Mastermind of the Akatsuki

After listening to Byakuya's elaborate plan for creating a weaponized Ten-Tails, the aged Salamander Hanzō fell into a long silence. 

Faced with such an audacious and nearly reckless plan, he struggled to offer any constructive advice. If Byakuya succeeded and the Ten-Tails were resurrected, the ninja world could indeed experience a rare era of peace. However, if the plan failed, Amegakure would be plunged into a catastrophe from which it might never recover. 

After much deliberation, Hanzō finally spoke in a slow, measured tone, "Forgive me, but this old man may not be able to help you much. However, if the plan is exposed, you may as well put the blame on me. I don't care about my reputation anymore." 

His words were sincere—Hanzō had long ceased to concern himself with legacy or honor. 

Byakuya chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't believe my plan will fail. Even if it does, I'll bear the consequences alone!" 

With that, he turned and left the room. 

Byakuya had come merely to test Hanzō's loyalty. It seemed the old man, despite his flaws, still possessed the integrity befitting his title as a demigod. Byakuya was not disappointed. 

--- 

After leaving the training grounds, Byakuya headed toward another section of the base. 

With the One-Tail Jinchūriki set as their primary target, it was time to decide on the team for the mission. Within Akatsuki, the two people most familiar with Sunagakure were Sasori of the Red Sand and Orochimaru. 

The former was Sunagakure's most gifted puppet master and the grandson of Chiyo, one of the village's elders. 

The latter had previously commanded the Kikyō Mountain campaign and had clashed with the Fourth Kazekage on the battlefield. As a result, Orochimaru was undoubtedly Konoha's foremost expert on Sunagakure. 

From what Byakuya remembered, Orochimaru maintained a secret connection with Sunagakure even after defecting from Konoha. 

In the original storyline, just before the Chūnin Exams, the Fourth Kazekage even invited Orochimaru to collaborate on the Konoha Crush plan. During the exam, Orochimaru had orchestrated chaos in an attempt to destroy Konoha. 

What the Fourth Kazekage didn't know, however, was that Orochimaru never intended to destroy Konoha. He merely wanted to "catch up" with his former mentor and ensure that Hiruzen Sarutobi met his end in combat. 

Orochimaru had, in fact, assassinated the Fourth Kazekage before the plan even began. 

Snapping himself out of his musings, Byakuya found Sasori in the Akatsuki laboratory. Beyond a glass partition, Sasori was meticulously assembling puppet limbs. 

Some of the limbs were crafted from steel and wood, while others were made of flesh and blood. 

Since Sasori had developed his wireless puppet-control technology, Byakuya had been encouraging him to delve into prosthetic puppetry. Though Sasori did not entirely grasp Byakuya's intent, he eagerly pursued any advancements in puppet craft. 

Byakuya's reasoning was simple. In the ninja world, both shinobi and civilians frequently suffered amputations or other injuries. Instead of living out their days with crutches, wouldn't it be better to replace lost limbs with chakra-controlled puppet prosthetics? 

In a way, this aligned with Sasori's philosophy of eternal puppetry. 

The key difference was that, unlike others who might reluctantly turn to puppet prosthetics, Sasori had willingly transformed himself. He had condensed his consciousness and chakra into a core, leaving his physical body almost entirely replaced. 

As Byakuya's footsteps approached, Sasori turned slowly. Spotting Byakuya, his expression remained as stoic as ever. 

"Are you here to check on the progress of the prosthetic puppets?" He asked bluntly. 

"Look, creating prosthetic limbs is simple enough but controlling them requires substantial knowledge of puppetry. If you're aiming for prosthetics that even ordinary shinobi can use, it'll take at least another five years of research." 

Sasori then added, his tone matter-of-fact. "I say, why not just go with my idea? Convert the injured directly into chakra cores. That way, they'll never have to worry about getting hurt again. Isn't a body of steel superior to one of flesh and blood?" 

Cold, unfeeling steel will never surpass a well-honed, living body, Byakuya thought to himself, suppressing a sigh. 

"Not everyone is willing to undergo full-body transformation like you, Sasori. And as you mentioned earlier, the technology isn't perfect. Full-body conversion carries significant risks." 

Sasori scoffed. "To attain an immortal body, risks are inevitable. Without resolve and determination, how can one even hope to be a proper ninja?" 

Byakuya couldn't help but sweat at Sasori's conviction.

'It seems there isn't a single sane scientist in this entire ninja world,' he thought ruefully.

Under Byakuya's command, three scientific ninja stood out: Sasori, obsessed with puppet modification; Shinnō, who constantly sought ways to enhance the human body; and Orochimaru, who focused on researching Kekkei Genkai and natural energy while delving into soul-based studies. 

From this perspective, even without pursuing the Moon's Eye Plan, the Akatsuki could easily be seen as the quintessential villains. 

After a moment of contemplation, Byakuya addressed Sasori, "This visit isn't about prosthetics. After discussions with the organization's higher-ups, we've decided to initiate the Ten-Tails Hunting Plan." 

"Hunting the Tailed Beasts?" Sasori raised his eyebrows slightly. He had long understood Byakuya's overarching goals and wasn't particularly surprised. However, he had expected the execution of the Ten-Tails plan to be delayed by a few more years. 

After a brief pause, Sasori asked, "Which Tailed Beast are we targeting first? And besides me, will there be other team members?" 

"Of course, the beasts will be hunted in order. I plan to start with the One-Tail." 

After a short pause, Byakuya added, "As for your teammate, it will still be Orochimaru. However, since this is the first mission, I'll be accompanying you as well." 

"Going after Bunpuku, the monk? And working with Orochimaru again?" 

Sasori muttered, clearly dissatisfied with the arrangement—not because of any personal connection to Bunpuku, but because he despised teaming up with Orochimaru. 

The conflict between the two wasn't limited to their scientific disagreements; their personalities clashed fundamentally. 

With that in mind, Sasori turned to Byakuya and said, "I don't need Orochimaru as a teammate. I can hunt the One-Tail Jinchūriki by myself." 

Byakuya shook his head and replied, "I trust your abilities, but the Fourth Kazekage's Magnet Release counters your Wind Shadow puppet. Moreover, Sunagakure has more than just the Kazekage to defend it." 

Sasori's expression shifted at Byakuya's words. 

He wasn't wrong. Aside from the Fourth Kazekage, Sunagakure had plenty of other skilled ninjas. 

There was Pakura, who had been sent to Kirigakure as a scapegoat a few years ago, and Sasori's own grandmother, Elder Chiyo. The puppetry skills he now excelled at had all been taught to him by Chiyo. 

Although Sasori had surpassed his grandmother in the art of puppetry, defeating her in battle was a far more challenging task. 

Considering this, Sasori knew that taking on Sunagakure alone was impossible, let alone capturing the One-Tail Jinchūriki alive. 

Noticing Sasori's internal conflict, Byakuya spoke again, his tone calm but firm, "Bring your puppets and come with me to find Orochimaru. This plan cannot move forward without him."