Naruto: Set a goal, conquer the universe.

Page 67

Tsunade took a deep breath, the air mixed with dust and blood filling her lungs, bringing a stinging sensation, but also a sense of clarity.

She struggled to stand up straight. Although she was disheveled, the pride and decisiveness of being one of the Legendary Sannin had not disappeared.

"Hmph, brat." Tsunade raised her hand and roughly wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Although her golden hair was disheveled, her eyes no longer held the anger and violence of before, but instead held an indescribable complexity. "You win this bet."

She paused, glanced at the necklace on her chest with a complicated expression, and then reached out and yanked it hard!

The green crystal, which refracted a warm luster under the sunlight, was thrown forcefully, drawing a brief but dazzling arc in the air.

"You won!"

Naruto caught the necklace Tsunade threw to him, and as he watched her retreating figure, he quickly shouted, "What about our bet?"

"Don't worry, I, Tsunade, always honor my bets!" Tsunade's voice came from afar.

"It's done!" Naruto smiled triumphantly.

I like gamblers with good sportsmanship.

Little Tsunade, you've got her!

After canceling the Eight Gates, Naruto's hair, which had been blown about, returned to normal. He then took Tsunade's necklace and went back to Jiraiya and the others.

"Perverted Sage, all done! Tsunade-senpai promised me that if she loses, she'll come back with us and take over as Hokage!" Naruto said with a smile.

"Well done, Naruto!" Jiraiya laughed and couldn't help but ruffle Naruto's hair. This kid is still as smart as ever.

"Well then, Jiraiya, Naruto, Sasuke, I'll go back and check on Kimimaro's condition." After watching the battle and witnessing Naruto's strength once again, Orochimaru decided to leave.

Naruto nodded slightly to Orochimaru: "I am very grateful for Orochimaru-senpai's help this time."

"You're welcome." Orochimaru's body slowly melted into the earth.

After Orochimaru left, Naruto turned to Sasuke and asked, "What happened? Why are you recuperating in the hospital?"

When he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Konoha Village to find Sasuke, he couldn't find Sasuke at home. He only learned from Karin that Sasuke was in the hospital.

Aside from some body aches, Sasuke was fine, which is why Naruto brought him from the hospital.

"Itachi has returned to Konoha," Sasuke said in a deep voice.

Naruto's pupils contracted, his fists clenched instantly, and a startling killing intent flashed in his previously calm eyes.

He hadn't forgotten the deaths of Uncle Fugaku and Aunt Mikoto, and Itachi, the murderer, was also on his kill list.

However, because Sasuke asked Itachi to hand him over, Naruto did not actively seek out Itachi's whereabouts to hunt him down after he had reached the pinnacle of his power.

"You fought him? Did you kill him?" Naruto asked Sasuke.

"No, almost, but unfortunately he was rescued by his accomplices," Sasuke said, shaking his head.

"Why don't you use the kunai I gave you? If you and I join forces, no one can save him!" Naruto asked, frowning. Once he marked Itachi with the Flying Thunder God Technique, no matter how far Itachi ran, he wouldn't be able to escape his pursuit.

At that time, the second generation of Golden Flash will be available again!

"Wait, wait, the Itachi you're talking about, is he the murderer who wiped out the Uchiha clan, the S-rank rogue ninja that Konoha designated?" Jiraiya couldn't help but ask as he listened from the side.

"Hmm." Sasuke nodded slightly.

"You said he has accomplices, what's going on?" Jiraiya asked in a deep voice.

"All I know is that his name is Kisame Hoshigaki, a rogue ninja from Kirigakure. He wields a large, sentient sword that can absorb chakra and transfer it to Kisame. Kisame himself also possesses a vast amount of chakra, and his ninjutsu has the effect of absorbing chakra. He belongs to an organization called Akatsuki, along with Itachi. His purpose..." Sasuke shifted his gaze to Naruto, "...is to collect the Tailed Beasts!"

