Mastermind of the Akatsuki

Leaping down from the cliff, Sasori and Orochimaru walked confidently toward the hidden Sky Ninja Village. Before they reached the heart of the village, a group of Sky Ninja, wary and hostile, quickly surrounded them.

These Sky Ninja were remnants of their once-feared village, having survived in secrecy for years. Their ultimate goal was to see their floating fortress soar through the skies once more and take revenge on the Konoha, which had crushed the Sky Ninja in the past. To protect their secrecy, they couldn't let anyone leave alive who discovered their whereabouts.

Just as the Sky Ninja were preparing to attack, a messenger leaned in to whisper something to their captain. After listening, the captain addressed Orochimaru and Sasori with newfound respect.

"So it's Lord Orochimaru. Leader Shinnō has been waiting for you in the guest hall."

With a gesture, the captain led them forward.

Soon, Sasori and Orochimaru were in the guest hall, facing Shinnō, who looked more like an elderly farmer than the leader of a ninja faction.

Once they were seated, Shinnō, with a sour expression, asked, "What do you want, Orochimaru? I despise Konohagakure, even if you're only formerly of that village. If you're here to discuss plans against Konoha, I'll gladly host you. But if you've come for other reasons, you might as well leave now."

"I have no immediate interest in Konoha," Orochimaru replied, pausing briefly before continuing. "But my companion here shares your hatred for Konoha. You might have more in common than you think. This is Sasori of the Red Sand—his parents were killed by Konoha ninja."

Sasori shot a cold glare at Orochimaru, irked at his intrusion into a sensitive part of his past.

Shinnō observed Sasori for a moment, noticing immediately that his body wasn't entirely human. As an experienced medical ninja, Shinnō could tell Sasori's body had been transformed into a puppet.

Still skeptical of Orochimaru's intentions, Shinnō cut him off. "Enough small talk. We aren't that close, so let's get to the point."

Orochimaru's smile faded, and he got to the heart of the matter. "Shinnō, I suspect you had a hand in the recent lockdown of Kumogakure. During their conflict with Konoha, you must have acquired quite a few valuable assets from them."

He leaned in slightly. "I've heard that one of those assets is the Body Revival Technique."

Shinnō's face darkened, clearly surprised at Orochimaru's intelligence network, but he nodded. "Yes, the Body Revival Technique is in my possession. Are you after it as well?"

"Of course," Orochimaru said openly.

The Body Revival Technique was a closely guarded secret of the Kumogakure, on par with the Forbidden Jutsu recorded in Konoha's Scroll of Seals. This technique allowed Kumogakure to produce powerful, resilient warriors. Orochimaru had no intention of becoming a muscle-bound brute, but he knew the technique would simplify many of his experiments, especially those related to his Soul Transfer Jutsu.

Shinnō sneered, "The Body Revival Technique took me considerable time to acquire. You'll need to exchange a technique of equal value."

"What do you want in exchange?" Orochimaru asked.

Shinnō answered without hesitation, "The Artificial Tailed Beast technique recorded in the Scroll of Seals from Konoha. Only if you offer me that technique will I give you the one you want."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, glancing at the ground beneath them, considering Shinnō's intentions. Was Shinnō planning to create an Artificial Tailed Beast to power the Sky Fortress again? Orochimaru recalled how much effort he and the Third Hokage had spent to destroy that fortress years ago.

Finally, Orochimaru produced a scroll from his robe and handed it to Shinnō. In return, Shinnō pulled out his own scroll, passing it to Orochimaru.

After a quick exchange of glances, both parties realized they had fallen into each other's trap.

At this moment, Sasori of the Red Sand spoke up. "I'm not here for the Body Revival Technique. I'm here for the Kunai Gun and the method to manufacture Chakra weaponry."

He added ominously, "I suggest you hand over these techniques promptly, or my puppets won't be so kind."

Hearing Sasori's demand for his chakra technology, Shinnō's face darkened as he glared sharply at Orochimaru and Sasori. These two had come straight to him, demanding his secrets and threatening him with force. Did they really think he was just some pushover to be toyed with?

With that thought, Shinnō gestured toward the exit and said icily, "Since you two have shown no sincerity, I suggest you leave immediately. The Sky Ninja Village does not welcome you."

Sasori and Orochimaru exchanged a look, then turned back to Shinnō and launched a coordinated attack.

Sasori summoned his puppets Black Crow and Gray Ant. These were masterworks by Sunagakure standards, but to Sasori, they were only basic puppets. Orochimaru used his Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, unleashing several venomous snakes from his sleeve that slithered toward Shinnō, locking onto his position.

(AN: The puppets have Japanese names but meh.)

Shinnō, prepared for a fight, drew a scalpel from his waist. With swift precision, he sliced through the air, severing several of the attacking snakes and leaving them writhing on the ground.

However, against Black Crow and Gray Ant, his scalpel didn't seem as effective. It barely left shallow scratches on their metal surfaces, failing to slice through them.

Unfazed, Shinnō clenched his fist and lunged at the puppets, shattering them into pieces with a single strike.

Dodging the duo's attacks, Shinnō moved several dozen meters away, keeping a close watch on Sasori and Orochimaru. From the moment he noticed these two, he had prepared for a fight as Sasori and Orochimaru were rogue ninjas, and rogue ninjas couldn't be trusted. With such people, the only reliable means of "negotiation" was brute strength.

Seeing his puppets smashed to bits, Sasori's expression shifted. Black Crow and Gray Ant were both crafted from metal—he could have accepted their destruction by ninjutsu, but for this seemingly unremarkable Shinnō to smash them with his fists? Could Shinnō possibly be a taijutsu master on par with the Fourth Raikage?

Unlike Sasori, Orochimaru had discerned Shinnō's technique, and his expression turned more complex. Shinnō's recent taijutsu moves were unmistakably the Eight Gates technique from the Hidden Konoha Village, and he had opened four of the gates.

Orochimaru was baffled by how Shinnō had obtained the Eight Gates technique. Activating this technique required an exceptional physique, and the Body Revival Technique was perfectly suited to enhance one's physical prowess.

After witnessing Shinnō's strength, Orochimaru's desire for the Body Revival Technique only grew stronger.