Chapter 58: Iwagakure Commissions the Akatsuki to Investigate the Ultimate Treasure!
Land of Earth, Iwagakure.
"Grandpa! Grandpa!"
"Look at this!"
With a loud shout, the door to the Tsuchikage's office was abruptly pushed open. A girl around twelve or thirteen years old rushed in, her face full of smiles. She held a newspaper in her hand, waving it excitedly in front of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
"Hehe…"
Seeing his lively granddaughter, Ōnoki couldn't help but show a loving smile as he took the newspaper from her.
"The Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure?"
What kind of nonsense was this?
In all his years, Ōnoki had never even heard of such a thing. Instinctively, he dismissed it as a baseless rumor, likely fabricated by someone for their own agenda.
Still, since it was his beloved granddaughter who had brought it to him, he didn't want to ruin the moment by dismissing her enthusiasm outright.
But one line caught his attention and made him pause.
"Information provided by Uchiha Itachi, a rogue ninja from Konoha?"
For a moment, Ōnoki's interest was piqued. He decided to keep reading to see what this "Uchiha Itachi" had to say.
The content wasn't extensive, and Ōnoki quickly finished reading it.
However, the playful expression on his face disappeared, replaced by a look of deep contemplation.
"Could I have been wrong? Could the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure actually exist?"
"Is this the reason why Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were so powerful back then?"
"And could Sarutobi Hiruzen and his allies have destroyed the Senju and Uchiha Clans to seize this treasure?"
Something about the story felt off, but many of the events and logic seemed to align disturbingly well. This left Ōnoki unsure whether the news was true or not.
"Grandpa! So? Should we go to Konoha to search for the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure?"
"I heard that whoever finds it can become the god of the ninja world! Just like Senju Hashirama, worshiped by all!"
"This is so exciting!"
Ōnoki's granddaughter, Kurotsuchi, couldn't hide her excitement. If not for her grandfather's disapproval, she seemed ready to pack her bags and head straight to Konoha in search of the treasure.
"Kurotsuchi, I'm warning you—don't even think about leaving Iwagakure without my permission!"
"The matter of the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure is far more complicated than you think!"
Seeing right through his granddaughter's thoughts, Ōnoki spoke sternly, his face darkening.
"Fine…"
Hearing his harsh tone, Kurotsuchi couldn't help but feel a bit aggrieved, her voice reluctant as she responded.
"Alright, don't look so upset. Grandpa will bring Deidara back soon so you can have some fun with him, okay?"
Seeing Kurotsuchi on the verge of tears, Ōnoki sighed and quickly changed his approach, trying to cheer her up.
"Really? That's great! I just learned a cool new jutsu, and I can't wait to show it to him!"
Her mood brightened instantly, and she began chattering excitedly.
"Yes, yes, I understand. I'll bring him back, even if I have to tie him up!" Ōnoki promised without hesitation.
"It's a deal!"
"Yes, it's a deal. Now, Grandpa has work to do, so go play with your friends for now, alright?"
"Alright~"
Once Kurotsuchi was finally coaxed out of the room, Ōnoki's expression turned serious again.
Regardless of whether the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure existed, it was clear that someone was deliberately targeting Konoha.
They were likely using this "treasure" to throw Konoha into chaos. What their ultimate goal was, Ōnoki couldn't yet determine, but he doubted it would be anything simple.
As a veteran leader, Ōnoki was used to seeing through surface-level manipulations. He could already sense the deeper dangers hidden in this situation, dangers he didn't want anyone around him blindly stepping into.
"Bring Kurotsuchi's father, Kitsuchi, here!"
After pondering for a while, Ōnoki made up his mind and ordered an Anbu to summon his son.
Soon, a tall, honest-looking man entered the office.
"This is your task," Ōnoki said, handing him a document. "Carry it out immediately. And under no circumstances are you to get involved in the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure nonsense. Is that clear?"
Kitsuchi hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Understood."
Although he had a tendency to act rashly at times, Kitsuchi knew better than to disobey his father's direct and serious warnings.
---
Amegakure.
Since the Akatsuki had gone into hiding, its members had little to occupy their time.
Pain and Konan managed Amegakure while occasionally taking on mercenary missions.
Sasori immersed himself in puppet research, taking on missions with Deidara whenever he needed funding.
Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki also occasionally teamed up on missions to improve their coordination.
Hidan and Kakuzu, being the most restless, were sent away by Pain to conduct bounty missions in other countries, keeping them out of trouble in the Land of Rain.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Yi and Zetsu spent most of their time together, seemingly plotting some grand conspiracy.
---
One day, Kitsuchi arrived at an Akatsuki base with a mercenary commission from Iwagakure. Konan personally came out to meet him at a location outside Amegakure.
"Hehe, it's been a while, Konan!" Kitsuchi greeted her warmly, clearly accustomed to working with the Akatsuki.
"What's the task?" Konan responded coldly.
Kitsuchi handed her a scroll. "Here's the mission. Will the Akatsuki take it?"
Konan opened the scroll carefully and read the details.
"Investigate the Sage of Six Paths' Ultimate Treasure in Konoha."
Her expression shifted slightly as she read. She hadn't expected Iwagakure to take an interest in the rumors surrounding the treasure.
When the news about the treasure first spread, both Konan and Pain had been skeptical. The information seemed convincing, with logical reasoning and no obvious flaws, but they suspected that Uchiha Yi and Zetsu were behind it, using it as a ploy against Konoha.
Though they had no concrete evidence, their instincts told them they were right.
"Well? Are you taking the mission?" Kitsuchi asked.
"Wait until tomorrow for an answer," Konan replied.
In the past, she might have agreed without hesitation. But now, she hesitated, concerned that accepting the mission might interfere with Uchiha Yi's plans.
Unknowingly, Uchiha Yi had become a soft spot in her heart.
Perhaps it was because, in his constant cries of "Teacher Konan," she had found a flicker of hope she hadn't felt in years.
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