Chapter 124: Collecting the Tailed Beasts! Morkel's Method! Stopping Akatsuki! Karin! Tsuchikage's Dust Release!

Sasuke stood firm. "I wasn't irritated—I just realized something."

"Itachi shouldn't have had to endure so much. The Uchiha clan shouldn't have been destined for such a fate."

"Though Itachi wanted me to live on in confusion, doing things for Konoha and for peace—I simply can't."

"From the moment my clan was annihilated, my path was already set. It's the path of revenge."

"Fate can't be changed."

Morkel remained silent.

There was no absolute right or wrong in this matter—just conflicting ideals and different positions.

Sure, he could have killed Sasuke for the sake of Konoha.

But that had never been his way.

Seeing Morkel's hesitation, Sasuke continued, "This world needs to change."

Morkel didn't want to debate ideals with Sasuke, so instead, he asked, "Then what are you doing outside Iwagakure?"

Karin, standing nearby, responded, "We came to capture the Five Tails."

Morkel frowned. "You're helping the Akatsuki capture a tailed beast?"

Sasuke nodded.

"...14."

"...!"

Morkel—reflexively left-hooked him straight in the jaw!

"You can start your own group and work from the shadows of the ninja world—but you should never align with Akatsuki," Morkel said coldly.

Sasuke groaned, holding his chin. "Couldn't you just say that without punching me?"

"Is that your idea of persuasion?"

"I need power, now."

Morkel pondered for a moment. "How about this—rather than working with Akatsuki, you could work with me."

"I'm also looking for the tailed beasts."

Suigetsu blinked. "What's the difference between you and Akatsuki then?"

"There's not much difference," Morkel admitted. "But unlike Akatsuki, I don't want to bring the world pain—I want to stop them."

"Whatever they're planning, I'll beat them to it."

"We'll handle everything else as it comes."

He turned to the group. "Alright. The Five Tails of Iwagakure won't be easy to handle. Let's head to the Land of Birds first."

---

Meanwhile, in the Land of Birds—

With Itachi, Kakuzu, Deidara, Hidan, and Pain all dead, Akatsuki's power had dwindled significantly. The masked man had now taken full control of the organization.

To ensure the success of the next mission, he dispatched all the remaining members.

Kisame, Scorpion, and Konan moved together as they searched for the Four Tails' Jinchūriki.

Scorpion sighed. "I still can't believe that idiotic A-Fu was actually that man."

Kisame smirked. "I figured it out long before you did."

Konan added, "After Rain Village was destroyed, our operations became more difficult."

"That red-haired brat—he will pay for what he did to Pain!"

Scorpion said, "I heard the Six Tails Jinchūriki disappeared from the Bubble Village. Morkel must've gotten him."

"That means he's already taken the Three Tails, Six Tails, and Nine Tails… troublesome."

Konan sneered. "Still, he's only one person. We are many."

"Even if our headquarters is gone, our information network remains strong. We always act one step ahead."

The group fell into a contemplative silence.

Finally, Scorpion broke it. "A-Fu… I mean, that masked man… he's working with us too, right?"

Konan nodded. "We'll go to the Land of Birds for the Four Tails. He's heading to the Land of Lightning for the Two and Eight Tails. Sasuke's at Iwagakure for the Five Tails."

"Three-pronged strategy. Morkel won't be able to stop us all."

Kisame chuckled. "It's a decent plan—but can we really trust Itachi's little brother?"

As they entered a dense forest, the sound of water hitting stone echoed in the distance.

Suddenly, a pitcher plant sprouted from the earth. Zetsu had arrived.

He pointed ahead. "The waterfall up there—Lao Zi trains there. Be on guard."

The trio launched their assault on Lao Zi, the Four Tails' Jinchūriki. Though powerful with his Lava Style, Lao Zi was no match for the combined force of Akatsuki's elite. He fell within minutes.

Kisame, carrying Lao Zi's body, remarked, "Jinchūriki aren't that strong. If Morkel hadn't gotten in our way, we would've completed this plan ages ago."

"Agreed," said Scorpion. "That kid's caused too much trouble."

Scorpion had survived multiple encounters with Morkel—but luck didn't last forever.

"I heard Morkel went to Iwagakure to make up for flattening the Jinlun Mountains. Built a mountain out of crystal. He's been laying low for days, chakra depleted."

"Rumor says his strength has been weakened," Zetsu added.

Kisame frowned. "Doesn't sound reliable."

"Yeah," Scorpion said, "A guy like that doesn't go down so easily."

Konan interjected, "He's weakened—not dead. Don't jump to conclusions."

Zetsu urged them forward. "We're close to base. Let's get the ceremony started."

