Chapter 18: The Akatsuki Makes Their Move

Afterward, Orochimaru returned to the forest. Kimimaro, who had been waiting nearby, instantly appeared at Orochimaru's side.

"Let's go back to the village."

...

During Orochimaru's absence, the Sound Ninja Village, under Kabuto's guidance, gradually entered a state of war readiness. The prisoners from the Leaf Village were integrating well into the Sound Village. Though they were not considered official villagers, they were not subjected to senseless slaughter.

This was a privilege the Third Hokage had managed to secure from Kabuto, thanks in part to the influence of Jiraiya and Tsunade, two formidable Kage-level shinobi.

The Third Hokage became Kabuto’s political mentor, and Kabuto frequently consulted him on various issues. Under Kabuto's management, the Sound Village developed in an orderly fashion and showed signs of becoming a major village.

At this time, Orochimaru returned to the village.

Kabuto went out to greet him.

Orochimaru, observing the increasingly prosperous village, remarked, "Kabuto, you have a remarkable talent for administration."

Kabuto smiled slightly, a glint flashing across his glasses. "Everything is for you, Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru chuckled. He cared little about the village's prosperity; its creation was solely to provide an ideal environment for his experiments. Whether the village flourished or not meant nothing to him, as long as it didn't interfere with his research. He had many similar bases elsewhere.

"However, achieving peace does require a force capable of ruling and managing," Orochimaru pondered this matter for a moment, then looked at Kabuto with meaningful intent.

"Is something wrong, Lord Orochimaru?" Kabuto sensed Orochimaru's gaze and immediately asked.

"It's nothing," Orochimaru shook his head. "Let's head into the village."

Orochimaru's return did not cause any disruption within the Sound Village; under Kabuto's management, the village continued its growth toward becoming a major settlement.

However, Tsunade, who spent her days roughing up troublemakers in the Sound Village, was summoned by Orochimaru to the Snake Cave.

"Hey, what do you want me to do?" Tsunade grumbled, crossing her arms, though she could hardly manage to do so.

Orochimaru, clad in a white lab coat and busy with an experiment inside the Snake Cave, looked up at Tsunade and said, "You’re here."

Tsunade stepped forward and noticed a petri dish on the experimental table, inside which tissue had already grown—its shape resembling an eye.

"This is a synthetic Byakugan, cultivated from replicated Byakugan cells. But it has only the form, not the power," Orochimaru explained.

Tsunade inspected the artificial Byakugan closely, then grew indifferent. "Just an ordinary eye. It can’t withstand the true power of the Byakugan."

Orochimaru nodded. "Yes, this is an artificial Byakugan that hasn’t been awakened. If it were to awaken, the entire eye would explode."

Orochimaru extended his long tongue, licking around his lips. "This is my weak point, but you surely have a way to solve it."

Tsunade yawned. "I have no interest in helping you. I still need to deal with those thugs."

Orochimaru shook his head. "Tsunade, the thugs you’re roughing up are the ones hostile to the Leaf Village prisoners, aren’t they? I can have Kabuto assist you."

Tsunade's expression changed instantly. "You!"

Then, her demeanor shifted back to indifference. "We’re still enemies, aren’t we? Aren’t you afraid I’ll sabotage your work if you ask for my help?"

Orochimaru’s smile deepened. "Do as you wish. As long as you help me."

Tsunade laughed. "Orochimaru, you’re certainly confident."

...

A week quickly passed, and the Four Kage Summit had commenced, drawing the attention of all. It was a major event for the ninja world.

Yet, just as all eyes were on the summit, another shocking incident occurred, shaking the ninja world.

The Cloud Village was attacked by a mysterious force; the Two-Tails Jinchuriki was killed!

The Stone Village was attacked by the same mysterious force; both the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki perished!

The Waterfall Village was attacked; the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki was slain!

The Sand Village was attacked as well, though no Jinchuriki died, for the One-Tail Jinchuriki was not within the village.

People realized that a mysterious organization seemed to be collecting the Tailed Beasts.

Not long after, news broke that the rogue ninja from the Mist, who was the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, had also been killed!

Only the One-Tail, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails remained out of the mysterious organization's grasp.

The Four Kage Summit, which had been about to conclude, was extended due to the series of incidents.

The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, said, "The enemy is cunning, striking our villages while the Kage are away at the summit!"

Onoki, the Tsuchikage, was grim-faced.

Elder Chiyo of the Sand Village said, "The name of that organization is 'Akatsuki.'"

Immediately after the events, each ninja village activated their intelligence networks, conducting widespread investigations. They discovered that the group collecting the Tailed Beasts was called "Akatsuki," and that their villages had frequently hired Akatsuki for missions, paying them considerable sums.

"So it’s that organization!"

Raikage A, furious, was incensed that the Cloud Village had been attacked. He was used to attacking others, never expecting someone to attack him.

The Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, looked to Onoki and asked, "Tsuchikage, you’ve been silent since the beginning. You seem to know something?"

Raikage A instantly focused his sharp gaze on Onoki. "The Stone Village has long employed a mysterious organization to incite wars across the ninja world. That organization isn't Akatsuki, is it?"

Onoki’s expression darkened further; he grudgingly grunted. He thought of his former apprentice’s face, who was now a member of that organization.

Raikage A stood abruptly, his aura pressing upon Onoki. "I demand an explanation!"

Onoki stood as well, his presence no weaker than Raikage’s. "What explanation do you want? Two Jinchuriki from my Stone Village are already dead!"

The two squared off, tension mounting.

The Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumi tapped the table. "Please mind your tempers."

Raikage and Onoki both snorted and sat down.

"Let’s form an alliance—a true ninja alliance. Our enemies are Akatsuki and Sound Ninja Village," Mei Terumi declared.

This time, Raikage did not object, nor did he propose deploying troops into the Land of Fire first. If the enemy were only Orochimaru, they wouldn’t be so serious. But Akatsuki, with their first move, displayed overwhelming strength—attacking multiple villages at once, killing Jinchuriki, and seizing Tailed Beasts. Such power left them all shaken.

Akatsuki was like a sword suddenly appearing, poised over their throats—a threat that must be eliminated.

...

Within the Sound Village, Orochimaru and Tsunade continued their experiments on eyes. Orochimaru handled the bloodier, more taboo aspects, while Tsunade perfected the medical details. Their progress was substantial.

It was at this time that an elderly woman and a boy carrying a gourd entered the Sound Village.

In the Snake Cave, upon receiving the news, Orochimaru looked at the nearly perfected artificial Byakugan in his incubator and said to Tsunade, "Our test subjects have arrived. Not only can we try out our latest research, but we can also begin new experiments."