It's better to be a rebel ninja than to be a Hokage

The shadow clone took the initiative to cancel the shadow clone technique, and the information was instantly synchronized in the brain of Naruto, the original body.

Naruto was slightly startled, and consumed the information brought to him by the shadow clone. His eyes were once again focused on the scroll about the research on the Shikigami Fūjin that was spread out in front of him.

"Are you awake?"

Naruto rolled up the scroll again and put it into his ninja tool bag, then turned to look at Karin who was making rustling noises.

Karin put her glasses back on her nose, reached out to tidy up her messy hair, and hummed lightly in response.

Karin, who originally just wanted to take a short nap, actually had a rare deep sleep. Her physical fatigue and mental stress were relieved, and now Karin felt that she was in a very good condition.

"Let's go then, Sasuke and the others are waiting for the two of us."

Naruto said.

He had previously left his shadow clone beside Sasuke to deliver messages as quickly as possible.

The shadow clone just brought Naruto the news of the reunion.

"Are we going to give up this base too?"

Karin approached Naruto and walked out of the laboratory side by side with him. She probably guessed the reason, "Did the Akatsuki member named Hidan reveal something?"

Naruto nodded. "It seems that the guy named Hidan has only joined the Akatsuki organization for a short time. He can't provide much information. He only knows the names and teams of other Akatsuki members, as well as several Akatsuki bases."

This is the information Sasuke obtained using the Sharingan's eye technique illusion.

"We will then start searching for other members of the Akatsuki organization according to the bases of the Akatsuki organization provided by Hidan. If the member of the organization we encounter is Uchiha Itachi, leave him to Sasuke. If it is someone else, leave it to me."

On the way to reunite with Sasuke, Naruto shared information with Karin, who was unaware of the plan.

"This is what we have to do next. Let's hurry up. Time is of the essence now. After all, no one can guarantee whether those Akatsuki strongholds will be missed or who they will be if we are lucky enough to encounter them."

Naruto strode forward and glanced at Karin.

"I see!"

Karin answered loudly, following closely behind Naruto.

During the short walk in the dim underground corridor before reuniting with Sasuke, Karin had no doubts that she had to ask about the upcoming search for the Akatsuki organization and the possible encounter.

However, Naruto took advantage of this period of movement to think about the various pieces of information revealed by Hidan, no matter how big or small, when he was controlled by Sasuke's eye technique and illusion.

The information that Naruto had previously told Karin had already been condensed by Naruto.

But there is some information that is "not so important" to Sasuke and Karin, but "very important" to Naruto himself.

The information that Naruto kept in mind and thought about how to use was exactly——

——The task of capturing and assigning the tailed beasts of the Akatsuki organization.

Among the information was the mission that the duo of Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame were arranged by the leader of the Akatsuki organization to capture the Four-tailed Jinchuriki, the wandering monk Lao Zi of Iwagakure.

There is also the information about the "artistic" duo, Deidara and Scorpion, who are preparing to go to the Sand Village in the Wind Country to capture Gaara, the One-Tail Jinchuriki...

...The distribution of the captured tailed beasts of the Akatsuki organization is not much different from what Naruto knows.

In fact, Naruto doesn't care about the four-tailed beast or the one-tailed beast, or even the other tailed beasts with five, six, seven, or eight tails.

Some time has passed since the death of the Undead Duo.

Most of the information that Feidan presented has lost its timeliness.

For example, the Akatsuki organization's capture of the Four-Tails and One-Tails Jinchuriki, both pieces of information mentioned by Feiduan are in the "present ongoing tense".

But with the passage of time, it has become unknown whether the Four-Tail and the One-Tail have been captured by the Akatsuki organization.

The only thing that interested Naruto was the information about the Three-Tails revealed by Hidan.

The original work does not clearly describe when the fourth-generation Mizukage Yagura Karotachi, the first three-tailed Jinchuriki, died. With the death of the tailed beast Jinchuriki, the tailed beast will also disappear.

The tailed beasts, which are collections of chakra, are not simple living things. After disappearing, they will condense enough chakra in nature to revive after who knows how many years.

Naruto could only make a rough guess based on the time it took the artistic duo of Deidara and Sasori to capture the One-Tail in the original work.

But now the time when the Akatsuki organization captured the tailed beasts is completely different from the original.

In the original work, there is a clear time sequence for the capture of the One-Tailed Jinchuriki. It was only after Gaara, the immortal duo of the Akatsuki organization, was pulled away from the tailed beast that the Two-Tailed Jinchuriki was captured.

But now, until Naruto and Sasuke cooperated to kill the immortal duo, no one knew how long the two Yukito of the Two-Tail Jinchuriki had been dead, but Gaara, the One-Tail Jinchuriki, was still alive and well.

Naruto originally thought that there was no way he would be able to find out when the Three-Tails would be resurrected, but he actually got this information from Hidan.

The resurrection of the three-tailed beast.

Hidan's explanation was that the Akatsuki organization had sensed the Three-Tails again and was spending time searching for its exact location.