---

Elsewhere—

Morkel and Sasuke's team arrived in the Land of Birds.

"No sign of Lao Zi," Sasuke muttered.

"Maybe he returned to the Land of Earth," Morkel guessed. "Let's ask the local informants."

At the bounty station, Morkel learned Akatsuki had been there recently.

"If they were here, then Lao Zi was likely captured," he deduced.

He turned to Sasuke. "When you worked with Akatsuki, where did they extract tailed beasts?"

"There's a base between the Land of Birds and Land of Earth," Sasuke answered. "The masked man said to bring the Five Tails there."

"Let's go."

They reached the hidden base.

"Without your lead, we'd never have found this place," Morkel said to Sasuke.

"But I can't sense the tailed beast's chakra…"

He walked toward the entrance and raised an arm—

Inside the cave—

Akatsuki had begun the extraction ritual.

Zetsu burst from the ground. "Morkel is here!"

Konan panicked. "How did he find this place?"

"He's with Sasuke," Zetsu explained.

Kisame groaned. "Itachi's brother… unreliable as always."

Scorpion trembled. "Where is he now?"

Just then—

BOOM!!

The cave entrance exploded.

Light poured in, cutting through the darkness.

Morkel stepped into view.

He spotted Lao Zi, still alive, and felt relieved.

"That explains why I couldn't sense the chakra earlier," he murmured.

"Everyone—stop. I'm taking the Four Tails."

The cave fell silent.

Zetsu escaped underground.

Konan stepped forward. "For Nagato!"

Kisame followed, sword in hand. "Let's see how much strength you've got left."

Sasuke and his team stood ready behind Morkel.

"This time, we're not holding back," Suigetsu said.

Jūgo's body morphed as his Curse Mark activated. "Sasuke is the only one who's ever calmed my rage. If he's fighting, so am I!"

Karin stood silently. "Morkel will defeat you. No matter how strong you are."

"Enough talk."

Morkel clapped his hands.

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

A white cube appeared around Konan, Scorpion, and Kisame.

Konan gasped. "He mastered Dust Release?!"

Scorpion's face went pale. "That jutsu disintegrates everything… not even Reanimation can bring us back from this!"

Just as despair set in, a spatial vortex appeared!

The masked man arrived—grabbing all three.

SWOOSH!

The vortex reappeared—and they were gone!

Morkel tried to trap them before they escaped, but the Dust Cube exploded in a flash.

He lowered his arms, frustrated. "That space-time jutsu… Sharingan-based, I presume?"

"Yes," Sasuke confirmed. "I've seen it in action."

"It's going to be tough to counter," Morkel muttered.

Behind him, the others stared in awe.

"Was that Dust Release? The same one used by the Tsuchikage?" Suigetsu whispered.

Karin nodded.

Jūgo looked conflicted. Kimimaro—his closest friend—had once fought Morkel and died.

He'd planned to avenge him.

But seeing Morkel's strength, revenge seemed pointless now…

Morkel noticed Jūgo's expression.

"You knew Kimimaro?" he asked.

"He was my best friend," Jūgo said quietly. "I didn't even get a chance to mourn him."

Morkel retrieved a scroll and summoned a bone blade.

"This belonged to Kimimaro. I fought him once. He was already sick—he died during the battle."

Jūgo took the weapon with trembling hands.

His hatred dissipated.

He finally felt peace.

Morkel then approached Lao Zi.

The ritual had been interrupted. There was still a chance he could survive.

He focused chakra into his palms and began healing.

Moments later, Lao Zi stirred.

"Who… are you?"

"Morkel. From Konoha."

"Thank you for saving me," Lao Zi said.

"No need," Morkel replied. "I did it for a reason. I want the Four Tails."

Lao Zi looked shocked.

How could someone save his life—then ask for his tailed beast?

But then he realized… had Morkel not intervened, he'd already be dead.

"What did you say your name was?" he asked.

"Morkel."

"The one who destroyed Rain Village? And recently... you're the one who leveled Jinlun Mountain?!"

Morkel scratched his head.

Was this fame… or notoriety?

"I admire you," Lao Zi finally said. "Take the Four Tails. I owe you."

Morkel nodded and began the extraction.

---

In the sealed realm—

Three Tails, Four Tails, and Six Tails now stood together.

"Son Goku," said the Three Tails. "It's been a while."

The Four Tails grinned. "Long time no see."

---

Afterward, Morkel and the team bid Lao Zi farewell.

Lao Zi looked down at his own body in disbelief.

"I'm alive… without a tailed beast?"

"How… did he do that?"

He gazed at Morkel's retreating figure, deep in thought…

---