Akihara Kagura looked at Uchiha Obito and asked, "You killed Jiraiya-sensei. In the future, who will strongly recommend me to succeed as Hokage? You should understand that once I succeed as Hokage, the benefits it could bring to the Akatsuki Organization, right?"
"..."
Uchiha Obito felt a bit dazed upon hearing this.
Every ninja from Konoha had once aspired to become Hokage, and even Uchiha Obito was no exception. His thoughts strangely returned to the past...
If it wasn't for this false world, if it wasn't for the death of Nohara Rin, if it wasn't for meeting Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Obito had once dreamed of becoming Hokage too!
Akihara Kagura noticed the daze in Uchiha Obito's eyes and suddenly spoke, "When I was in the Dark Department, I heard Captain Kakashi mention that his teammate once also wanted to become Hokage. Could it be that you're just jealous you can't achieve it, and resentful that I might become Hokage?"
"Who's going to care about that kind of false thing!"
Uchiha Obito snapped coldly, his expression full of disdain for the title of Hokage!
This brat named Akihara Kagura could actually sit atop the Hokage title… this brat could become Hokage… on what grounds does this brat get to become Hokage?
That was a dream for many Konoha youths!
On what grounds does a brat like Akihara Kagura get to become Hokage? Because he possesses Wood Release, because he knows the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, because he's Jiraiya's disciple?
"Actually…"
Nagato, sitting in his wheelchair, seriously pondered for a moment and continued, "I think Kagura makes sense. If he can become Hokage, in the future, it'll be much less troublesome when we aim to capture the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki."
"Yeah…"
Akihara Kagura looked at Nagato with satisfaction and continued, "In the future, I could even mobilize Konoha's power to start the Fourth Ninja World War…"
Uchiha Obito caught the loophole in Akihara Kagura's words: "Brat, your purpose for wanting to become Hokage is to start the Ninja World War, isn't it!"
"Isn't that beneficial for the Akatsuki Organization?"
Akihara Kagura shrugged, "As long as I can become Hokage, in the future, whatever the Akatsuki Organization wants to do, I can mobilize Konoha's power to cooperate with you..."
"..."
Uchiha Obito felt something was odd.
This brat...
Why does he sound a bit like Shimura Danzo?
Akihara Kagura's words sounded as if he would become Hokage at any cost, even daring to collude with the Akatsuki Organization that might be the future enemy of the Five Great Countries' Hidden Villages.
Initially, the purpose was for the Akatsuki Organization to use this brat, but now it seemed like they were being used by him?
Uchiha Obito frowned, feeling something was definitely not right: "Do you want to use the Akatsuki Organization to become Hokage, or to become Konoha's Hokage to help the Akatsuki Organization?"
"How would you come up with this question?"
Akihara Kagura smiled, looking at Uchiha Obito, "Do I need the Akatsuki Organization's help? I'd be thankful if you didn't create trouble for me. I never expected the Akatsuki Organization to be of any help, rather, I've always been the one helping the Akatsuki Organization, right?"
"..."
Uchiha Obito's expression turned unpleasant, he spoke in a deep voice, "Brat, when I allowed you to join the Akatsuki Organization, it wasn't so you would…"
"Is this the attitude of someone who tasks organization members with missions, adding trouble when they arrogantly assign tasks to their own people? Is this how you have people get work done?"
Akihara Kagura interrupted Uchiha Obito's words, looked at Nagato sitting in the wheelchair, simultaneously suppressing one supervisor while drawing another closer: "Nagato-senpai, is this how our organization's management always operates?"
Drawing one in while suppressing another, it's the most useful tactic.
Generally, it's supervisors dealing with two subordinates, but Akihara Kagura, merely a subordinate, could also ingeniously use it to deal with his superiors.
"Of course not!"
Konan, standing by Nagato, quickly denied Akihara Kagura's accusations.
If Akihara Kagura's accusations against the Akatsuki Organization were confirmed, it would tarnish the Akatsuki Organization's reputation! The organization's aim had always been for peace in the Ninja World!
"..."
Uchiha Obito harbored a pent-up frustration but didn't know how to vent it, only able to ask gloomily: "Brat, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"Before I become Hokage, don't lay a hand on Jiraiya-sensei."
Akihara Kagura stated his demand and hinted naturally: "Ever since I joined the Akatsuki Organization, I barely reaped any benefits, had no choice but to learn some ninjutsu from Jiraiya-sensei, and there's still a lot I haven't mastered yet!"
"Then just follow him and learn well!"
Uchiha Obito, with a cold face, agreed to Akihara Kagura's request and made his own demand: "Then see to it you restrain your mentor well, ensure that he doesn't keep focusing on the Akatsuki Organization before we commence our plans!"
[System Notification]: [New Job Task (Uchiha Obito), ensure Jiraiya stops focusing on the Akatsuki Organization's actions before they initiate their plan.]
"That's easy to handle."
Akihara Kagura had a solution for this, indicating: "Jiraiya-sensei's attention to the Akatsuki Organization stems from two reasons: one being concern for Nagato-senpai and Konan-senpai, the other being his teammate Orochimaru..."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Nagato slowly lowered his head.
Konan had a flash of nostalgia in her expression, which soon turned back to a calm demeanor, her brows remaining furrowed: "So are we to have him focus on Orochimaru?"
"Of course."
Akihara Kagura nodded, offering his suggestion: "How about assigning Orochimaru a perilous task that could alert the Ninja World, such as having him eliminate The Hidden Cloud Village, assassinate the Raikage, or target the Eight-tails Jinchuriki? As long as Orochimaru causes a huge commotion, Jiraiya-sensei will definitely lose focus on you all..."
"..."
Everyone present remained silent.
"Kagura."
Nagato glanced at Akihara Kagura, speaking up: "If you wish to kill Orochimaru, you can directly make a move, I can provide you his location..."
This proposal seemed too dangerous. Assigning Orochimaru such a life-threatening task didn't have much difference from directly killing him, right?
Uchiha Obito sneered, staring at Akihara Kagura as if he could see through his mind: "You're truly doing this to attract Jiraiya's attention, and not because Orochimaru once made you a test subject and you want revenge?"
"Though I do want to kill Orochimaru..."
Konan still frowned, speaking quietly: "Yet this kind of mission is certainly impossible to dispatch, plus the Akatsuki Organization typically acts in pairs, and Orochimaru's partner, Red Sand Sasori, is useful for future plans."
He's not particularly useful.
Because when faced with danger, Red Sand Sasori didn't abandon them but willingly stayed to help them escape, leaving Konan and Nagato with a good impression of him.
Nagato contemplated for a while and voiced his thought: "Perhaps sending Orochimaru with Red Sand Sasori to The Hidden Sand Village to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage Rasa would work, since Scorpion was once a ninja from The Hidden Sand Village, he's very familiar with it, and likely wouldn't face much danger..."
"..."
Uchiha Obito hadn't reached a decision yet, but he had objections: "The Hidden Sand Village has always had a low presence, a Kazekage assassination isn't anything new, it's unlikely to..."
"A Kazekage assassination isn't anything new."
Akihara Kagura felt Uchiha Obito's thought was flawed and actively stated: "The key is who assassinates the Kazekage. The Kazekage encountering Orochimaru's assassination is something new to Jiraiya-sensei..."
"Of course."
Akihara Kagura continued speaking, looking at both Nagato and Konan: "Before that, Jiraiya-sensei needs reassurance about you two, maybe consider taking some time to meet him and appease that fool?"