OberonLA

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 129

Chapter 129: Konoha Hospital

After finding an excuse to slack off, Byakuya went to his room to claim his rewards. This time, the rewards included Puppet Creation Jutsu, as well as the abilities of the Human Path, Animal Path, and Hell Path.

The Puppet Creation Jutsu needs no explanation; it allowed him to master the technique for creating the Six Paths of Pain. The Human Path's ability is to extract souls and read memories.

The Animal Path grants the ability to summon and co...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 128

Chapter 128: A New Ability

Hearing Byakuya's blatant mockery, Danzo clenched his fists but could only stare intensely at Byakuya's back.

Byakuya knew very well that Danzo wanted to become the Hokage, but Byakuya constantly used this to taunt him, rubbing salt into his wounds repeatedly, even going so far as to encourage him to launch a military coup.

Danzo admitted that when he first heard Byakuya was willing to assist him in a coup, he was somewhat tempted.

But such a...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 127

Chapter 127: Danzo-senpai, please do your best

Seeing Jiraiya’s predicament, Byakuya couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Jiraiya, who had promised to treat him to a meal, ended up sneaking away midway, which was a clear breach of brotherly loyalty. Even if it was just a pretense of brotherhood, he should have paid up.

But that was Jiraiya for you—always pulling little tricks, but when it came to crucial moments, he was exceptionally reliable.

Byakuya recalled how Ji...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 126

Chapter 126: Law-Abiding Byakuya

As a transmigrator, Byakuya was well-acquainted with the Third Hokage's life history. While people's thoughts might change over time, their general character usually remains consistent. In his impression, the Third Hokage was mediocre and ineffective. If he had died during the three Shinobi World Wars, his reputation might have been better than the Second Hokage’s, making him a transitional figure.

Unfortunately, the Third Hokage lived too long, ...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 125

Chapter 125: The Contented Retired Elder

After finishing a day of accompanying duties, Jiraiya stretched and headed towards the streets of Konoha. He planned to enjoy a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, relax with a bath, and gather material for his next manuscript. It was a way to indulge his physical needs while also giving back to his beloved readers.

Unfortunately, readers didn’t show much interest in “The Tale of the Courageous Ninja”, preferring instead guides on local customs. ...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 124

Chapter 124: The Sigh of the Third Hokage

After dealing with the giant snake, Byakuya returned to Jiraiya’s side, waving his hand in front of the latter’s eyes. "Jiraiya-sensei, are there any other fierce beasts in the training grounds? This giant snake wasn’t enough for me to warm up."

Hearing this, Jiraiya’s mouth twitched slightly.

Considering the giant snake’s size, it had to be at least an elite Chunin in strength. It was easy for him to handle, but Byakuya wa...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 123

Chapter 123: Opinions Vary

After Yahiko and Minato finished their discussion, Byakuya and Jiraiya had already become close friends, engaging in a relationship akin to that of old comrades.

Yahiko and Minato both recognized that Jiraiya was trying to bridge the gap between them and Byakuya, but this inadvertently lowered their status in a way they hadn’t anticipated.

Fortunately, in the ninja world, status was less about age and more about strength and position. Just like i...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 122

Chapter 122: Lord Byakuya

The Third Hokage’s questioning left Danzo in a brief moment of contemplation. Six months ago, he had indeed engaged in espionage activities in the Land of Rain, attempting to exploit the conflicts between the Akatsuki and Amegakure to create chaos.

He had invested in Byakuya, aiming to use him to seize control as the leader of the Akatsuki. However, Danzo hadn’t anticipated that Byakuya’s ambitions extended beyond just the Akatsuki’s leadership to...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 121

Chapter 121: Harmless Byakuya

Early the next morning, Byakuya accompanied Yahiko and Konan to the Hokage Tower to meet the Fourth Hokage.

Compared to yesterday, the atmosphere was less formal and more familiar. They were, after all, fellow disciples with a common teacher.

After some pleasantries, the Fourth Hokage began to outline the day's itinerary.

He planned to take Yahiko and the others to visit the Ninja Academy in the morning and observe the combat exercises in ...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 120

Chapter 120: The Various Faces of Konoha

Apart from Danzo, several other ninjas in the crowd had their eyes on Byakuya.

After observing for a while, the Uchiha guards who were maintaining order recognized Byakuya's figure and couldn't help but grit their teeth.

They remembered the humiliation they had endured a few months ago.

The young man before them had captured all of them alive in just a few rounds and then had brutally humiliated the Uchiha clan by demanding a ra...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 119

Chapter 119: Master and Apprentice Reunited

Soon after leaving the Land of Rain, a team of ninjas wearing animal masks blocked the path of the delegation.

