Naruto: Rebuilding the Hidden Sand Village

"Ara ara~ so it failed?"

The spiraling masked ninja scratched his head as he looked at Yahiko, who was currently being treated

"So… what now? Should we just kill him?"

"..."

Black Zetsu cast a sidelong glance at the unstable man beside him. Ever since merging with Obito and witnessing the death of the one he loved most, this guy had been off—mentally and emotionally.

He often said the cruelest things in the most childlike, innocent tone.

But Zetsu didn't care. As long as he could make use of this man's abilities, the rest didn't matter. He didn't need the man—just his power. Just like with Madara.

Besides…

The Uchiha clan… it's normal for their personalities to be a little broken.

As he surveyed the battlefield and the massive statue looming in the center—the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—Zetsu mulled it over.

"Forget it. Making a move now would reveal too much. Besides, that Uzumaki kid already summoned the Demonic Statue as Lord Madara instructed."

"So… the mission's done? Zetsu, then can we now—"

"You could say that~. We can't afford to act right now anyway… grief is always sharpest the first time." Zetsu interrupted him, his voice flat. "Obito… Ahem, Tobi now's not the time. We might even need to shift our target next time."

"No, no, wait—Black Zetsu, that's not what I meant~ I was asking… can I go back and draw now?" the masked ninja asked excitedly. "Ever since I merged with Obito, I've never felt relaxed. Obito is just too amazing; he makes me feel utterly exhausted every day~"

"..."

Zetsu stared at the now dancing, hand-flapping fool in front of him and went silent for a beat…

"…GET LOST!!!"

---

"Is Yahiko alright?!"

Nagato snapped out of his trance and rushed over, heart pounding, to Yahiko's side. Seeing the blood-drenched chest and hearing the steady breathing, his eyes filled with tears.

"Thank god! He's alive… Yahiko is still alive!"

"Calm down. If you keep shaking him like that, you will end up killing him," growled the odd-looking ninja known as Momu, coughing as he wiped his mouth with rainwater. "If he keeps bleeding out, you'll have to finish the job yourself."

Honestly… he never wanted to try that again. But for the mission, he'd had no choice but to put himself on the line.

I've sacrificed too much for the Hidden Sand Village!

He glanced down at Yahiko's unconscious face. "He's kind of good-looking too—bah! What the hell am I saying?!"

That was just respect for talent. Nothing else.

Once his mouth was clean, he pulled out a few rolls of bandages from inside his robes and handed them to the tearful Nagato.

"Here, Nagato. Wrap up your leader."

After all, he couldn't forget—he still had a mission to complete.

But just as he finished speaking…

"Momu from the Hidden Sand. Right-hand of the Fourth Kazekage. Once risked his life to recover fallen comrades' bodies under enemy fire," Nagato said, lifting his head with a slight frown as he looked at Mom. "I don't know what your true intentions are… but still, thank you."

With that, he ignored Momu's stunned expression and took the bandages, fumbling awkwardly before handing them off to Konan instead.

As for Momu…

"What the hell?! How do you guys know that?!"

He stared at Nagato in disbelief.

No way… With my flawless acting and top-tier shinobi skills, they shouldn't have found out! Then again… anyone who carries a medicine that can revive the dead can't possibly be just a wandering ninja.

Momu thought hard.

Yeah… that has to be it. If not, I'll make Lord Kazekage…

But before he could finish the thought…

"We knew a week after you joined," Nagato said coolly, not even glancing at him. "A jōnin with no background? Of course the organization investigated you thoroughly before letting you in."

..make Lord Kazekage promote me and give me a raise. Momu took a deep breath, forced a cheerful smile, and laughed to relieve the tension. Then, looking confused, he asked, "Then why'd you let me join?"

"Because…"

Nagato fell silent for a moment. Then, he glanced at the wounded Yahiko, now wrapped in bandages.

"To bring peace to the shinobi world."

"..."

What kind of excuse is that? Who would even buy that?!

A little earlier…

Someone had set out to track down an old friend—to ask him why he'd done what he did. And maybe, just maybe, bring him back home and plead for him with the old man.

Surely the old man would forgive Orochimaru.

After all, he was their teacher.

And for a ninja… unless you were a confirmed rogue-nin, most things weren't unforgivable.

With spiky white hair, a red cloak, and wooden clogs, a scruffy man in his thirties or forties marched along, muttering to himself with conviction.

"I have to bring Orochimaru back! As the Toad Sage—Jiraiya—I swear on my name—"

But before he could finish his oath…

"Come~ on, have some fun~"

A sultry voice drifted into his ears.

It was sweet, soft—nothing like Tsunade's brash shouting. Jiraiya froze, mind going blank. His eyes glazed over with sparkles as his head swiveled toward the voice.

Until…

"Click-click… Truly worthy of being the capital of the Land of Fire! As the shinobi world's future bestselling author, how can I let myself fall into complacency?!"

He scolded himself, clearing his throat as if banishing evil thoughts.

"I haven't gathered any material today. That's unacceptable! It's just like writing—if I skip even one day, I'll lose motivation for the rest of the week."

So…

"Today, I must gather proper research!"

As for everything else… what was it again?

Did he have some kind of important mission?

Nope! Not at all!

Jiraiya wiped a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth, eyeing the beautiful woman calling him over to "play"—err, do research—and chuckled.

"Hehehe… I'm coming~!"

At the same time, elsewhere…

In a dimly lit place, a pale, handsome middle-aged man licked his lips with a sanke tongue and muttered to himself.

"That fool Jiraiya is probably getting desperate to drag me back by now."

That guy… was always so unserious. But when it came to bonds and friendship, he took it more seriously than anyone else.

"How ridiculous."

But Orochimaru… would never go back.

Even if Jiraiya cried in front of him… even if he begged… he would never return!

Orochimaru looked up at the ever-drizzling rain overhead, narrowing his eyes as his tongue flicked again.

"Sorry, Jiraiya. I'm never going back."

"And as for your little apprentice… that rumored Rinnegan—said to be the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths himself…"

"I'm very curious~"

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin