Seeing Naruto as spirited as in the original storyline, Aburame Shigeo's mood lightened considerably.
"The harsh living conditions haven't dulled his pure heart. As expected of someone who can become the protagonist. Minato, you can rest easy now."
He glanced at the image of Minato Namikaze on the Hokage Rock, a faint smile forming on his lips.
Beside him, Konan followed his gaze and gently held his hand.
"Senior Shigeo, do you miss the Fourth Hokage?"
"Well... a little."
Shigeo sighed softly and then gestured toward Konan.
"Konan, why don't you head to the clan and check on Chi'en? I'll return in a bit."
"Alright," Konan replied with a nod. In an instant, she vanished in a flurry of paper.
Watching her hurried departure, Shigeo chuckled softly, pulling his hood lower to obscure his face as he walked toward the Hokage's office.
As he arrived outside the office, he overheard two shinobi urgently reporting.
"Lord Third, there's trouble!"
"Hokage-sama!"
Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi, pipe in mouth and brush in hand, was calmly writing. Hearing the commotion, he turned his head with a sigh.
"What's the matter? Did Naruto cause trouble again?"
His tone was nonchalant, as though he was long accustomed to such incidents.
The two shinobi nodded hurriedly.
"Yes, he defaced the Hokage Rock again—this time using paint!"
Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke and waved them off.
"Alright, I've noted it. Let the ninja academy handle it. Dismissed."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" The shinobi saluted and left.
After they departed, Hiruzen turned his gaze to Shigeo, who stood at the doorway, greeting him with a fatherly smile.
"You're back?"
"Yes," Shigeo replied, stepping forward and pulling back his hood to reveal his face.
"It seems you're not surprised. Didn't Itachi inform you I'm with the Akatsuki?"
"That doesn't matter," Hiruzen said with a chuckle, exhaling smoke. His gaze softened.
"You and Minato share the Will of Fire. You're tied to Konoha, to things you can't abandon. You won't betray us."
"Tch."
Shigeo clicked his tongue, pulling a scroll from his cloak and tossing it to Hiruzen.
Catching the scroll, Hiruzen's smile grew even wider, but before he could speak, Shigeo's form disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a small red insect that flew out the window.
Hiruzen's eyes widened.
"An insect clone? No... more than that. A combination of transformation, body flicker, and substitution jutsu."
Known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," Hiruzen quickly deduced the technique's mechanics.
"Quite the clever boy."
He smiled as he watched the insect disappear into the distance, then opened the scroll Shigeo had left behind.
The first page read:
**Akatsuki Power Rankings**
**1st Place: Master (Aburame Shigeo)**
- **Identity**: Akatsuki's true mastermind, Jiraiya's direct disciple, Fourth Hokage's peer, Aburame Clan prodigy.
- **Strength**: Super S-rank. Proficient in parasitic insect manipulation. Chakra levels comparable to a Tailed Beast. Can summon Mount Myoboku toads.
- **History**: Participated in the Konoha-Rain conflict as a child, later remained in the Hidden Rain Village for years. Orchestrated a coup in Hidden Rain, returned to Konoha during the Nine-Tails attack, and infiltrated Akatsuki to uncover the truth.
- **Evaluation**: An extraordinarily dangerous individual capable of destroying a shinobi village single-handedly. Aspires to become a teacher at Konoha's ninja academy.
Hiruzen: "…"
Could this guy be any more blatant? Ranking himself first, no less. Does he even know humility?
Suppressing a twitch in his eye, Hiruzen flipped to the next page.
**2nd Place: Nagato**
- **Identity**: Akatsuki leader, Jiraiya's direct disciple, peer of Yahiko from the Hidden Rain Village.
- **Strength**: Super S-rank. Master of the Six Paths Technique. Possesses the Rinnegan. Chakra levels comparable to a Tailed Beast.
- **History**: Lost his parents to Konoha shinobi during the war, became Jiraiya's "Child of Prophecy," later killed Hanzo under Shigeo's orders, founded Akatsuki, and led Hidden Rain.
- **Evaluation**: An extraordinarily dangerous individual capable of destroying a shinobi village single-handedly. Aspires for world peace.
Hiruzen: "…"
The implications were staggering. Not only was Nagato the current leader of the Hidden Rain but also Jiraiya's disciple. And Shigeo's shadow loomed over it all. Could this be a tragic legacy of the master?
As Hiruzen read further, he reached another shocking entry:
**3rd Place: Uchiha Madara (Obito Uchiha)**
- **Identity**: Akatsuki's hidden manipulator, Minato Namikaze's disciple, inheritor of Madara's will.
- **Strength**: S-rank. Possesses Mangekyo Sharingan, excels in space-time and Wood Release techniques.
- **History**: Crushed under a boulder during the Kannabi Bridge incident, saved by Madara. Witnessed Rin's death, leading to his descent into darkness. Controlled the Nine-Tails in the attack on Konoha and secretly manipulates Akatsuki as "Madara."
- **Evaluation**: An extraordinarily dangerous individual capable of destroying a shinobi village single-handedly. Aspires to create a world where Rin exists.
"What?!"
Hiruzen was stunned.
"Obito Uchiha is alive? And the Nine-Tails attack twelve years ago... it was him? Even Akatsuki is under his influence?"
Hiruzen suddenly felt a strong urge to summon Shigeo back to clarify everything. Yet he restrained himself, continuing to read the scroll.
Each name painted a clearer picture of Akatsuki's secrets, down to Uchiha Itachi's entry:
**5th Place: Itachi Uchiha**
- **Identity**: Akatsuki member, Konoha spy, Uchiha prodigy.
- **Strength**: S-rank. Proficient in genjutsu, Mangekyo Sharingan, and Susano'o.
- **History**: Clan leader's son. Collaborated with Obito to annihilate the Uchiha clan to prevent a coup, acting under Hiruzen's orders. Later infiltrated Akatsuki.
- **Evaluation**: A tormented hero who turned pain into strength. Gravely ill, his endurance is uncertain. Aspires to protect Konoha and his brother, Sasuke Uchiha.
Hiruzen: "…"
Even Itachi's mission was fully exposed. How does Shigeo know all this?
Determined of the scroll's authenticity, Hiruzen decided not to delve further. He rolled it up and tossed it into a fire, watching it burn to ashes.
As smoke filled the room, he exhaled deeply.
"Nagato, Obito... who knew Akatsuki's secrets ran this deep?"
In the smoky haze, he narrowed his eyes.
"This organization is too intertwined with Konoha. I'll have to find a time to sit down with that cunning little rascal for a serious chat."