See You Again, Konan

Three days later, disguised as a merchant, Uchiha Yufeng entered several of the most prosperous casinos in the Land of Fire to gather intelligence.

If he wanted to find Tsunade, casinos were surely the only places he could run into her.

Fortunately, with the Sharingan's help, all he had to do was glare at ordinary people entering and leaving the casinos to learn what he needed.

"Another place with no news of Tsunade. She's only been out of the village for a few days—how did she get this far?"

Uchiha Yufeng was somewhat surprised as he pulled a map from his robes.

He crossed out a place called Shan on it.

Shan was the name of the local casino.

"Alright, next target!"

Uchiha Yufeng did not hesitate and rushed toward the next casino.

More than half a day passed. He had searched throughout the Land of Fire for news of Tsunade, and was nearly at the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Fire, yet he had not found the slightest trace of her. Uchiha Yufeng was puzzled.

"Strange. Where did that woman go?"

After marking the map, Uchiha Yufeng suddenly leaped backward.

"Who's there?!"

Just as Uchiha Yufeng was about to form hand seals, a familiar figure entered his field of vision.

She had an angelic face, with a pale purple paper flower worn on the right side of her head.

Dressed in the practical attire of an Amegakure shinobi, she was Konan, whom he had met once before.

"It's you!"

Konan froze when she saw Uchiha Yufeng, then her eyes lit up.

"Oh, it's you guys!"

Uchiha Yufeng swept his gaze over the surroundings. Nearly ten shinobi approached one after another, and he nodded at Konan, who was leading them.

"Aren't you Amegakure shinobi? What are you doing here?"

Although this place was somewhat remote, it was, strictly speaking, still within the Land of Fire. Uchiha Yufeng could not help asking.

Seeing that Uchiha Yufeng was alone and spoke so rudely, one of the shinobi beside Konan stepped forward.

"Some time ago, a Sunagakure squad killed one of our Akatsuki members and fled here. That's why we pursued them."

"Akatsuki?"

Uchiha Yufeng's gaze settled on Konan.

Last time, Konan had called herself an Amegakure shinobi. Now she called herself Akatsuki. Had Akatsuki been established already?

"Let me formally introduce us. We are members of Amegakure's Akatsuki. My name is Konan!"

"We call ourselves Akatsuki because our country is being ravaged by war and is trapped in darkness. We are determined to change this country through peace and become the dawn that changes the Ninja World!"

A look of hope and longing appeared on Konan's face as she walked up to Uchiha Yufeng and extended her delicate hand.

"However, there is no doubt that we are also Amegakure shinobi."

Looking at the earnest Konan, Uchiha Yufeng reached out and shook her hand.

"To change a country and become the dawn of the Ninja World, you need absolute strength. Absolute strength is the foundation of peace."

Seeing such resolve on Uchiha Yufeng's youthful face, Konan turned his words over in her mind and was briefly lost in thought.

"Kid from Konoha, you don't understand Akatsuki at all."

One of the Akatsuki shinobi beside them became displeased at Uchiha Yufeng's words.

Uchiha Yufeng still looked so young and immature. Yet he dared question their organization's ideals.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! You're totally right!"

Uchiha Yufeng replied perfunctorily, with no intention of arguing with him.

His gaze returned to Konan.

"If you're looking for those Sunagakure shinobi, I don't think you need to keep chasing them."

As Uchiha Yufeng spoke, he took several Sunagakure forehead protectors from his robes and tossed them onto the ground.

"I ran into that Sand Shinobi Squad earlier. There were five of them in total—three puppet masters, one who used Wind Release, and one who used Fire Release, right?"

Konan studied Uchiha Yufeng again after hearing this.

Everything Uchiha Yufeng had said was exactly right. Those were precisely the traits of the squad they had been seeking.

But judging by his age, Uchiha Yufeng was several years younger than she was.

He had actually taken down an entire Chunin squad by himself?

"Uchiha Yufeng? I remember now! He's the Uchiha who was the only one promoted to Chunin in the Chunin Exams Konoha held this time?!"

Among the Akatsuki members, a shinobi with bandages wrapped around his head suddenly cried out in surprise as he stared at Uchiha Yufeng.

"Oh, you know me?"

Uchiha Yufeng looked up at him. His face seemed vaguely familiar.

Was he one of the Genin eliminated in the first round?

"What? The only shinobi promoted to Chunin in the Chunin Exams?"

"No wonder he's so strong. But if he could wipe out a Chunin squad, he must be far stronger now than before! What a surprise!"

"At such a young age, he's already this terrifyingly strong. As expected of someone from Konoha's prestigious Uchiha Clan!"

"..."

The surrounding Akatsuki members could not help sighing in amazement.

As Konan listened to her subordinates, surprise flashed through her eyes.

She had not expected Uchiha Yufeng to have such a background.

"This time, I have to thank you again!"

Uchiha Yufeng waved his hand, unconcerned.

"You don't need to thank me. Since I helped you, help me out once too. How about we make a trade?"

Hearing Uchiha Yufeng's condition, Konan nodded firmly.

"Of course. As long as it's something Akatsuki can do, just say the word!"

Upon receiving Konan's agreement, Uchiha Yufeng pointed to an open area nearby.

Konan immediately understood and instructed the shinobi beside her to wait where they were.

Then she followed Uchiha Yufeng to the place he had indicated.

"Alright, no one can hear us now. Tell me what you need."

Uchiha Yufeng pondered for a moment.

"I want you to help me find Tsunade."

"Tsunade? Lady Tsunade, one of the Konoha Sannin?!"

Konan's lips parted slightly.

Was she the one who had been beside Jiraiya when the three of them first met him back then?

Coming back to her senses, she shook her head vigorously.

"A shinobi as powerful as Lady Tsunade is beyond our ability to monitor, so... we may not be able to find her..."

Uchiha Yufeng merely smiled at that.

"Then do this first. Help me locate all the casinos within fifty li of here, including those in the Land of Rain. That shouldn't be difficult, right?"

Konan frowned upon hearing that.

"That won't be difficult, but does it have anything to do with finding Lady Tsunade?"

"You don't need to worry about that! Keep an eye out for a pair: a woman in her twenties with a girl around ten years old, possibly with a pig alongside them. This pair loses every time they gamble!"

Seeing Uchiha Yufeng's confidence, Konan did not press further.

"Alright, I'll remember that."

Uchiha Yufeng nodded.

"By the way, once you get the information, how will you send it to me?"

Uchiha Yufeng looked around.

"There's a town ahead. I'll be staying there. Once you've gathered enough information, just have someone deliver it to me."

Konan nodded, then broke into a smile.

"Pleasure working with you!"

Uchiha Yufeng paused, then chuckled.

"Pleasure working with you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Konan hurried back to the Akatsuki group and assigned a "mission" to their members.

"Leave this matter to Akatsuki!"

Konan did not forget to turn back and say confidently to Uchiha Yufeng.

Uchiha Yufeng watched them leave before heading to the town to find an inn and rest.

Not long after he left.

A group of shinobi quietly crossed the border and headed toward Amegakure.