"Itachi said it himself!"

Sasuke relayed the information about Itachi and Kisame to Naruto and Jiraiya.

"The Akatsuki!" Jiraiya's face darkened.

"What, you perverted sage, you know this organization?" Naruto asked curiously when he saw Jiraiya's expression.

Sasuke also turned his attention to Jiraiya.

“When I was tracking Orochimaru, I also heard about this organization, and Orochimaru had even joined it!” Jiraiya nodded and said.

"I never expected their goal would be to collect the Tailed Beasts!"

"Isn't this tantamount to declaring war on the five major powers?"

Tailed Beasts are like strategic weapons among the Five Great Nations; they may not be used, but they absolutely cannot be without them.

“Then let’s ask Orochimaru-senpai about this organization when we get back,” Naruto nodded and said.

"Naruto, there's something I want to talk to you about in private," Sasuke said after a moment's hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Jiraiya scratched his head and said with a smile, "I'll go back and comfort Tsunade first!"

After saying that, he left on his own.

Chapter 106 He possesses the Rinnegan

"What's going on?" Naruto looked at Sasuke and asked curiously, seeing his serious expression.

"After defeating Itachi, I recalled what happened that night again in the hospital!" Sasuke paused here.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. That night, when he arrived at the Uchiha clan's camp, it was a scene of corpses, with only Itachi and Sasuke remaining.

Sasuke continued.

"The Uchiha are the most powerful clan in Konoha. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of Jonin in the clan who have awakened the three-tomoe Sharingan. Even if Itachi awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, it would be impossible for him to assassinate everyone in such a short time!"

Naruto pondered for a moment and then slowly nodded.

"Moreover, Itachi said something to me before he left!" As he said this, Sasuke opened and closed his eyes, activating his Mangekyou Sharingan.

"I'll take you back to see."

Sasuke's six-pointed star rotated, pulling Naruto into the genjutsu.

The scene at this moment is the night of the Uchiha clan massacre.

Young Sasuke is confronting Itachi on a street.

"Once you open these eyes, you will become the third person to possess them!"

"You're not worth killing, you foolish brother. If you want to kill me, then hate! Hate! Live a vile life! Run away, run away, and live a wretched existence!"

"Then, with the same eyes as mine, you came before me!"

After saying that, Itachi turned and left.

Sasuke angrily revealed his Sharingan with two tomoe, picked up shuriken stuck in the ground or wall, and threw them in Itachi's direction using the Uchiha Throwing Technique.

Itachi parried the shuriken attack with his ninja sword, but one of the shuriken accidentally knocked off Itachi's headband.

He picked up his headband and put it back on, sheathed his ninja sword, and looked back at Sasuke one last time, tears welling in his eyes.

"Wait, Itachi, he's crying?" Naruto couldn't help but shout when he saw this.

The world of illusion pauses.

“Yes, these are some details I remember, and some fragments of memories hidden deep in my heart. At that time, he did cry.” Sasuke lowered his eyes slightly, recalling the unfamiliar yet gentle smile Itachi gave him.

So after I die, you can transplant my eyes, then you won't have to worry about going blind.

Has Itachi already decided to give me his eyes?

So what exactly is going on here?

What does his revenge plan amount to?

What is he, this Avenger?

"Wait, you just said that Itachi said it himself: the Akatsuki's goal is to collect the Tailed Beasts? He said it to you openly and honestly in Konoha Village?" Naruto frowned deeply, sensing that something was amiss.

The main problem is that he didn't personally experience this event at the time, but now, after hearing Sasuke recount the details, many doubts have arisen.

At the very least, given Itachi's strength, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to kill the entire Uchiha clan so easily.

“Indeed, that’s what he told Asuma,” Sasuke nodded.

Naruto scratched his head in frustration. He felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Telling the ninjas of Konoha the name of his organization and his purpose directly—is this just his arrogant personality, or does he have some other plans?

