"Boss! Save us!"
Jibachi called for help in a sorry state.
His voice startled Suzumebachi. She quickly ran over.
A flash of delight appeared in Jibachi and Kurobachi's eyes.
However, her next actions made the two look stunned.
Slap! Slap!
Two resounding slaps left the two dumbfounded.
Not only them, but even Shino and the other two were also stunned for a moment.
"What's going on? Why did she suddenly hit her own people?"
"No idea. Maybe internal strife?"
The three were all dumbfounded.
Meanwhile, Suzumebachi just had a stern expression and began criticizing them.
"Idiots! I said to negotiate peacefully! Why did you have to use violence?"
"Immediately apologize to this young lady!"
Hearing this, Jibachi and Kurobachi looked at each other, completely baffled!
"Hurry up and do it!" Suzumebachi shouted angrily at the two, then turned and deeply bowed to Hinata. "I'm very sorry for the harm caused to you due to some misunderstanding. If you still won't forgive, then my life is in your hands."
Suzumebachi's eyes were sharp.
She could tell at a glance that Hinata had an indecisive personality.
Such a person definitely wouldn't do ruthless things.
So although she said she was putting her life and death in the other's hands, she was sure Hinata would definitely not choose that.
"Ah, no, it's nothing..." Hinata was completely flustered, waving her hands repeatedly, sweating nervously appearing on her forehead.
Her mind was completely chaotic.
'What's going on?'
'Did the other side suddenly turn over a new leaf?'
"Hey, what's going on?" Kiba said discontentedly. "You did such excessive things to Hinata, and you think apologizing once is enough?"
"Umm, Kiba, let it go. I'm fine anyway," Hinata pulled on Kiba's sleeve, telling him not to make a fuss.
"Takumi, what did you do to her?" Shino, on the other hand, approached Takumi, curious.
In his view, the other party's completely different attitude was surely because Takumi had done something.
"You probably know about the bleak situation of the Kamizuru Clan in the Land of Earth. Now only a few of them remain." Takumi lightly chuckled and said, "I just persuaded them not to hold on to unrealistic ideas. If they want to revive their clan, they need to be down-to-earth."
"I see." Shino nodded. "Have they been incorporated by you? Should we report it to Hokage-sama?"
"No, no need to do that." Takumi shook his head. "They, after all, don't belong to Konoha, and they have a record of attacking Konoha. Although that was done by their elders, Konoha should find it difficult to accommodate them."
"Anyway, after this, it will be difficult to encounter them again in the future."
"With just these few people, wanting to revive the clan, in my view, is somewhat wishful thinking. So, no need to bother with them."
As Takumi spoke, he came before Suzumebachi.
"Takumi-sama..." Suzumebachi looked at him, her eyes lit up.
She even changed her form of address.
"Don't call me 'sama'… it's too distant." Takumi said softly with a laugh. "Remember what I said. If you want to revive your clan, don't think about crooked ways… you still need to be down-to-earth."
"Yes, Takumi-kun." Suzumebachi nodded seriously.
"Hey, so we're just letting them go?" Kiba was still somewhat dissatisfied, but since Hinata, the one who was kidnapped, didn't say anything, he could only complain a bit.
"Alright, this mission is also successfully completed. We should go." As Takumi spoke, he packed his luggage, preparing to return.
Meanwhile, Suzumebachi just looked reluctant, holding his sleeve. "Will you come see me? I live nearby. If you have time, you can come see me... or I can go to Konoha to find you..."
Takumi stroked Suzumebachi's hair fondly and said, "Of course I will."
...
Land of Rain.
Amegakure.
After running all the way back from the battlefield, Hidan and Kakuzu quickly returned to the Akatsuki's secret base.
"How did it go?" Pain's emotionless eyes looked at Kakuzu, without any sense of urgency.
But he was the first to ask this question.
"Almost." Kakuzu didn't speak. Hidan, who had observed the battle from the side, gesticulated and said, "At that time, Kakuzu-san had already trapped Takumi. If he hadn't suddenly used that extremely powerful Fire Release, Brother Kakuzu would have killed him."
"Although a pity, it brought extremely useful intelligence." Sasori said. "At least it proves Takumi isn't an un-killable existence. As long as you find the right method, you can still kill him."
"Then who goes this time? Let me state upfront, my strength hasn't improved at all." Kisame said.
"This is a problem. We're not like Kakuzu, who can easily improve strength." Deidara had his hands behind his head, looking nonchalant. "And my bombs are just child's play in front of Takumi-senpai, they don't amount to anything."
"You shut up." Konan said with exasperation. "From the looks of it now, there's still no one who can definitely defeat Takumi. If we rashly send everyone, it's also easy to alert the enemy."
"We're not ready to declare war on the entire Shinobi World yet. Actions still need to be covert."
"Konan is right." Pain nodded. "Since we can't think of anything for now, then dismiss the meeting. Everyone go back and think carefully about countermeasures."
"No matter what, Takumi must be eliminated. He will definitely become our plan's greatest obstacle."
Everyone dispersed.
Itachi, who had remained silent throughout, silently walked through the pitch-black passageway.
"Itachi, I'll leave this matter to you." A voice suddenly came from the darkness. Turning to look, it was a man wearing a spiral mask.
Itachi looked towards the direction of the voice. Using the faint light from cracks in the wall, he saw the other's spiral-patterned mask. "Tobi?"
"Mhm."
Obito nodded gloomily.
"Takumi is our current greatest threat."
"Among those present, only you haven't fought him yet. And your strength is unfathomable. What's more, you have Mangekyo Sharingan's Dojutsu."
Obito had thought it through thoroughly.
Itachi's strength was unfathomable, and he had a complete pair of Mangekyo Sharingan.
Whereas he himself only had one eye and couldn't exert his full strength.
If he could further enhance Itachi's strength, the probability of killing Takumi would be greater.
At this stage, killing Takumi, this person outside the plan, was the most crucial.
The Eye of the Moon Plan absolutely must not have any error!
And even if Itachi's strength improved, Obito believed he wouldn't betray him.
Everything he did was for his brother. As long as he controlled that information, Itachi wouldn't dare to rashly become his enemy.
As fellow Uchiha Clan's members, he was confident in enhancing Itachi's strength and wouldn't be backlashed by him.
The others were harder to say.
They were all Missing-nin, and their loyalty couldn't necessarily be completely guaranteed.
They were, in the end, just gathered under Nagato's immense strength. Nagato's strength was the pivot that held them together.
Otherwise, with their pride of the strong, they would have long become scattered sand, would never have coalesced.
All of this relied on immense power.
"Kill Takumi..." Hearing Obito's words, Itachi frowned slightly, his mind becoming active.
Have him attack Konoha?
With his strength, if he wanted to kill Takumi, he would inevitably have to exert his full strength.
But in that case, the damage to Konoha would undoubtedly be enormous.
At that time, would Hiruzen and the others continue to abide by their agreement and properly protect Sasuke?
No!
He couldn't take the initiative now.
"I personally saw him act in the Land of Snow. Honestly, his strength is too strong. I feel I'm completely not a match." Itachi deflected. "Why don't you do it yourself? You're the Uchiha genius, with limitless potential. Dealing with a kid should be more than enough, right?"
"I have my considerations." Obito said. "If you think your strength is insufficient, do you want to consider my method."
Itachi Uchiha frowned deeply. "What method?"
"Let your Mangekyo become Eternal Mangekyo."