"Since Pain is heading toward the Three-Tails this time, we can set aside his intel for now. Tell me about the others in Akatsuki."
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
Rather than sacrificing lives to probe the enemy's methods, it was better to shamelessly ask Kamizuki Hikari directly. A little embarrassment was nothing to Jiraiya.
"Konan's ability lets her turn paper into explosive tags. Your oil-based techniques can counter her. I suspect she'll stick close to Nagato, so we can ignore her for now," Hikari said.
"Uchiha Itachi possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan. His left eye's dōjutsu, 'Tsukuyomi', creates an illusionary space where he can torture his enemy for three days and nights, while only a single second passes in the real world. His right eye's technique, 'Amaterasu', can burn anything, including chakra—though sealing jutsu can suppress it. When both eyes are activated, he can use 'Susanoo', which grants overwhelming offensive and defensive power. In Konoha, there are only a few who could even threaten him."
"Go on," Tsunade was scribbling furiously at her desk. The intel Hikari was providing was critical, too sensitive even for the ANBU to handle.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, former Kirigakure shinobi, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and the user of the great sword Samehada. Samehada can devour an enemy's chakra, and Kisame himself can also absorb chakra. The only way to fight him is with pure taijutsu. If we face him, I recommend Maito Gai take him on. He shouldn't hold back or try to capture him for intel; this guy is a true shinobi and will kill himself instantly in such a situation. So have Gai open the Seventh Gate and kick him to death."
Compared to others, Kisame's death in the original timeline had been rather pitiful.
Coincidentally, Hikari intended for it to happen that way again.
Samehada combined with Kisame's own chakra absorption made him a nightmare for ninjutsu-type shinobi. His enormous chakra reserves rendered most genjutsu ineffective. Better to have Gai use the Seventh Gate and end him quickly.
"Understood. I'll inform Gai," Tsunade replied. She dared not ignore Hikari's advice now. Thinking of Kisame's endurance and the fact that most Konoha shinobi specialized in ninjutsu only made her more uneasy.
"Sasori, a rogue shinobi from Sunagakure, abandoned his human body and turned himself into a puppet core. To defeat him, you must destroy that core. He commands hundreds of puppets—once unleashed, they can destroy an entire city. Furthermore, the missing Third Kazekage was turned into one of his puppets, allowing Sasori to use Magnet Release. His strength is considerable."
Jiraiya's mouth twitched.
Hundreds of puppets? If Sasori truly released them all, they'd be doomed.
If anyone else said such a thing, Jiraiya wouldn't believe it. But since it was Hikari, he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"Deidara, a rogue from Iwagakure, uses explosive clay to create various 'artworks' that detonate. His ultimate technique can obliterate everything within a ten-kilometer radius—terrifyingly powerful. To ensure his death, Kakashi should be the one to attack him. The moment he gets a chance, he must use Kamui to warp Deidara's head away."
Tsunade's hand trembled as she wrote, nearly stopping mid-sentence.
What kind of joke was this? Ten kilometers?! Even her Wood Release couldn't cause that kind of destruction.
"Hidan, a follower of the cult of Jashin in the Land of Hot Water, possesses immortality."
Immortality?
"Do you mean literally immortal, or something else?" Jiraiya asked, blinking. As a man who'd 'researched' for years in the Land of Hot Water, he was confident he'd never heard of such an ability.
"He has no vital points in the conventional sense. Even if his head is cut off, he can still speak and think. I'm not sure if Itachi's Amaterasu could burn him completely to ash."
Tsunade glanced at Hikari, her meaning clear—Uchiha Itachi was part of Akatsuki. How could he possibly help them fight his own comrade?
"That ability is cheating, don't you think?" Jiraiya muttered, clicking his tongue.
Hidan's power left him utterly shocked.
If the man couldn't die, how were they supposed to defeat him?
"He claims his body is blessed by Jashin. He can't use conventional ninjutsu and fights with a weapon called the 'Triple-Bladed Scythe'. Normally, he uses it for close combat, but if he manages to draw blood from his enemy, he can perform a curse ritual—any damage he inflicts on himself is mirrored onto his opponent's body."
*Gasp...*
Jiraiya sucked in a sharp breath.
That ability was truly sinister.
"How do we deal with him, then?" Tsunade asked, pen poised.
Hikari replied, "Since Hidan can't use ninjutsu, lure him away, then use long-range attacks. Sealing jutsu also works. Aside from taijutsu and his curse technique, he has no other combat methods. But given how troublesome his ability is, I suggest you make him your first target to eliminate."
After speaking, Hikari stood up, picked up Tsunade's cup, and casually took a sip.
Leaving behind two completely stunned individuals.
Especially Tsunade, who looked down at her notes and wanted to curse.
These kinds of terrifying abilities—if she possessed them, she could start a full-blown war across the entire shinobi world.
...Well, she realized she was getting carried away. She was, after all, a woman who desired peace.
Uchiha Itachi's balance of offense and defense was flawless.
Kisame's stamina and exceptional Water Release justified his S-rank rogue status.
Sasori's puppet army—if fully unleashed—would devastate Konoha.
Deidara's explosions had few counters other than Lightning Release.
And Hidan's immortality—without prior knowledge, many would die to his cursed techniques before realizing the truth.
No wonder Hikari was worried. With enemies like these, even with Wood Release, Tsunade wouldn't dare say she could take on five of them alone.
Their combined abilities weren't just additive—they were exponential.
"By the way, Hikari, last time in the Land of Hot Water—how did you fend them all off when they attacked together?" Jiraiya asked curiously.
These five alone were monsters. For Kamizuki Hikari to have driven them back... how strong was he really?
"Ah, I almost forgot two more!"
"The one calling himself 'Madara'—his ability allows him to become intangible so that attacks pass through him. It's a space-time jutsu. If you ever encounter him, make sure to set up a barrier in advance."
"Then there's Black Zetsu and White Zetsu. They can move through the earth freely, and they're the ones who gather all of Akatsuki's intelligence."
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