We made our way back to Amegakure without too much delay.
While we were supposed to be on other missions, we could naturally return early if we had a reason.
And we did, or rather, Kakuzu did.
Money, the only thing that motivated him to do anything, other than perhaps a new, powerful heart to add to his collection.
With the puppets burning a hole in his pocket, he was eager to sell them off, and to do so quickly, before Pain had a chance to use any of the money we had gotten from our Gatō deal.
Kakuzu might be a greedy bastard, but he had a keen instinct for making money. He understood that as long as he was quick enough, Pain would still connect him with the billions of fresh Ryō in his pocket, which meant that if he asked for money now, Pain would be more willing to pay up.
He would subconsciously feel that the money he was using wasn't his, but Kakuzu's, and no one ever felt as bad about spending someone else's money as they did their own.
So, before Pain fully accepted the money as his own, it was the best time to get him to part with it.
Sasori, for all his art, was still a businessman, and he would be willing to spend a lot for those puppets, even if they didn't match his own style.
Even Kakuzu had to admit that they were indeed amazing, their craftsmanship leagues ahead of anything else on the planet.
It was for that reason that Kakuzu wasn't just going to sell them cheaply; he was going to get as much as he could.
So, as we walked into Amegakure, Kakuzu had a spring in his step, something I had never seen before. He was happy, truly happy.
I could almost hear the thoughts of money swirling around in his head as he imagined all the things he could do with the money he was about to make.
Not that he would ever do any of those things. He hated spending money; he merely liked having it, collecting it, earning it.
His thoughts about what it could be spent on were merely a way for him to visualize just how much money he had.
To him, money itself was the goal.
As for me, I too wanted to get back to Ame, so Kakuzu having an excuse for why we were there suited me just fine.
...
"Take your time. I have something to do while here, so there is no need for you to hurry; you can happily earn as much as possible," I told him as we walked into the massive skyscraper that served as the Akatsuki's headquarters.
As usual, we were met by a few Ame-nin at the gate. This place was always heavily guarded, not that it needed to be, not with Pain being the one in charge.
But still, it was what was expected; an important building needed guards, even if only for appearance's sake.
As Kakuzu rushed off to find Sasori, likely wanting to make the deal before anyone else could get their hands on the puppets, I made my way down into the secret tunnels beneath the tower.
Kakuzu could handle Pain; I instead went to find Zetsu.
The last few days had been a whirlwind: the fight on the Moon, my talk with Hamura's ghost, gaining the Tenseigan, a new body, and a new level of power.
And with that power, I had new tools to use, new ways to achieve my goals.
"Mother," Zetsu greeted me as he emerged from the ground. "You have returned. And... you feel different," he said, a note of curiosity in his tone.
"I have," I said. "I met Hamura; I spoke with him."
Zetsu didn't say anything, but I could feel his surprise, his shock.
"You... you met Hamura?" he finally asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
And who could blame him? Hamura was long dead; it wasn't every day you met someone who claimed to have spoken with someone who was dead.
"I did. Though he was little more than an echo of the past, left behind to watch over his legacy," I explained.
"What did he say? You have to remember that you can't trust him! Only me! Only I still remain loyal to Mother," he said strongly, desperately, as his black, slime-like body left the White Zetsu and clung to me.
With a gentle smile, I reached out and stroked his head. "He didn't have much to say, or rather, he didn't say all that much of interest. He was just the ghost of a son who regretted betraying his mother."
"Good. A son who betrays his mother is the most worthless of all, even more so than a mere shinobi," Zetsu said, the anger in his tone obvious.
"Now, now, there is no need to be so angry. I already told you, he regretted it. Though it was a bit too little, a bit too late," I said, my tone calm, trying to soothe him.
Even if Hamura had regretted it, it didn't change the fact that he had betrayed me. And a betrayal like that was something that couldn't be easily forgiven.
But I had other things to discuss with Zetsu than the ghost of a long-dead son.
"Orochimaru is planning something," I said, changing the subject.
