Naruto: Building Insect Kingdom Chapter 82 82: The Satisfaction of the Hidden Game

Shisui Abura sat cross-legged in the center of the stone chamber, looking up at a crystal of chakra floating before him.

Inside the crystal, the faint silhouette of a white, humanoid creature was visible—a White Zetsu captured by the swarm.

Several months ago, these White Zetsu had begun infiltrating the Land of Waterfalls. Initially, Shisui thought they were searching for the missing Seven-Tails, but it turned out they were hunting for him.

He had to admit that while Zetsu lacked raw power and a traditional brain, their reconnaissance abilities were top-tier.

One particularly bold Zetsu had even managed to sneak into the underground palace. It had disguised itself as a rock and remained motionless for six full minutes, believing itself to be undetectable.

Unfortunately for it, every cubic inch of soil was saturated with Shisui's swarm. The earth surged, and two Zetsu were bound tightly in specialized restraint-bugs before being dragged into the chamber.

Shisui had hoped to enjoy his peace in Takigakure for a while longer, but the appearance of these creatures suggested that Black Zetsu might have noticed him.

Whether they wanted him as part of the "Plan" or were simply monitoring a dangerous variable, he couldn't stay passive.

However, after interrogation and reverse-tracking, he realized he had miscalculated. It wasn't Madara or Black Zetsu who had "found" him—the Zetsu were being used to lay a clumsy trail of breadcrumbs across the Land of Waterfalls.

And Jiraiya had followed those tracks right to his doorstep.

At first, Shisui didn't understand the ga. He chose not to strike imdiately, instead waiting to intercept the Zetsu on their way back to ensure no information leaked out. While tracking them, he stumbled upon an injured Orochimaru.

Judging by Orochimaru's condition, the man had recently undergone a body modification surgery. The fusion was incomplete, leaving him in a weakened recovery state.

But as the saying goes—people are at their most energetic when they are doing sothing wicked. Orochimaru had lured Jiraiya there likely to test Shisui's strength.

What neither of them expected was Danzo Shimura's "stable performance." Danzo had lunged into the fray from halfway across the map.

Danzo had manipulated events in Konoha to stir up trouble, specifically targeting the high-prestige Sakumo Hatake.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had likely intended for Sakumo to lead this mission as a way to "atone" for past failures—a classic move to suppress a subordinate only to bring them back into the fold under his personal debt.

Hiruzen hadn't realized he was walking right into Danzo's trap. Danzo had heard from Orochimaru that Takigakure was a hornet's nest.

Since Danzo wanted to scout the Waterfall's secrets, why not send his greatest political rival to do the dirty work?

Thus, Sakumo Hatake beca the unwitting scout.

When Sakumo arrived with the Hokage's letter, Jiraiya—who saw through the political filth instantly—refused to be a pawn and left early.

Shisui pieced the logic together:

Orochimaru wanted to use Jiraiya to test Shisui and perhaps watch his teammate fail.

White Zetsu (guided by a hidden hand) wanted Jiraiya back in the Land of Rain to finish his prophecy-teaching mission.

Danzo wanted to eliminate a rival and test the Waterfall's military strength.

Orochimaru also wanted to keep Shisui a secret so he could eventually "consu" him alone.

With the pieces on the board, Shisui decided he wouldn't let them reach his front door. He recruited key figures, set an ambush, and launched a "justified" defense of the Land of Waterfalls.

He hadn't expected Sakumo Hatake to be the one to pay the ultimate price—dying two years earlier than in the original tiline. The "White Fang" had been thoroughly set up.

In this shadow contest, only Hiruzen Sarutobi truly lost, losing a major general on the surface. Though, in reality, Hiruzen likely didn't mind the loss of a man whose prestige rivaled his own.

Shisui looked at the crystal again. White Zetsu—remnants of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Kaguya's trash, Madara's pawns. Their presence ant Madara's eye was turning toward this land.

He couldn't allow the ancient Uchiha to see his true strength. The best solution was to capture every Zetsu that appeared, turning them into research materials, and then relocate.

A Few Days Later, In the Wilderness

Kakuzu stood in the center of a ravaged battlefield, staring at "Naoto." His eyes grew dangerous.

"You aren't that brat."

The way the figure had dodged his thread-punch was wrong. He had sparred with Naoto dozens of tis; he knew the boy's rhythm. This person was disguised well, but combat habits don't lie.

Kakuzu huffed. "A transformation jutsu? You think you can fool ?"

The "Naoto" before him smiled faintly. The expression sent a chill down Kakuzu's spine.

In the next instant, the body dissolved into a thousand crawling insects. They swirled and re-ford behind him into a young man wearing a black high-collared robe and dark sunglasses.

"Excellent eyes, Mr. Kakuzu," Shisui Abura said with a slight bow.

Kakuzu stared at the bugs orbiting the man. "You're the one behind the curtain?"

"In a manner of speaking."

Kakuzu was silent for a mont, then laughed. "Interesting. I've heard of you. The Abura genius who defected from Konoha two years ago. I didn't expect you to be hiding in the Waterfall, pulling all these strings."

Shisui waited for him to finish before speaking. "I would like to invite you back to Takigakure to take charge."

Kakuzu arched an eyebrow. "You're... inviting back?"

"Exactly." Shisui pulled a brand-new forehead protector from his robes, carved with the Waterfall symbol.

"If you return, the entire financial authority of Takigakure is yours to manage. And if that isn't enough... I'll give you the economy of the entire Land of Waterfalls as well."

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