Byakuya looked at the team in front of him, frowned, and said, “These people aren’t from Konoha trying to attack us, are they? I’ll go over and kill them all.”

“Byakuya, don’t be so hasty…”

Konan said this, but she was already preparing for battle. Her clothes gradually transformed into explosive tags...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 118

Chapter 118: Amegakure Diplomatic Team

Compared to Konohagakure, Amegakure is undoubtedly weaker.

Although in terms of Kage-level ninjas, Amegakure is not far behind Konoha, but other than that, Amegakure is far inferior to Konoha.

To be blunt, the number of ninjas in Amegakure doesn't even match the number of upper-level ninjas and ANBU in Konoha.

However, there is one aspect where Konoha cannot compete with Amegakure: the authority of the village leader. Despite some...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 117

Chapter 117: Young Minato

“Black Zetsu, what are you thinking about?” Obito asked when he saw Black Zetsu standing still, lost in thought.

Black Zetsu snapped out of his thoughts and replied, “I was considering how to deal with Konoha. Kushina and Minato are too powerful. Capturing the Nine-Tails seems impossible.”

“So, have you come up with any plans?” Obito inquired.

Black Zetsu shook his head. “I haven’t thought of anything effective yet, but maybe B...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 116

Chapter 116: The Gaze of Black Zetsu

After being provoked by Black Zetsu and Byakuya, Obito began to contemplate how to deal with the Fourth Hokage.

Upon arriving in Konoha overnight, Obito had been hiding in the village for a whole week. He witnessed the ceremony of Minato Namikaze's inauguration as the Fourth Hokage and saw Minato enter the Hatake residence.

After observing Fugaku and Mikoto accepting the invitation and visiting the Hokage’s residence, Obito could no lon...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 115

Chapter 115: Unbreakable Allies

A week later, during a break, Minato sought out Kakashi.

At that moment, Kakashi was lying on a tatami mat, staring blankly at the ceiling fan spinning above him. His hands were wet, dripping water onto the floor, and his eyes were filled with negativity and despair.

Ever since Obito and Rin had died, Kakashi had often woken up in the middle of the night, haunted by the memory of the moment when he pierced Rin's chest with his own hand.

...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 114

Chapter 114: A Day in the Life of the Fourth Hokage

Only someone with space-time abilities can counter another with space-time abilities.

Obito wasn’t sure if Byakuya was offering him a warning or mocking him yet again, but if he truly wanted to weaken Konoha’s strength, his best chance was to target Namikaze Minato.

As Minato's former disciple, Obito was well-acquainted with the Flying Thunder God technique.

It could be said that if not for Minato, Konoha might ha...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 113

Chapter 113: The Next Target is Konoha

Seeing Kakuzu's puzzled look, Byakuya patiently explained:

"Kakuzu-senpai, our Akatsuki organization is dedicated to peaceful development and promoting mutual exchange among the Five Great Shinobi Villages. To achieve this goal, we may have to employ some unconventional methods, both now and in the future."

"Unconventional methods?!" Kakuzu was somewhat confused but also a bit excited.

Byakuya nodded.

"Our specific goal is t...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 112

Chapter 112: Kakuzu's Surprise

Yahiko was long accustomed to Byakuya's flippant remarks.

Byakuya lacked sufficient respect for the demigod of Amegakure and even the Kage of the Five Great Ninja Villages. However, given Byakuya's displayed strength, he did have the right to be somewhat irreverent.

After pondering for a moment, Yahiko continued,

"Minato is a disciple of Jiraiya-sensei, which technically makes him our senior. Now that he has become the Fourth Hokage, I pl...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 111

Chapter 111: The Fourth Shadow

After staying in the Land of Rain for a few days, Kakuzu finally adapted to life in the Akatsuki.

Contrary to his expectation of daily missions involving murder and robbery, Byakuya spent his days wandering around, inspecting various enterprises while Kakuzu acting as his prime bodyguard.

But considering Byakuya's strength, did he really need a bodyguard?

What was clear, though, was that Byakuya was indeed very wealthy, alleviating any co...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 110

Chapter 110: Two Factions with No Chance of Becoming Hokage

A few days later, Fugaku walked out of the Hokage building with a somber expression.

During the high-level meeting to nominate the Fourth Hokage, the Third Hokage nominated Namikaze Minato, while Danzo recommended Orochimaru. The other advisors also nominated their preferred candidates.

But the Uchiha clan wasn’t even considered for a nomination, which made Uchiha Fugaku very displeased.

He knew that the Uch...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 109

Chapter 109: Shisui and Uchiha Itachi

"To kill an enemy at the age of four or five!"

Shisui was incredibly surprised. Even though he was considered the clan's top genius, he didn't see blood until he graduated from the Academy at eight and completed his first mission.

Tetsuka chuckled, "Yes, Itachi didn't even flinch when he killed the enemy. Maybe that's what a real genius looks like, just like you."

Shisui quickly dismissed the comparison.

When he first saw blo...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 108

Chapter 108: Shisui Reflects

After spending over ten minutes, the Uchiha squad still couldn't find any traces. With no other choice, they returned to Fugaku to report the situation.

Hearing this, Fugaku's face became cloudy and uncertain.

To rescue Shisui, he had searched the Land of Fire for three whole days. He had finally heard news of Shisui, but upon arriving at this place, the attackers had already left.

Rescuing Shisui without engaging in a fight felt intentiona...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 107

Chapter 107: Shisui's Dream

Shisui pondered deeply, unsure of his dream. From a young age, he followed his father's orders, rigorously training his body and honing his ninjutsu skills. He graduated from the Ninja Academy shortly after enrolling, becoming a ninja. After experiencing numerous hardships and losing many comrades, he awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan.

Yet, he had never seriously considered what his dream was. When asked by his teachers, he would casually brush off the...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 106

Chapter 106: Hanzo Leading by Example

[Kakuzu joins Akatsuki. You have obtained following rewards:

Earth Release: Earth Spear

Wind Release: Pressure Damage

Lightning Release: False Darkness

Fire Release: Searing Migraine

Water Release: Water Formation Wall

Combination Jutsu: Combining different jutsu to achieve an effect greater than the sum of its parts.]

While Byakuya heard Kakuzu's question, his mind was preoccupied with the system rewards. R...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 105

Chapter 105: Kakuzu's Belief

Once the figures of Uchiha, including Tetsuka, had disappeared, Byakuya turned to Shisui and said:

"Shisui Uchiha, they abandoned you. Not one of them volunteered to stay in your place. Is such a family worth your loyalty?"

Shisui looked at Byakuya, who was trying to sow discord, and replied, "I stayed of my own volition. Don't ruin the relationship I have with my clan. Once they gather the ransom, they will naturally come to redeem me."

"I...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 104

Chapter 104: Byakuya, the Greedy Bitch

"Who exactly are you? The Uchiha shouldn't have any conflict with you, right?"

Judging by Byakuya’s behavior, this young ninja, who seemed to be from the Amegakure, didn’t appear to have any intention of killing them. It might be because he was wary of their clan and village or for some other reason.

Shisui wanted to understand why the boy attacked them. It couldn’t be that there was really an inside job colluding with outsiders, ...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 103

Chapter 103: Shisui’s defeat

In a clearing within the forest, after an intense battle, Kakuzu and the Uchiha group pulled back, panting heavily as they kept a close watch on each other’s movements.

Neither had ever faced such formidable opponents before, and both were hesitant to continue the fight. Continuing might cost them their lives, but leaving now would mean all the energy and chakra they had expended would be wasted.

As they were locked in a standoff, a sudden so...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 102

Chapter 102: The Origin of the Title "Demi-God"

Hanzo didn't like betting, especially with Byakuya. From his experience, no matter whom he bet on, unexpected events always seemed to unfold in Byakuya's favor. Even if he wins, there were few benefits. Heck, he might even be outsmarted by Byakuya.

I mean, if he had the capacity to even race Byakuya, he wouldn’t have become Byakuya’s bitch.

Thinking of this, Hanzo smiled at Byakuya, "Byakuya, I trust your judgment. So, I'll...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 101

Chapter 101: Kakuzu and Uchiha free

After leaving the Land of Rain and entering the Land of Fire, the weather became noticeably clearer. Basking in the warm sunlight, Byakuya couldn't help but reflect on how much more suitable the Land of Fire was for human habitation compared to the Land of Rain. It was not only better for farming, but the air lacked that damp, moldy smell.

With such rich natural conditions, it was no wonder that Konoha always managed to fight three against one i...

Mastermind of the Akatsuki 100

Chapter 100: The Possibility of Forming the Akatsuki

Hanzo couldn't understand Byakuya and had no idea where Byakuya's sense of crisis came from in the first place. During his rule over Amegakure, having a qualified elite Jonin successor was already a luxury.

Now, the Akatsuki not only possesses several Kage-level combatants but its leader, Byakuya, seems intent on recruiting more subordinates, including notorious figures like Sasori of the Red Sand.

But it's best for this o...