As Zeldris finished speaking, Uchiha Itachi stood silently beside him, visibly stunned.
He blinked. Then glanced at Zeldris with a hint of disbelief.
What just happened?
Didn't this guy say he needed time to think?
Seriously? That's the fastest change of heart I've ever seen…
One second he's hesitant, the next he's all in? Itachi couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Unbelievable.
Meanwhile, Sasori's expression remained unchanged. He simply gave a small nod, as if this was nothing new.
He was used to it.
Whenever money was involved, Zeldris never hesitated.
Why he cared so much about wealth, Sasori had no idea—and frankly, he didn't bother asking.
After a few seconds of silence, Sasori finally spoke again, his tone calm and direct:
"So, what's the plan for this mission?"
With that, Itachi also turned to Zeldris, curious about his next move.
Zeldris looked at him with a small, knowing smile. "This time," he said casually, "you'll go with Seven-to-One."
Itachi raised an eyebrow.
Zeldris was, of course, referring to Deidara.
In the original timeline, it had been Itachi who went to recruit him into the Akatsuki—using genjutsu to overpower and humble the explosive artist into submission.
But as Zeldris gave the order, his mind wandered slightly.
Old man Onoki… he thought. You're offering 200 million just to retrieve a traitor?
That's either incredibly generous—or suspicious.
Could Onoki have another motive?
Maybe he truly was that rich. After all, in the original series, he had funded the Akatsuki for quite some time.
Still, Zeldris mused, something feels off. This won't be as simple as it looks.
Just then, Itachi broke the silence, his tone low and composed.
"The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki… is no fool. He's cunning and calculating," he said. "If he's offering 200 million for a defector, don't you think you should reconsider before diving in?"
Zeldris turned to him, the corner of his mouth curling upward.
"Oh, that reminds me," he said lightly. "I haven't told you what we're really about, have I?"
Itachi gave him a curious look.
Zeldris straightened slightly, then spoke clearly:
"Ninja mercenaries like us—we have one purpose."
He paused for emphasis, and both Itachi and Sasori watched him quietly.
Zeldris then raised a brow and smiled:
"To make money. That's it."
"No grand cause. No secret agenda. No dreams of peace or destruction."
"Our existence is for profit. Simple."
"Whatever Onoki's motives are, he reached out and made an offer. That's enough reason for us to show up."
Itachi stared at him blankly.
Money? he thought. That's his purpose?
Of all the things Itachi had expected… this was not one of them.
He had left the Akatsuki because he feared Zeldris might be an even greater threat than the masked man. He had anticipated a vision of power or dominance.
But… money?
There's no way that's the full story… Itachi reasoned. He's hiding something.
Itachi's gaze sharpened. I need to figure out his true intentions.
Before he could speak again, Sasori added coldly:
"I've studied Onoki myself. Itachi's right—he's not to be underestimated. If we're going, we move with caution."
Zeldris nodded thoughtfully, then smiled.
"This time, all three of us are going."
"I want to see for myself what this old man's game is."
"If he's really after me, well… we'll see if he still has the strength to act on it."
His voice dropped at the end, and a glint of icy resolve flashed in his eyes.
Zeldris knew exactly what Onoki was capable of.
The old Tsuchikage wasn't just experienced—he wielded a dangerous kekkei tōta: Dust Release. A technique powerful enough to vaporize Madara's Susanoo clones with ease.
Formidable, Zeldris admitted silently. But not enough to worry me.
He glanced at the others and said calmly:
"Alright then. It's settled."
"We leave for Iwagakure at dawn."
With that, he turned and walked toward his room, not bothering to say more.
He had something important to do.
Draw his reward.
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