Fish on the Chopping Block

Kabuto Yakushi had worked so hard to help Akatsuki capture Jinchuriki not because he had been deceived or won over by Uchiha Obito's so-called lie about saving the world!

The only reason Kabuto Yakushi and Uchiha Obito, whose fundamental goals were completely different, could reach an agreement was an exchange of interests.

Kabuto Yakushi had used his own martial strength as bargaining capital in exchange for the necessary materials in Uchiha Obito's possession.

The most valuable among them were a portion of Nagato's cells, as well as tissue from the corpse of a powerful ninja whom Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi had searched for endlessly without finding any leads on—the once-renowned Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Kakashi's father, Hatake Sakumo, who had committed suicide after being destroyed by rumors and unable to bear the resentment and misunderstanding of his fellow villagers, even his comrades.

Kabuto Yakushi still did not know that Nagato's soul had already been summoned through Impure World Reincarnation by Mizuki ahead of him.

Even so, the power of Hatake Sakumo, who had once been capable of influencing the course of a local war in the Shinobi World, was enough to make Kabuto Yakushi act.

As for other corpses that had previously been impossible to locate despite years of searching, the mysterious man calling himself Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu, who had lived for who knew how many years, could easily obtain tissue from the corpses of powerful people they had collected over the years.

Under such terms, capturing one Gaara was hardly a big deal. To Kabuto Yakushi, it might even have been a tremendous bargain.

However, even if the deal was worthwhile, Kabuto Yakushi would never risk his life to pull Akatsuki's chestnuts from the fire.

This underground cavern, arranged for the Phantom Dragon Nine Seals, should originally