Kumogakure.
Bang!
Raikage Ai looked at the Konoha intelligence in his hand, a sneer playing on his lips.
"Has Konoha lost its confidence as a major power? A small underground organization has scared them so much."
Cooperation? Kumogakure doesn't need cooperation. If the Akatsuki dare to come, we'll kill them.
Darui looked a bit helpless: "Raikage-sama, the Akatsuki Organization's strength shouldn't be underestimated. From Konoha's intelligence, every one of their core members has considerable abilities."
That was an organization that had captured many Tailed Beasts. Even their Kumogakure had to make certain sacrifices when facing Tailed Beasts.
They couldn't just casually deal with them.
"Hmph, send people to check on Bee's side, and at the same time, send people to assassinate the Akatsuki Organization members who enter the Land of Lightning."
Ai wasn't a fool; he certainly knew the seriousness of the situation.
Yugito had already been captured, according to their intelligence.
"Yes."
...A dark cave.
The number of people had decreased by two, and those performing the Sealing Jutsu needed more time.
"Konoha actually captured Hidan and Kakuzu. It seems they deployed considerable force."
Deidara said.
"Oh my, Konoha has powerful intelligence Ninja. I'm afraid their memories have all been read!" Tobi said mischievously.
"It must be Satoru. Only he could read Hidan and their memories."
Uchiha Itachi spoke.
Kisame: "He's truly a formidable man. If we can't find a way to deal with him, our operations might be a bit difficult."
Only by experiencing that genjutsu could one truly understand the powerlessness it brought.
If they couldn't defend against it immediately and were caught off guard, there wouldn't be much chance to retaliate later.
Zetsu: "That's right. Our bases in the Land of Fire have almost all been taken out by Konoha, leaving only a few insignificant ones. Moreover, according to intelligence, Konoha has already shared our information with other Ninja villages."
"It's a good thing one only knows how to worship the Evil God, and the other only knows how to chase money. They don't care about most of Akatsuki's bases. Otherwise, our bases in several countries might have been completely wiped out." Tobi said.
"Pain, from this situation, it seems Konoha already knows our intelligence and has sent people to Amegakure to gather more information."
Konan thought of some issues.
Pain nodded affirmatively: "That's right. I once fought Satoru. He knows some of my information. It's impossible for there to be two pairs of Rinnegan in the world by such a coincidence."
"That's truly troublesome. Fortunately, the major Ninja villages don't have a basis for cooperation yet. Otherwise, the next operations would be difficult."
"Do you need help? As a newcomer, I should also help. Senior Deidara has already completed his mission and seems to have nothing to do!"
"Damn Tobi, I need to study art! I don't have that much time."
"Speaking of which, it should be about time for Orochimaru to reincarnate, right? Senior Itachi, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
Tobi's gaze fell on Uchiha Itachi as he said playfully.
Uchiha Itachi's expression remained blank upon hearing this... Konoha.
Under the setting sun.
"Do you really have to go? If not, I'll let Satoru go. You know his abilities; he should be no worse than the Fourth Hokage."
Tsunade sat on a long bench, speaking to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya smiled upon hearing this: "Compared to a wanderer like me, who roams the Ninja World, his personality is more suited for guarding the home. Let him stay and protect Konoha. Besides, I might not necessarily die, right?"
There was no sense of gravity from undertaking a difficult mission.
Only the relaxed feeling of conversing with an old friend.
"Stay. I need you." Tsunade's face, in the setting sun, looked like a little girl's.
"If I return from this mission, give me a chance. And isn't your luck with gambling terrible? So, bet that I won't return."
Jiraiya stood up, walked towards the setting sun, step by step.
Tsunade was left behind by him.
Perhaps… "I promise you, you must come back." Tsunade murmured, watching his retreating figure.
Then, her whole person seemed to lose vitality, her hands resting on the long bench… In a gloomy underground cave.
Uchiha Sasuke opened his eyes, his Sharingan slowly spinning.
Then he got up, picked up his kusanagi blade, and walked towards one direction of the base.
Tap, tap, tap!
The tunnel receded further and further, but the young man remained unfazed… "Who?"
Orochimaru lay weakly on the bed, hearing the movement.
"Is that Kabuto?"
Sizzle!
To his astonishment, a sudden lightning bolt struck, and electric light pierced through his chest.
Creak!
The door opened, and Sasuke walked in from outside.
"It's over, Orochimaru."
Sasuke was expressionless.
"Don't you want revenge? Only if I inhabit your body will you have a chance to defeat Uchiha Itachi and achieve your goal of revenge."
Orochimaru said in a hoarse voice.
"Do you think all Uchiha are naive? You no longer have any value for me to exploit. I will accomplish my revenge with my own strength."
Sasuke looked at Orochimaru as if he were an idiot.
He wondered how he, as One of the Sannin, could have such childish thoughts.
If Orochimaru had the ability, he wouldn't mind Orochimaru helping him get revenge, but the problem was, he didn't.
"Take your naive thoughts to the Pure Land."
Sizzle!
"You're naive, Sasuke."
Orochimaru roared, his mouth rapidly expelling himself, with a long tail, his large mouth bit down towards Sasuke.
Clang!
Sasuke's kusanagi blade flashed…
Konoha.
"Get moving, or else you'll copy advanced mathematics several times. Conceal your ultimate goal, create several false objectives for the enemy, and make them reveal their weaknesses…"
In the battlefield simulation, Naruto's combat opponent this time was no longer the various materials Satoru had collected in the past, but himself.
Satoru wanted to solidify Naruto's combat patterns, not rely entirely on temporary flashes of inspiration in battle.
Since he had been ordered to strengthen Naruto's combat power, he had no intention of refusing.
He wanted to elevate Naruto's combat skills to a higher level.
As for whether it would affect Naruto's final battle and cause the plot to deviate, he had already considered it with hundreds of clones.
The general trend had already formed. As long as it wasn't too exaggerated, or he didn't actively use all his strength to interfere, this general trend would not disappear.
Obito's plan would be completed, Madara's plan would be completed, Zetsu's plan would be completed, Orochimaru's plan would be completed, and his, Satoru's, plan would also be completed.
Even if there were some deviations, the general trend was irreversible.
Strengthening Naruto's combat experience was the best time.
Otherwise, once he learned powers like Sage Mode, Nine-Tailed Mode, Six Paths Mode, it would be impossible to use the battlefield simulation genjutsu.
The plot of Boruto was still unknown. As Boruto's father, Naruto should be able to help a little.
After all, he was the protagonist of Shippuden.
If Naruto became stronger, perhaps those crises wouldn't happen.
He could also hide in the background and secretly deal with villains.
It's not really 'secretly'—he's a Ninja, and being cunning is a quality a Ninja should inherently possess.
However, judging from Boruto and Sasuke's Crossing (transmigration) situation, it seems it didn't have much effect…