"So what do you plan to do?" Naruto looked at Sasuke, as the decision ultimately rested with Sasuke.

"I plan to find Itachi again, defeat him, and then use the Heart-to-Heart Pact to forcibly access his memories!" Sasuke said through gritted teeth.

He felt like he had been kept in the dark, and this feeling was extremely uncomfortable.

Therefore, he needs to read Itachi's memories to find out what happened.

Why has the kind older brother I remember suddenly changed so much?

“Alright!” Naruto nodded. “I’ll help you stop Kisame!”

Sasuke nodded.

The two returned to the hotel together.

Kimimaro has awakened. After receiving treatment from Tsunade, his complexion has improved significantly, and his pale cheeks have regained some color.

His previously expressionless face softened a bit.

The pain he had been experiencing forced him to suppress all the suffering with his willpower, which naturally resulted in him maintaining a blank expression.

"To be honest, his illness hasn't been completely cured," Tsunade said to Orochimaru, sitting in her chair.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly: "Even you can't completely cure it?"

Tsunade shook her head: "I cured all the bacterial infections in his body, but I can't solve the cell destruction."

"I tried to use medical ninjutsu to replenish his cells with vitality. It wasn't entirely ineffective, but the effect was not significant."

"The life energy converted by medical ninjutsu is too inefficient and cannot have a significant effect on his cells."

"Well, there is also good news. It has been confirmed that as long as enough vitality is replenished, his cell destruction will stop, and the so-called blood disease can be cured."

[Vitality?] Orochimaru's eyes flickered, and he immediately thought of something that seemed very suitable for Kimimaro's body.

"I understand, Tsunade. Thank you for your help this time." Orochimaru nodded slightly to Tsunade, speaking with genuine emotion.

"I already said, it's just an equal exchange," Tsunade said, shaking her head.

"So, do you still want to see Nawaki and Dan again? This time, you won't have to pay any price; it's free." Orochimaru looked at Tsunade, his hoarse voice slowly rising.

Tsunade's pupils dilated, and she couldn't help but clench her hands.

After a long pause, she lowered her eyes and said, "Free things are the most expensive. I don't need them."

Orochimaru smiled faintly upon hearing this, stood up and said, "Kimimaro, call Kabuto, let's go back."

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru!" Kimimaro replied respectfully before leaving.

"Orochimaru-senpai, before you leave, there's one more thing we'd like to ask you." Naruto and Sasuke returned just in time to see Orochimaru preparing to leave, and quickly asked.

"What?" Orochimaru responded.

“Orochimaru-senpai, you used to be a member of an organization called Akatsuki, right? Itachi is still in that organization now,” Naruto said.

Upon hearing Itachi's name, Orochimaru couldn't help but lick his lips.

“That’s right. So, Itachi came knocking on our door?” he asked, looking at Sasuke.

"Yes, but he was defeated and escaped by Sasuke." Naruto nodded.

"Heh," Orochimaru chuckled in a low voice, "I didn't expect Sasuke to have reached this level of strength. Even Itachi is no match for you."

He was somewhat glad that giving up his desire for Sasuke was such a wise choice.

Otherwise, I might already be lying down by now.

Are all kids these days so gifted?

Itachi is one, Naruto is one, Sasuke is one—they're all so young, yet their strength is so formidable.

This left him with many feelings.

"I've heard that the Akatsuki's goal is to collect the Tailed Beasts. Orochimaru-senpai, could you tell me about this organization?" Naruto asked.

"Heh, intelligence has always been the most precious thing. Countless people have paid the price of their lives just for a piece of intelligence." Orochimaru chuckled sinisterly.

"However, Naruto-kun, you did help Kimimaro with his diagnosis, so as payment, I'll tell you a secret about the Akatsuki!" Orochimaru said, looking at Naruto.

"The leader of the Akatsuki is called Pain, and he possesses the Rinnegan!"