"Hahahaha! Up ahead is Loguetown—we're back in Loguetown!"
"Finally, we're back!"
"Loguetown, here we are again!"
A massive pirate ship drifted down the waterway of the Land of River. Its flag bore a manga-style heart, and judging by its appearance, this ship must have once looked imposing.
But now it was worn and battered—the pirate flag already in tatters.
Kakuzu stood at the bow.
"Bring everything out. We're preparing to return."
"Yes, boss."
One box after another was brought out from the cabin. Kakuzu turned his head to look at these crates, eyes filled with satisfaction.
This voyage hadn't yielded any Devil Fruits.
But Kakuzu didn't care. He had looted a small nation on the sea, walking away with a pile of gold.
That's what being a pirate was all about.
"Boss, what's next? Sell manga or pull off another heist?"
The subordinates who'd tasted success spoke up.
Though the last heist had been rough, everyone stood to earn a decent cut afterward. Moving manga might bring some cash—but nothing matched the rush of hauling in loads of gold and gems like this.
"Rest for now. We'll decide later."
Kakuzu felt satisfied with this trip across the sea.
He never imagined the ocean could be this profitable. If it weren't for Akaba's guidance, how could he have made such a huge haul in one go?
After disembarking, his first thought was to head toward the tavern—checking if Akaba was there—so he could share his maritime adventures with him.
However, as soon as he entered the tavern, he turned his head and spotted an old man sitting at a table near the entrance.
His brows furrowed slightly, then realization struck. Remaining composed, he silently stepped backward and left.
That person was none other than Madara!
How could someone like him still walk among the living?
Kakuzu's heart pounded with shock. He had no intention whatsoever of opposing Madara Uchiha—he knew full well he stood no chance against him.
His opponent was one of those terrifying legends who had once stood toe-to-toe with the First Hokage.
He exited the tavern, calmly heading toward the ship, pretending not to notice Madara's presence.
Yet,
When he reached the dock, the old man reappeared—not far away.
No killing intent, no chakra fluctuations—just a single glance. But Kakuzu was certain—it really was Madara, the same legendary figure who had once rivaled Hashirama Senju.
Those eyes—he knew them all too well.
Back in the day, he had seen Uchiha Madara from afar, and those terrifying eyes left an unforgettable impression on everyone.
"Hmphmpmhm. Never imagined someone in this world would still recognize me—Madara. Interesting."
Madara studied him.
So many people had crossed his path; characters like Kakuzu often took time to recall.
For a moment, Kakuzu's breathing quickened, but he quickly steadied himself.
It was then he realized—the Madara before him was merely a Multiple Shadow Clone.
Just a clone?
"Fascinating. You actually have five hearts. That technique—I remember it as a secret jutsu from Taki village."
By now, Madara's eyes unknowingly revealed the Eternal Kaleidoscope Sharingan pattern.
Even now, Kakuzu commanded a power few could match.
Even Madara wasn't confident about easily dealing with Kakuzu under these circumstances. However, he hadn't come here intending to confront Kakuzu—he simply wanted to lie in wait and identify someone who could recognize his identity.
"No wonder you're my honored senior, Madara. I'm Kakuzu, a rogue ninja from Taki village."
Kakuzu took a deep breath and chose not to initiate a fight.
His opponent didn't seem intent on killing him.
"I have no interest in your name. Tell me, since you returned from overseas, have you found any Devil Fruits?"
Madara asked calmly.
"No."
Kakuzu shook his head, all the while feeling a sense of absurdity.
Although this trip had indeed taken him overseas, he hadn't really believed in those Devil Fruits.
Quite the opposite.
Even someone as powerful as Madara Uchiha actually believed such nonsense about Devil Fruits existing.
Thinking about this, he couldn't help but wryly smile.
Even the strong weren't immune to foolishness when faced with the unknown.
Madara glanced at him coldly. "Don't presume to understand me with your idiotic thoughts, especially by labeling me with words like 'foolish.'"
Kakuzu hesitated slightly, a slight chill running down his spine.
How did Madara know what he was thinking?
But soon, Kakuzu calmed down and shot back, "Honored Senior Madara, I assume your reason for seeking me out isn't just to ask such trivial questions?"
"This question isn't trivial. Do you truly believe there are absolutely no Devil Fruits in this world?"
Madara replied indifferently.
After hearing this, Kakuzu paused before recalling something—
According to intelligence obtained at sea, the Yashin Cult had one Devil Fruit stolen, and the thief possessed immense strength, using a single [Great Swamp Torrent] to scatter all opponents.
In that case!
"Could it be—"
Kakuzu's face paled slightly. Then, after sensing his surroundings briefly, he realized something even more important.
Ever since seeing the [Kaleidoscope Sharingan], he'd been caught in an illusion. Everything he currently perceived was within Madara's genjutsu. For someone of Madara's caliber, attacking him with genjutsu would be effortless—but his opponent hadn't done so.
"So… you want to cooperate with me?"
"No. What I need is subordinates. If you accept becoming my subordinate, you live. Otherwise, you die."
Madara used Multiple Shadow Clones and genjutsu specifically to avoid detection by Zetsu.
Although Zetsu hadn't returned since departing for the Land of Wind, his sensing abilities, scouting skills, and concealment techniques were extremely formidable. If he wasn't cautious enough, his secrets might be exposed.
