Chapter 28 : Yahiko and Konan!!

"Are you Yahiko?"

Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the young man before her. "You really are Yahiko! You've grown so much!"

"Tsunade-sama, do you know him?" Uchiha Sogetsu, a Konoha ANBU, spoke in a low, measured voice. His demeanor reflected caution as he subtly stepped back, placing his right hand near his waist. 

Beneath his owl mask, three red Sharingan eyes whirled. "Pardon my rudeness, Tsunade-sama, but please be careful. This man is likely a wanted criminal from the Hidden Rain Village."

Yahiko felt uneasy under the intense gaze of the Sharingan. He frowned. "Konoha's ANBU, I'm not here to cause trouble, so drop your hostility. And let's not forget, this is my village, and you're the outsiders."

His tone hinted at a degree of respect toward Tsunade, thanks to his connection to her fellow Sannin, Jiraiya. However, he had no such affinity for Konoha's ANBU. 

In the Hidden Rain Village, the common sentiment toward the ninjas from the larger villages was far from positive, largely due to the devastation caused during the Second Shinobi World War. 

Konoha and the Hidden Sand Village had turned the Rain Village into a battleground, leaving many orphans in their wake, including Yahiko.

"A criminal wanted by Hanzo from the Hidden Rain Village doesn't get to say that," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a hint of arrogance, not taking Yahiko seriously. "Tsunade-sama, if we hand him over to Hanzo, that would be quite the gift, don't you think?"

Yahiko's youth and fiery spirit couldn't ignore the provocation. Being referred to as a 'gift' to the Rain Village's notorious leader, Hanzo, hit a nerve. "If you've got what it takes, come and try it!"

"That's exactly what I intend to do!"

Uchiha Sogetsu quickly formed a hand seal, his Sharingan spinning with anticipation.

"Konoha's ANBU, I suggest you stay put," Yahiko said with a sneer. He pointed to Sogetsu's feet, his expression smug. "Look down and see what's there. If you don't want to get blown to pieces, I'd recommend keeping very, very still."

Sogetsu glanced down to find his legs surrounded by over a dozen explosive tags.

A flurry of paper swirled around Yahiko, converging to form a human shape beside him—a girl with long light blue-purple hair and a paper flower in her hair. Her expression was as cold as ice as she looked at Sogetsu.

"The Anbu from Konoha, we only want to talk with Tsunade-sama," Konan said, her voice cold. "Don't make any sudden moves, or I'll blow your legs off."

"Enough!" 

The tension was palpable as Tsunade, holding her forehead and sighing, finally stepped in to calm the situation.

"Don't worry, Tsunade-sama," Yahiko replied in a more soothing tone. "Konan won't harm him; we don't mean any trouble."

Tsunade waved her hand dismissively, indicating she wasn't addressing Yahiko. "No, not you, Yahiko. I'm talking to my own people. Owl, cut it out. We're not here to fight. This is an internal matter of the Rain Village, and it's not our place to interfere."

Yahiko and Konan were taken aback. They had clearly assumed the upper hand here, but Tsunade seemed to suggest otherwise.

"Understood, Tsunade-sama," came the voice from the Anbu, Uchiha Sogetsu. But as soon as he spoke, he vanished, like a reflection dissipating in disturbed water.

In that moment, the intense feeling of being watched disappeared, leaving Yahiko and Konan visibly shaken. The sudden shift was chilling, and their expressions changed drastically.

"It's an illusion!" Yahiko's eyes widened with shock. "How is that possible? When did it happen?" 

They hadn't even noticed when the illusion began.

"Is this the power of the Sharingan, the bloodline limit that made the Uchiha clan famous?" Yahiko thought, realizing the immense power they were up against.

"Who gave you the nerve to confront an Uchiha?" 

Uchiha Sogetsu appeared in front of them, his eyes mocking and filled with a touch of arrogance. He clapped slowly, as if applauding their audacity. 

The message was clear—challenging an Uchiha was a risky move, and they should consider themselves lucky it didn't end badly.

Few ninja in the entire ninja world have the courage to challenge Uchiha. Yahiko knew this. He had just faced off against Uchiha Sogetsu and lost, but he stood tall and met the Uchiha's gaze without fear.

"I lost this time," Yahiko admitted, his voice calm despite the disappointment in his eyes. "But it was because of my own carelessness. When we meet again, I won't lose."

Sogetsu studied Yahiko, who was supposed to be the legendary founder of the Akatsuki organization. There was no denying Yahiko's leadership skills—he could admit his mistakes and learn from them, a quality not often seen in the ninja world. 

But Sogetsu couldn't help but feel a little let down by Yahiko's lack of raw strength. In a world where power was everything, Yahiko's reliance on strategy and political acumen seemed almost quaint.

After all, the first Hokage, Hashirama Senju, didn't unify the warring clans with diplomacy; he used sheer force. 

Similarly, when Sasuke Uchiha was pardoned in the original storyline, it wasn't because the five great nations had become compassionate. It was because no one wanted to provoke Naruto Uzumaki, who could send a tailed beast bomb flying from miles away. And Sasuke's own strength was something other villages couldn't deal with.

Sogetsu's attention shifted to Konan, who was standing nearby. She was different from Yahiko, exuding an air of quiet strength and focus. He found her intriguing, even as the distant noise of activity signaled that their time together was coming to an end.

"It seems there's no time for reminiscing," Yahiko said, noticing the approaching sound of ninja activity. He looked at Tsunade with gratitude. "Tsunade-sama, could you please tell Jiraiya-sensei that we send our regards?"

Tsunade nodded. She had a lot to say, but in the end, she simply replied, "I will. But please, be careful out there."

"I hope that when you visit the Hidden Rain Village again, you'll see a new and thriving village," Yahiko said with conviction. His confidence in the future was palpable.

As they prepared to leave, Konan cast a final glance over her shoulder. She felt a twinge of unease, as if someone was watching them from the shadows. But no one was there.

That night, at the Akatsuki's secret base, Konan was sorting through the supplies they'd gathered during the day. The organization was still young and struggling to find its footing. They lacked manpower, funding, and even basic resources. And on top of all that, they were constantly being hunted by Hanzo's forces.

Konan rubbed her temples, feeling the weight of exhaustion. "Am I just tired?" she thought, leaning against a nearby seat. "Maybe I just need a little sleep."

********

Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.

https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer