Mastermind of the Akatsuki

Upon arriving at Kusagakure, Byakuya and Nagato used transformation jutsu to enter the village as merchants, blending in with ease.

This wasn't their first time infiltrating Kusagakure; their last visit had been to rescue Karin.

Five or six years had passed since that last infiltration, yet Kusagakure remained largely unchanged. The only noticeable difference was a reduced flow of people due to internal unrest. Otherwise, everything seemed just as it had been.

For the villagers of Kusagakure, the lack of change was a blessing. They had no desire to experience another Great Ninja War. Yet, the worsening internal strife had some villagers considering whether it might be time to leave Kusagakure.

But to Nagato, Kusagakure's stagnation was disappointing.

He still remembered his first arrival in Kusagakure, marveling at its bustling vitality. In just a few short years, Amegakure had outpaced it.

Once inside, Byakuya and Nagato didn't head to the Kusagakure headquarters but instead sat down in a nearby izakaya.

The izakaya was filled with all sorts—drunken shinobi often let slip personal thoughts and minor pieces of intelligence, such as the ongoing struggle between the Hawk and Dove factions in the Land of Grass, or information about the mysterious Box of Ultimate Bliss.

Hearing the term "Box of Ultimate Bliss," Nagato paused. He didn't know what it was, but the name alone suggested it was no ordinary object.

Apparently, the conflict between Kusagakure's Hawk and Dove factions was centered on control over this Box of Ultimate Bliss.

After pondering for a moment, Nagato asked Byakuya, "Byakuya, how much do you know about this Box of Ultimate Bliss they mentioned?"

Byakuya, who knew quite a bit, didn't withhold anything from Nagato.

The Box of Ultimate Bliss was said to contain a demon and was rumored to grant wishes to anyone who could open it. Centuries ago, the Land of Grass had risen to become the strongest nation in the ninja world thanks to the Box.

Hearing this, Nagato clenched his fists, immediately realizing the significance of the Box.

If he and Byakuya intended to resolve the Land of Grass's current turmoil, they would need to focus on the Box of Ultimate Bliss. But he had no idea where it was located.

Byakuya noticed Nagato's intent and said calmly, "Leave the Box of Ultimate Bliss to me. Your task is to communicate with Kusagakure's leader, and if necessary, demonstrate absolute force."

With that, Byakuya vanished, leaving Nagato alone.

Nagato stood there briefly, then set about gathering information. He knew Byakuya hadn't truly left but was giving him an opportunity to hone his skills.

---

After parting ways with Nagato, Byakuya headed directly toward Hozuki Castle.

Hozuki Castle was an international prison semi-independent of Kusagakure, serving as the stronghold for Kusagakure's Hawk faction. It held high-profile criminals from various nations and was also where the Box of Ultimate Bliss was kept.

The reason was straightforward: the Box of Ultimate Bliss was powerful, with a strength comparable to a Tailed Beast.

However, to unlock the Box, a vast amount of chakra was needed, and the prisoners condemned to spend their lives there made ideal sources.

After all, with Kusagakure's current strength, capturing a Tailed Beast was out of the question.

A few kilometers from Hozuki Castle, Byakuya could already sense the dense chakra signatures within. Most of these sources were weak, though a few were notably stronger.

In the depths below, Byakuya detected an unusual chakra presence.

Though faint, this chakra reminded him of the ferocity of a Tailed Beast. It was likely the chakra of the Box of Ultimate Bliss.

Infiltrating Hozuki Castle through the ventilation system, Byakuya found his way into an underground laboratory.

In the underground laboratory, there was a square metal box with faces of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure carved onto it. It was unmistakably the Box of Ultimate Bliss.

Surrounding the Box was a group of ninjas trapped in a magical array, all emaciated and weak, channeling their chakra into the Box.

At that moment, Byakuya noticed a particular prisoner—a young boy who bore a slight resemblance to the Land of Grass's ninjas.

The boy, Muku, turned toward a Grass Country jonin named Mui and asked, "Father, do you really think the Box of Ultimate Bliss can grant wishes? If it can, then why has the village fallen into such decline?"

Mui replied to Muku, "The Box of Ultimate Bliss is unbeatable. As long as we manage to open it, Kusagakure will be able to achieve revival. I'm willing to do anything for that."

Hearing his father's words, Muku fell silent for a long time.

He didn't fully understand why his father was so obsessed with the Box, but he wanted to help him. If he could support his father's dreams, he would be glad to.

As he pondered, voices began echoing in Muku's mind.

His intuition told him that these voices came from the Box of Ultimate Bliss, possibly from within, and that the entity inside, "Mu," was proposing a deal to him.

If Muku was willing to sacrifice his own life, Mu would consider granting his father's wishes.

Byakuya, with his keen eyesight, noticed the subtle change in Muku's expression. He sighed, both moved by the bond between father and son and saddened by what he knew.

In his experience, while the Box of Ultimate Bliss could indeed grant wishes, it did so in ways that often strayed far from what a person desired.

He remembered that Muku's wish had been to help Mui gain a higher position in the hierarchy. However, Muku himself would end up as the Box's price, drawn back inside.

Later, when Mui sought to collect chakra in hopes of resurrecting his son, the Box would play a cruel trick.

Muku would indeed be resurrected, but as Satori's vessel.

During the father and son's conversation, Byakuya moved quietly to the Box of Ultimate Bliss and reached out to touch the container that sealed Satori.

The Box of Ultimate Bliss seemed to have a life of its own, greedily absorbing a considerable amount of Byakuya's chakra.

One unit, two units, three units…

The Box continued to drain chakra from Byakuya, absorbing enough energy that Muku could now hear Satori's voice more clearly in his mind.

At that moment, the Grass Country jonin Mui furrowed his brow.

He glanced toward the Box of Ultimate Bliss and then, with a wary expression, scanned his surroundings before saying, "Since you've already arrived, why not show yourself?"

Byakuya decided not to conceal himself any longer. He stood in front of Mui and spoke calmly, "Mister Mui, I've heard of your reputation. I came here to visit you, but isn't the Box of Ultimate Bliss supposed to be under Hozuki Castle's protection? So why the sacrificial rituals lately?"