Orochimaru and Sasori! Akatsuki vs. the Whitebeard Pirates

Between the Land of Water and the Land of Grass lies the Land of Fire.

If someone with ulterior motives led the way, they would avoid the Land of Fire. After all, someone with ulterior motives wouldn't want the jinchūriki to return to the Land of Fire.

However, the one leading the way was Kakashi!

There was no way Kakashi would want Naruto to stay away from the Land of Fire.

He wished for Naruto to return to the Land of Fire.

Maybe even to Konoha.

So the route Kakashi planned for Whitebeard was one that cut through the Land of Fire. What if, while in the Land of Fire, Whitebeard suddenly changed his mind and decided not to go to the Land of Water?

He had put a lot of thought into it!

Kakashi felt that he was earning a shinobi's salary but doing work beyond what it paid.

It was too much!

"But... Whitebeard's bounty isn't just an internal Konoha matter; it's a bounty for the entire shinobi world." Kakashi felt a headache coming on. "Having him traverse the Land of Fire might attract troublesome characters."

Honestly, with a bounty of 100 million ryō, who wouldn't be tempted in the shinobi world?

If someone completed this mission, they could become a wealthy person.

No more living by the sword.

Many bounty hunters would think this way, and even many shinobi from different villages might feel the same.

Kakashi believed there were shinobi in Konoha who thought this way.

He just hoped they wouldn't come to their deaths.

Whitebeard...

Was not as simple as they thought.

This man was terrifying.

...

Night quickly fell.

At this moment.

In the forests of the Land of Fire.

"Hmph! Why do I have to team up with a disgusting guy like you?"

Sasori, known as the "Genius Puppeteer," was already a member of the Akatsuki organization and one of its more senior members.

He had joined the Akatsuki organization a long time ago.

Encased within his puppet "Hiruko," Sasori was very displeased.

In the entire Akatsuki organization, the person he couldn't stand the most was Orochimaru.

Because this bastard, Orochimaru, had disregarded his "art" when he first joined the Akatsuki.

He even deliberately lost to him and used him to ambush their leader.

This guy not only disrespected art!

He also maliciously used art!

"Hehehe..."

Currently dressed in Akatsuki's attire, Orochimaru stood beside Sasori, letting out a meaningful chuckle.

"If you don't want to team up with me, you could suggest they reassign me. I was dragged here before I could complete my research."

As he spoke, Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips.

"Speaking of which, I'm quite interested in that giant named Whitebeard. If he could become my research subject, I'd be even more interested."

It's not only medical ninjas like Tsunade who are interested in a "giant."

Ninjas specializing in human experimentation, like Orochimaru, are also interested.

Whitebeard's existence to these two groups is like a rare, tempting creature that suddenly appeared.

"We're in the Land of Fire now. I've heard that there's a Konoha ninja named Jiraiya constantly hunting you. I hope you won't drag me down," Sasori glanced at Orochimaru.

He coldly snorted, "If I find out you've attracted trouble, I'll kill you first."

"Oh?" Orochimaru smiled, "With your little puppet tricks? You can't kill me!"

Orochimaru even licked his entire face with his tongue.

His face was covered in clear saliva.

"You disgusting guy... don't make me kill you now!" Sasori's eye twitched inside Hiruko.

His eyes flashed with anger.

"You can try," Orochimaru smiled.

"Hmph!!!"

Orochimaru and Sasori bickered as they swiftly traversed the forest, following the tracks they had been tracing for half a month.

Orochimaru and Sasori were almost certain...

Whitebeard had traveled this path.

Too many traces were left along this route, and Whitebeard, the giant, hadn't bothered to hide them. It seemed like he didn't care at all.

It might be a unique confidence.

Which was reasonable.

Even if the Grass Village was weak, he single-handedly destroyed an entire shinobi village overnight.

Such a man...

Indeed, should be confident.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, the giant tail stinger of the Hiruko puppet struck out, piercing a black and white snake directly with its venomous tip.

The venom, lethal with just a touch...

Killed the snake instantly.

"You disgusting guy! Are you trying to die?" Sasori glared at Orochimaru, ready to fight him then and there.

"Hehehe... why are you so impulsive like a child?" Orochimaru said. "That was my summoning beast. Didn't you see the scroll in its stomach?"

Sasori was stunned.

Indeed, there was a small scroll in the belly of the poisoned black and white snake.

"If the scroll has snake blood on it, it means my cute little snake found Whitebeard."

Orochimaru added.

Sasori frowned as he manipulated the puppet to open the scroll, finding a smear of blood on the otherwise blank scroll.

"Hehehe..." Orochimaru's smile grew wider. It looks like we'll soon meet the man who destroyed a shinobi village single-handedly, Whitebeard."

"If my summoning beast found him, it means he's less than two kilometers away!"

...

"Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Even at night, Naruto hadn't stopped to rest.

He skillfully created a clone, with both the original and the clone holding kunai, charging towards Whitebeard.

Naruto shouted with excitement, "Dad! Be careful! I'm coming!"

He attacked Whitebeard.

"Gurararara! This clone is useless against observation haki, you foolish son!" Whitebeard didn't even move. He simply blew a gust of wind.

The wind scattered Naruto's clone and sent Naruto himself flying.

Naruto, crashing to the ground, quickly got up.

He picked up the kunai that had fallen nearby.

Naruto's expression was still full of determination.

"Again!" He charged at Whitebeard again, only to be sent flying even faster than before.

This time, he broke a small tree, flying several meters away.

This was also a form of practical training.

Still in the style of "brutal training."

"So painful..." Naruto felt like his whole body was falling apart. He reached for something to support himself.

And tried to get up.

But the next second, he realized the texture of the thing he was holding didn't feel right.

"Huh?"

Naruto turned his head in shock, realizing he wasn't holding onto any tree trunk but a person's leg!

"Hehehe..."

A raspy, unfamiliar voice reached Naruto's ears.

"Kid, you have a strong body! Flying so far and breaking a tree, yet only having some bruises and scrapes, that's interesting!"

...

...