"Yes, he is. He is planning to leave the Akatsuki. He has been making secret moves, and I suspect he will make a move on Itachi soon," Zetsu reported, his tone serious.
"He is after the Mangekyō Sharingan," I stated, not asking. It was the only logical reason.
"He is," Zetsu confirmed. "He has been researching the Uchiha clan and their eyes. He believes that the Mangekyō is the key to unlocking the next level of power."
"Well, he isn't wrong; the Sharingan is indeed a key, but he will fail... It's best we ensure he isn't going to turn his eyes on the rest of the Uchiha clan once he does," I said.
Despite the Uchiha clan being small, it was still bigger than it was in canon at this point in time, and for the next hundred years.
Honestly, for all his talk of restoring the clan, Sasuke did a horrible job of it, only fathering one daughter.
And picking such a worthless mother at that.
The first Uchiha ever born needing glasses... the sheer absurdity of an Uchiha needing glasses was beyond ridiculous.
Sakura was indeed impressive in that respect; no other woman was as worthless as she was.
But here and now, the Uchiha clan was still far bigger than that, which meant that Orochimaru had more targets to choose from.
Something that had to be stopped.
Honestly, things would be moving fast over the next few months.
Jūzō Biwa would die in that failed attempt to capture Yagura Karatachi. Following that, Fuguki Suikazan would be killed by Kisame, who would then be invited into the Akatsuki.
But not before Orochimaru replaced Jūzō Biwa as Itachi's partner for a while. As for Sasori... I wasn't entirely sure what caused those two to temporarily split up.
But they would, and Orochimaru would then take the chance to betray the Akatsuki and attack Itachi, before fleeing and starting the Konoha Crush plan.
Which meant the Chūnin Exam and Hiruzen's death. That would also happen around the time Itachi would once again try to capture Yagura Karatachi, only to end up killing him.
It was a confusing and chaotic time, but in that chaos lay hidden opportunities.
With the Tenseigan, I now had the power to push forward with a few of my own plans, though I still needed to find Isshiki.
"Anything new about our hunt for Isshiki?" I asked Zetsu, who was enjoying my touch. I knew he was lonely. Despite having so many White Zetsu to keep him company, none of them were real.
"Nothing, Mother. It's as if he has vanished off the face of the Earth. We've searched every record, interrogated every prisoner, followed every lead, and we've come up with nothing," Zetsu said, a note of frustration in his tone.
The lack of results was frustrating for him, but I could see that he was still determined. He would not rest until he found Isshiki.
"I see," I said, a thoughtful look on my face. "Then we will have to try a different approach."
"What do you have in mind?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"There are others, others who have been watching this world for a long time. Perhaps they know more than we do," I said, my mind already turning to the one group that had been observing the world for nearly as long as I had.
The Great Toad Sage.
Gamamaru.
He was a hateful creature, one who had turned my sons against me, and for that, I could never forgive him.
But he was also a source of information, one that I couldn't ignore.
And he was a threat, one that I couldn't afford to leave unattended.
"Mount Myōboku," I said, the name leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. "We need to pay the toads a visit."
"Mount Myōboku? But that place is a death trap, even for you. It's protected by powerful seals, and the toads themselves are not to be underestimated," Zetsu warned, a note of concern in his tone.
He knew how much I despised the toads, and he also knew the danger they posed.
"While the Sage Lands are dangerous, they are no longer able to threaten me. I didn't go find Hamura for no reason. The Tenseigan has given me a new level of power, one that even the Great Toad Sage should fear," I said, my tone confident.
The Tenseigan was a power on the same level as the Rinnegan, and with it, I could challenge anyone in this world, even Pain, and come out on top.
And unlike my previous level of power, which was raw and uncontrolled, the Tenseigan's power was refined, focused, and precise.
"Then what do you need me to do?" he asked, ready to follow my orders.
"Here is what I need you to do," I said, before explaining my plan for dealing with the Sage Lands and, most importantly, those hateful toads.
(End of chapter)
Support me at patreon.com/unknownfate - for the opportunity to read up to 30 chapters ahead.