"You... you... you've left the Anbu!"
Might Guy stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.
Since the end of the Third Great Ninja War, Kakashi has dedicated more than a decade to the Anbu, never complaining about any mission.
But now, the Third Hokage has suddenly made him leave the Anbu. If his fellow ninjas knew about this, it would cause a sensation.
"Well, let's not talk about that. What you're doing now is..."
"Me? Ah, I'm going to the Ninja Academy to get medicine for my dad."
Upon hearing this, Kakashi's expression beneath his mask shifted to one of realization: Guy's father, Might Duy, still relies on medication to sustain his life.
The side effects of the Eight Gates Formation, the Gate of Death, are so severe that even the most skilled medical ninja in the village cannot completely cure them.
The fact that Might Duy was able to escape with his life amazed countless medical ninjas in Konoha.
" The Ninja Academy, from whose side?"
"That's right. More than ten years have passed since Mr. Huayue. If it weren't for Huayue's medicine, my Pops might not even be able to get out of bed now."
"Unlike now, he still exercises with great energy. Pops's youth hasn't ended yet, hahaha..."
Might Guy's hearty laughter immediately attracted the attention of passersby. Kakashi glanced around and felt extremely embarrassed.
"That's settled then, I'll be going now, bye-bye."
"Wait, Kakashi, Kakashi! Damn it, as expected of my lifelong rival, he's still as aloof as ever!"
The sky was azure, with fluffy white clouds drifting by, and a gentle breeze ruffled my hair.
Kakashi looked up at the sky, his expression complex.
"Am I even qualified to become a Jonin? Minato-sensei...?"
A few days later, after the first batch of ninja trainees were eliminated, the most brutal Jonin in the history of the Ninja Academy was born.
Meanwhile, in a border village within the Land of Wind.
Scorpion, who was collecting art materials, suddenly noticed something and turned his gaze to look at the sandy area in the distance. His face under the cover of Hiruko was unusually cold.
" Rasa, old woman, you two actually came together. The code here is indeed a trap."
The surrounding villages had long since turned into ruins. Granny Chiyo appeared from the shadows, looking dazed, but she was already mentally prepared to fight to the death.
"My grandson, you joined the evil party, betrayed the village, and even killed the Third Kazekage with your own hands. It's all my fault. I'll..."
"Wait, Granny Chiyo, I have something to say."
Rasa suddenly spoke, interrupting Granny Chiyo's words that were about to come out.
" The Fourth Kazekage, you..."
" The Fourth Kazekage? As expected, you are the one who succeeded as the Fourth Kazekage. What exactly does the Fourth Kazekage want to say to me, a rogue ninja?"
"Hurry up, don't waste time. I hate waiting, and I hate being waited for. How about we turn you, the Fourth Kazekage, into a work of art just like the Third Kazekage?"
Black lines appeared on his forehead. From the first moment Rasa saw Sasori, he knew that Sasori was not someone who could be easily used by the village.
"To make a long story short, the missions for the four major kingdoms besides Konoha Sunagakure... no, not just Sunagakure, but the other four kingdoms, are to be handed over to Akatsuki. Tell your leader that we hope Akatsuki will attack Konoha."
Upon hearing this, Sasori inside Hiruko was also taken aback, but quickly understood why Rasa dared to say such a thing.
"I see. No one will believe in ninja organizations in the dark world. Even if someone does, they won't dare to say it, as it would be seen as a provocation against the dignity of the four great nations."
"Interesting. I will pass this on to Akatsuki's leader, but don't expect him to agree. Be glad you've survived, old woman."
Scorpion's figure disappeared into the distance. Granny Chiyo tried to make a move several times, but felt that the puppet scroll in her hand was as heavy as Mount Tai.
In the end, he still didn't get to see his own grandson; all he saw was that exquisitely crafted humanoid puppet.
" Granny Chiyo, if Akatsuki's attack on Konoha fails, you will be in charge of dealing with Sasori."
Rasa's expression was icy. For the sake of the village, even the hero he had created was sacrificed. A rogue ninja who dared to kill the Third Kazekage must not be spared!
"If it succeeds, could you...?"
"If the Konoha Crush Plan succeeds, the other four Kage will personally annihilate the Akatsuki. We absolutely cannot allow dangerous elements outside the Five Great Nations to go unpunished!"
In an instant, the last glimmer of hope in Granny Chiyo's heart was extinguished. For the sake of the village, she was willing to use even her own child as a sacrifice, so how could she let go of anything that posed a threat to the village?
"I understand. Will this plan utilize...?"
"Let's leave the useless, defective products in Konoha and detonate them completely. If we can also drag members of the Akatsuki down with us, that would be even better."
His old eyes were cloudy. The Fourth Kazekage before him was worthy of Sunagakure and had no selfish motives whatsoever. Yet, even so, it was still...
Shaking her head helplessly, Granny Chiyo turned and left. It was the young people's world now, and she, an old woman, had no right to speak.
A fierce wind swept through the sandstorm, creating a vast expanse of rolling sand dunes. Rasa's eyes gleamed, his attitude resolute.
' Konoha, Land of Fire, you are far too powerful. A weakened ally is a truly good ally!'
Five Great Nations, Mountains' Graveyard.
White Zetsu emerged from the underground ruins, gazing at Nagato lying on his sickbed in the distance, his smile growing ever more pronounced.
"Zetsu, Sasori said that the four great nations besides Konoha have entrusted us with a mission: to attack Konoha now, and we can name our own terms."
The White Zetsu, possessed by Black Zetsu, had a strange expression. Even he could tell that there was a trap hidden in such generous offers.
"What should we do? Black hair, Red-Haired Shanks, this is definitely a trap."
"It's alright, the traps don't matter. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gather all the Tailed Beast together. What do you think, Nagato?"
Black Zetsu turned his gaze away. Nagato, lying on the bed, was thin, and the veins in his legs were faintly tinged with a deep purple color, clearly the deadly poison of the Ibuse.
"It doesn't matter. This world, which should have been completely destroyed, has no hope. Now that things have come to this, let's take some interest from Konoha and let the world feel the pain."
Having lost everything, Nagato had long been disillusioned with the world. Since there was a way to bring lasting peace to the world, he would personally usher in this era!
" The One-Tail- Sunagakure, the Three-Tails Kirigakure Six-Tails Beasts of Iwagakure, the Four-Tails and Five-Tails of Kumogakure, the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails Beasts of Kumogakure, and we're still missing the Seven-Tails of Takigakure and the Nine-Tails of Konoha..."
"As long as Nine Tailed Beasts are gathered together, the world can be completely at peace, and we can use the ninjutsu left behind by the Sage of Six Paths, the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Black Zetsu murmured softly, his eyes gleaming with unprecedented excitement. The millennium-long plan was finally drawing near!