Exactly because he had lost his powerful spy and scout, Zetsu, Madara now needed a suitable subordinate to handle tasks inappropriate for himself to perform directly.
Kakuzu seemed like a decent candidate.
The moment Akaba learned that Madara had decided not to leave the Land of River, he mentally prepared himself for what was coming.
Accomplishing anything significant with only a commander and no troops was impossible.
However,
According to reports from Orochimaru's shadow clone, although some incidents occurred in the Land of River, Kakuzu's behavior remained unremarkable after returning—he continued selling manga as usual.
Seemingly normal on the surface.
Akaba struggled to guess the truth but straightforwardly placed Kakuzu into the "untrustworthy" category.
Their relationship had never been particularly solid to begin with; mutual loyalty or righteousness didn't exist between them. With someone like Kakuzu, interests were the only viable negotiating point.
Recently, his updates had somewhat decreased, yet the emergence of Hidan's power drew attention from certain individuals toward Akaba.
At the Yashin Cult base in the Land of Water.
A group of cultists chanted incantations as they threw blood and corpses into a large basin. Among them lay several objects shaped like fruits.
These were fake "Devil Fruits."
After a long while, the ritual ended.
Everyone paused as an elder spoke up: "Recently, rumors about our Cult of the Evil God appeared in manga from Konoha. They may have obtained some intelligence on us."
"Lord, why don't we hold our next ceremony in the Land of Fire? I'm sure Jashin-sama would love the blood of Konoha's atheists."
Someone suggested.
These counterfeit fruits were part of Yashin Cult's expansion plan.
Since their last sale, many ninja had joined the cult. Some became qualified test subjects who gained the power of regeneration. However, this came at a cost—their accumulated energy was greatly depleted and needed replenishment.
The elder smiled slightly and said: "Recently, the Second Kazekage disappeared from Sunagakure Village. Since they're too afraid to take action, we should strike first and give them some courage."
"Yes!"
"For Jashin-sama!"
All members of the Yashin Cult were fanatics.
Though these people ranked high within the organization—more focused on management and research—they shared the same obsession with killing.
Fear?
It didn't exist here.
That very night, a group of heretic cultists arrived in the Land of Fire by ship from the Land of Water.
Konoha only received news of this the next day.
New comics from Akaba Hiroto had just been released.
In this update, there were only five new chapters of *Naruto*, but in those five chapters, Asuma officially died.
He died due to insufficient intelligence reports.
As in the past world, everyone was deeply shocked by Asuma's death. However, unlike before, most people in the Fire Shadow World were ninja, so such situations weren't hard to understand.
Intelligence Reports.
Ninja battles weren't just about strength; they were also about information. Gathering and understanding each other's intelligence was absolutely crucial.
This fight between Asuma and Hidan was no exception.
If he had known Hidan possessed such abilities, would Asuma have carelessly let Hidan obtain his blood?
Impossible.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Hyūga clan once again formally proposed the establishment of a dedicated reconnaissance department to the village.
Without doubt, the Hyūga wanted control over the reconnaissance division.
With the Byakugan, they certainly held a great advantage in that area. If such a department was really established, unless Mito Uzumaki stepped forward again, the head position would definitely go to the leader of the Hyūga clan.
Yet
From the last war until now, the Third Hokage hadn't taken a stance.
It wasn't until that morning.
This time, not only the Hyūga, but also the Inuzuka, Aburame, and other clans skilled in reconnaissance were summoned to the office.
Alongside them was Akaba.
"Sorry I'm late."
Akaba arrived last. Anbu probably wouldn't have woken him up otherwise.
"No, you're right on time."
The Third gestured toward a seat and let Akaba sit down himself.
Then, he handed out sheets of paper, each one photocopied.
Akaba picked up one sheet. It described how a certain village was completely massacred, leaving traces of a strange ritual at the scene. Glancing sideways, he saw that every piece of paper contained different village names.
Cult of the Evil God!
Everyone turned toward the Third at the same time.
The Third paused briefly before speaking. "The Yashin Cult has appeared. Akaba — known for his reckless nature — you've had the most direct encounters with them. Share whatever information you have."
"My knowledge of the Yashin Cult is limited, but I can confirm one thing — they possess the technique to transform human bodies using Evil God Chakra. Artificial Devil Fruit is a derivative of Evil God Chakra."
Akaba explained.
"Then what exactly is our mission?" Hyuga Zuo asked seriously.
"Within a week, exterminate every member of the Yashin Cult in the Land of Fire."
The Third spoke coldly.
Konoha was already in a time of crisis. Disturbances like this needed immediate resolution; otherwise, they might spark conflict among other ninja villages.
"I hereby order — appointing Hyuga Zuo as Chief, establish the Reconnaissance Division immediately. Its primary task will be tracking down members of the Yashin Cult. Once their location is confirmed, agents should attempt to eliminate them while prioritizing their own safety. Sakuma Akaba will provide backup support."
"Understood."
Akaba stood up and took on the mission.
Being assigned as the backup indicated that he possessed incredible speed and the ability to change the tide of battle — both of which he undeniably had.
These followers of the Evil God were dangerously insane.
They used to operate in the Land of Water, but no one paid any attention. Now that they've entered the Land of Fire, they must face the consequence: death.
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