learning from others.
The memories of his past, once painful, now felt distant. With a resigned sigh, Hiruko let go of his ambitions, laying in the mud as the rain poured down on him.
"You win."
"If I stubbornly cling to my own ways without learning from others, I will always be a loser."
"You are the true genius, Uchiha Haneda. You… and the legendary Sannin."
Haneda replied, "You're a genius too. Creating a jutsu like the Chimera Technique is no small feat."
"Really?" Hiruko murmured, his voice uncertain.
His lifelong efforts had finally been recognized by someone he saw as a true genius. For the first time in years, Hiruko felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
With a bittersweet smile, Hiruko summoned one of his chimera beasts. The creature crouched and opened its mouth, revealing a massive scroll.
"This is the Chimera Technique—everything I've spent my life creating. It's yours," Hiruko said.
Haneda unrolled the scroll and glanced at its contents. Without looking up, he asked, "You don't want to go back?"
"Back? To Konoha?" Hiruko asked, confused.
"Yes, to Konoha."
"I can't. I've made too many mistakes. No one would forgive me. I'm a rogue ninja."
Haneda's tone remained steady. "Orochimaru was also a rogue ninja. Yet now he works in my research department, contributing to Konoha from the shadows."
"Orochimaru?" Hiruko repeated, surprised.
Haneda nodded. "He's been developing hybrid crops for the Fire Nation's agriculture. The engine for our trains? That was also his design. Orochimaru silently atones for his past in the darkness, serving the Will of Fire."
Hiruko hesitated, the conflict evident in his eyes. Eventually, he tore off his Akatsuki cloak and nodded.
"If Orochimaru, an S-rank rogue ninja, can find redemption, why can't I?"
Hiruko made his decision to join Haneda's side, though he had no idea that Orochimaru had been coerced into his current role.
Meanwhile, a single crimson Sharingan observed the scene from afar.
Haneda's gaze "accidentally" met the hidden figure's, but neither spoke. Their silence spoke volumes.
From the shadows, Obito chuckled softly.
"Even rogue ninja can be forgiven, huh… Too bad some things can never be undone."
With that, Obito vanished into a swirling vortex, silently following Haneda and Hiruko toward Scorpion's location.
...
Elsewhere, Kakashi's fight with Scorpion raged on.
Despite aiding Kakashi, Deidara was clearly holding back, ensuring his attacks lacked lethal intent.
As a result, by the time Haneda and Hiruko arrived, the battle was still in full swing.
Scorpion immediately noticed the approaching footsteps and turned, his expression darkening.
He didn't need to see them to know—Haneda and Hiruko were coming.
"You're distracted," Kakashi said, capitalizing on the moment to teleport behind Scorpion and sever one of his arms with a Flying Thunder God slash.
Scorpion quickly maneuvered the Third Kazekage puppet to shield himself, but Kakashi paused his attack.
Both Scorpion and Kakashi turned their attention to the new arrivals.
Scorpion's voice was sharp. "Hiruko, are you planning to betray Akatsuki? Betray the leader?"
Hiruko felt no attachment to Akatsuki. He had joined solely for the benefits Black Zetsu had promised.
Now, however, with his internal conflicts resolved, he no longer cared for his pursuit of power.
Without answering, Hiruko aligned himself with Haneda and Kakashi, forming a three-sided encirclement around Scorpion.
Panic flickered across Scorpion's face. One Haneda was enough to end him.
In the past, Haneda had refrained from taking Scorpion's life, but this time, things might be different.
Scorpion clenched his fists and played his last card.
"I am with Pain. Pain is the leader of Amegakure and an ally to Konoha!"
Haneda's voice was calm but firm. "I know. But did you think about that when you hunted down my teacher and killed Kakashi's father?"
Scorpion erupted in anger, summoning his Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets in a desperate attempt to resist.
"And did you think about the pain Hatake Sakumo caused me?" Scorpion retorted, his voice filled with uncharacteristic emotion.
"All of this stems from personal grudges. Don't act like you're any better, Uchiha Haneda!"
"You're the Hokage. Surely you know how my parents died, how I grew up alone from such a young age!"
"Hatake Sakumo took my childhood away from me!"
Scorpion's usual indifference gave way to raw, unfiltered fury. Even Hiruko, who had worked alongside him for months, had never seen him so emotionally charged.
At that moment, Pain and Konan arrived, positioning themselves near Scorpion.
Pain faced Haneda, while Konan stood opposite Kakashi.
Though Pain and Konan deeply respected Haneda, this was a matter of principle.
Scorpion was Pain's subordinate, and as the leader of Amegakure, Pain had to stand his ground—even if only symbolically.
As the standoff between Konoha and Akatsuki intensified, Obito silently observed from the shadows, perched on the tunnel ceiling.
...
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