The one in charge of searching for and capturing the Three-Tail is Zetsu and Fei, who are both new members of the Akatsuki organization.

Or rather——Uchiha Obito.

"Do you need my help?"

Sasuke's sudden question interrupted Naruto's thoughts.

Before they knew it, Naruto and Karin had finished walking through the corridor of Orochimaru's base and reunited with Sasuke and his group.

Naruto withdrew his thoughts and looked at Sasuke.

"You've always liked to think alone and never discuss things with others." Sasuke also looked at Naruto, his black eyes staring into Naruto's eyes, and asked, "Among the information that the guy named Hidan told you, is there any information that you care about?"

Even without using the Sharingan, Sasuke's eyes are sharp enough.

"What about the rest?"

Naruto didn't answer Sasuke's question.

Outside Orochimaru's base, the Four Sound Ninjas and Hozuki Suigetsu were not with Sasuke.

Sasuke was alone waiting for Naruto and Karin to reunite.

Hearing Naruto's question, Sasuke stared at Naruto in silence for a while. Naruto did not hide his avoidance of Sasuke's question.

Sasuke looked away, not intending to ask further questions.

He followed Naruto's change of topic and replied, "According to the plan, we will advance from the nearest Akatsuki base. Time is tight, so I asked them to act first."

Although he said this, Sasuke was not in a hurry to act at the moment.

Sasuke was actually a bit dazed, freed from Orochimaru's restraints, Sasuke took the initiative to push himself further into his own revenge against Itachi.

His revenge was full of danger, and in Sasuke's heart, dying together with Itachi could be considered a successful revenge.

He was confused about his future... No, Sasuke was not confused about himself, but about his surroundings.

such as--

——"The Akatsuki organization, which has recruited a bunch of powerful rebel ninjas, is targeting the Jinchūriki who sealed the Tailed Beasts. After getting rid of them who threaten you, Naruto, what are you going to do next?"

He and Naruto haven't seen each other for three years. Sasuke was curious about what path Naruto, who had been out of touch for so many years, had chosen.

"Return to Konoha."

Naruto's answer made Sasuke's eyes widen slightly.

He was fully prepared, but still couldn't hide his shock.

Compared to the surprised Sasuke, Naruto's reaction was much colder: "This is the answer you want to hear, right? But Sasuke... you should know very well that this is impossible."

Sasuke knew exactly.

Sasuke's behavior of following Orochimaru seems proactive, but it is full of helplessness.

What happened during the Chunin Selection Exam, Naruto's defection - and after the night of the Uchiha's demise, Uchiha Itachi took advantage of Konoha's weakness and reappeared in front of Sasuke to show the terrifying power of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Let Sasuke understand that if he continues to stay in Konoha, he may be able to continue to be active in the ninja world as an outstanding ninja of Konoha with the title of "genius of the Uchiha clan".

But he could no longer overcome the gap in power between him and Itachi, and his revenge... not only his revenge, but also the promise he made with Sakura to bring Naruto back to Konoha could not be fulfilled.

The power of the tailed beast that Naruto displayed for the first time in front of Sasuke made Sasuke realize that if he continued to stay in Konoha, he would not only give up revenge on Itachi, but also give up the possibility of getting Naruto back.

Coupled with the fact that the curse eroded his spirit day by day, Sasuke was "forced" to choose Orochimaru.

But Naruto had already made up his mind.

Three years ago, Naruto had shown his determination by not hesitating to drag the people of Konoha into the dispute between ninjas.

Naruto would not return to Konoha by his own choice.

Now, three years later, there is only one possibility for Naruto to return to Konoha again.

"…Have you chosen to become an Avenger like me, Naruto?"

What Naruto did really looked like an avenger, accumulating strength to take revenge on Konoha.

Naruto was not surprised that Sasuke would have such thoughts.

But it's different.

"I feel like I'm more like... a survivor - an extreme survivor that is very common in this twisted ninja world."

Naruto corrected Sasuke's definition of him.

"Whoever wants me dead, I will kill the one who wants to kill me first."

Justifiable killing, irrational killing.

There is no need to worry about the meaning of killing.

Kill and be killed.

This is the absolute rule that everyone in this twisted ninja world follows.

Just like Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha who founded Konoha.

Two people who disagree with each other can shake hands and forge a peace that seems to end the fight, simply because they cannot kill each other.

Whether it is because of unwillingness or lack of strength, the final result is the same.

The dead become mistakes.

He who is alive will be right.

Uchiha Sasuke is an avenger who does not care about his own death. As long as he can actually "kill" Uchiha Itachi, he does not care about being "killed" after his revenge.

But Naruto is a survivor, he will not allow death to happen to him.

He rejected the option of being killed without hesitation, and he would only prolong his own survival by the death of others.

"Sasuke..."

Naruto took a step forward and approached Sasuke, whispering softly, "I haven't... killed all those guys in Konoha who wanted to 'kill' me!"