Variable of Fate

"It is precisely because of Yahiko's sacrifice that we must live on, to fulfill his final wish." Konan stepped forward, reaching out to gently stroke Nagato's cheek.

"Your eyes possess infinite potential; they should not be sacrificed here for the sake of a man like Hanzo. Once you develop more of their abilities, Hanzo will have nowhere to run."

Although Konan did not want Hanzo to live another day, she wanted even less to lose her last remaining dear friend. She could only suppress this hatred painfully in her heart, waiting for the next moment of vengeance.

In the end, Nagato heeded Konan's words and did not overdraw his body at all costs; the black rods that had been embedded in his body in his previous life were not utilized.

Perhaps in this life, the fates of Nagato and Konan would take a different turn.

"Since Hanzo has fled, we cannot count this mission as a failure. There is no need to stay here and risk our lives against that monster." Seeing that the Rain Ninja had all retreated, Suikazan Fuguki had no intention of lingering.

"I agree."

"Me too."

Led by the trio, the Mist Ninja forces quickly withdrew from the battlefield.

"Phew, the crisis is finally over."

Upon sensing that all the enemies had retreated, Nagato and Konan finally let out a sigh of relief. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path behind Nagato was also dispelled.

Yet, looking at Yahiko's corpse beside them and the shattered Akatsuki organization, both felt a heavy weight in their hearts.

"Perhaps, the path we took before was wrong." After a long silence, Nagato spoke first, gazing at Yahiko's body.

"Peace cannot be achieved through mere hot-blooded passion alone." Nagato shifted his gaze to the spot where the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path had just vanished.

"Power is the foundation that sustains everything," Nagato affirmed to himself.

Konan simply held Yahiko's corpse, standing silently by Nagato's side.

However, what they failed to notice was that a strange gaze was watching their every move from not far away.

Elsewhere, in an experimental base within Otogakure, Orochimaru was staring excitedly at the solution in a test tube, whispering to himself, unable to suppress the agitation in his heart.

"Go, tell Shisui to come over," Orochimaru instructed an experimenter nearby.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

In a forest near Otogakure.

"Slash to the right, yes, then to the left. Tayuya, your Doki is too slow and lacks agility; you won't hit the enemy like that."

Shisui guided the attacks of Tayuya's Doki while pointing out its shortcomings.

"Sakon, Ukon, your coordination is decent, but you are both too eager to attack. Sometimes you need to wait for the enemy to reveal a flaw before delivering a fatal blow."

Facing the brothers' combined assault, Shisui could stand his ground and block every attack with nothing but a single Kunai.

This was not because the attacks of Sakon and Ukon were not sharp, but because both brothers were hot-headed and would never pass up even the poorest of offensive opportunities.

This resulted in attacks that looked lethal but posed no effective threat to Shisui, failing to break through his defense.

"Kidomaru, your spider silk... is the most threatening among you all. However, I must remind you that life-and-death combat is not a game; such carelessness will cost you your life sooner or later."

Shisui was not fear-mongering; in the original plot, if Kidomaru had been serious earlier, he would not have allowed Neji to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

"As for Jirobo, you... I won't even mention it."

Shisui was truly at a loss for words regarding Jirobo's accuracy. Currently, Jirobo only knew how to use broad, sweeping attack patterns, which lacked any technical skill whatsoever. His strength was the weakest among them.

"Also, do not waste the Telepathy Technique I taught you. If you all work together, even I would need to take you seriously."

Shisui had high expectations for Jirobo and the others. In his previous life, they had not received focused training from Orochimaru, who had concentrated all his attention on Kimimaro as a potential vessel for reincarnation.

Even so, the Sound Four had displayed impressive combat power; with proper training, they could potentially reach the level of the members of the second-generation Akatsuki.

"Lord Shisui, please stop mocking us. We are all ordinary people; how can we compare to a genius like you?" Tayuya put away her Doki and spoke respectfully to Shisui.

"Hey, Tayuya, Lord Shisui doesn't like sycophants. You should stop being so self-absorbed," chimed in the brothers Sakon and Ukon, who often clashed with Tayuya.

Facing their sarcasm, Tayuya did not care. Because Lord Shisui had told her to always control her mindset and use her brain to think about everything.

"Tch, you two blockheads." Having said that, Tayuya cast a disdainful glance at the two before standing obediently beside Shisui.

The group had been excited for a long time after learning that their master had become Shisui, who shared more common ground with them.

Even Jirobo, the fat boy often punished by Shisui, was happy today because there was an endless supply of roasted meat.

Tayuya had transformed into Shisui's little fan, treating everything he said as absolute truth.

"There's movement. Who's there?" Kidomaru, who had long since set up spider silk in the surroundings, sensed an intruder and gave a prompt warning.

"It's me, one of our own." The newcomer was a youth with short gray hair and refined glasses, his forehead protector bearing the musical note symbol of Otogakure, signaling his identity.

"It's Kabuto. Why are you here? Is there good news from Orochimaru's side?" The person who arrived was Orochimaru's subordinate, Yakushi Kabuto.

Yakushi Kabuto had lost his memory as a child due to an injury and was taken in by the orphanage director, Yakushi Nono. Later, because Danzo threatened Nono, Kabuto volunteered to become a ninja for Root to act on behalf of Nono and the orphanage.

He was later arranged by Danzo to kill Nono, and he accidentally killed her.

Having lost his reason for living, Kabuto was found and taken in by Orochimaru.

When Orochimaru defected from Konoha, he also brought this capable subordinate, Yakushi Kabuto, with him. The difference was that Yakushi Kabuto had left the village under the guise of a mission, rather than as a rogue ninja of Konoha.

"Yes, Lord Shisui. Lord Orochimaru asked me to inform you." Even when facing Shisui, who was two years his junior, Yakushi Kabuto remained respectful, consistent with his calm and steady style.

"Has it finally succeeded?" Shisui had been lurking in Otogakure for over four months for this very moment.

"You lot, pack your bags and be ready to follow my summons at any time," Shisui instructed the Sound Four.

"Understood, my Lord." Although they were usually relaxed, they immediately entered a focused state the moment they received Shisui's order.

"Let's go, Kabuto. I hope Orochimaru doesn't disappoint me again."