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"You didn't run?" Killer B asked, genuinely surprised.
"Run from what?" Midorima shook his head. "The three of them working together were certainly troublesome, but I never went all out."
For Midorima, the most dangerous opponent among Akatsuki had always been Itachi.
Itachi possessed a mind that remained clear and calculating in every situation. Every step he took was deliberate and planned far in advance. In the original timeline, he had even anticipated the possibility of being resurrected through Edo Tensei and prepared accordingly—having Naruto swallow a crow implanted with Shisui's Sharingan. When the time came, he used Kotoamatsukami to override the control imposed by the Edo Tensei technique itself.
In the entire Naruto series, very few characters could match that level of foresight and preparation.
Because of this, Midorima was absolutely certain that after he had fed Itachi so many carefully chosen pieces of "intelligence," Itachi would begin investigating the true identity of "Madara" without delay.
Beyond that, Amaterasu and Susanoo were both exceptionally difficult techniques to counter. Any serious confrontation with Itachi carried a high risk of serious injury—or even permanent disability. With Obito and Pain still active threats, Midorima could not afford to fight Itachi to the death.
In reality, both men were highly intelligent. And rather than being true enemies, they had quietly become something closer to reluctant allies.
That was why Itachi—the single most problematic opponent—ultimately posed the least immediate danger. On the other hand, if Midorima had genuinely tried to kill him, Itachi would have fought back with lethal intent, turning a manageable situation into a costly one.
Kisame's strength came primarily from Samehada, while Sasori relied on his puppet army—both forms of external power.
Therefore, even though Midorima could have escaped with ease, there had been no real need to force a decisive battle against all three.
The actions of Akatsuki and Obito affected far more than just him. He had no obligation to exhaust himself and then be misunderstood or blamed by others afterward.
Killer B gave Midorima an extremely strange look, then thought for a moment. "You know them?"
"I do. Back when I was still in the Hidden Mist, I killed one of their comrades," Midorima explained.
"They're from Akatsuki?"
Midorima nodded.
"They came for the tailed beasts?"
Another nod.
"Why?" Killer B spread his hands wide, utterly baffled.
Midorima sighed and mirrored the gesture. "I originally planned to explain everything to the Raikage, but he didn't believe me. He thought I was exaggerating Akatsuki's danger just to drag the great villages into my personal revenge. So tell me—what do you want me to do?"
Killer B rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few seconds before speaking. "Come on. Let's go find the Raikage."
"Where?"
"The Land of Iron."
Midorima gave him a sidelong glance. "I can tell you just want to get out of the village, don't you?"
Killer B threw his head back and crossed his arms. "Nah. Just means we've got the same destination, that's all."
Midorima didn't go along with the suggestion.
According to the events recorded in the manga, Killer B's illusory clone—created using the Eight-Tails' tentacles—had proven remarkably stable. It only revealed its true nature when the Demonic Statue began absorbing the Eight-Tails.
Midorima, however, carried the Six-Tails—a beast ranked higher than the Eight-Tails in sequence.
As long as he himself remained free, Killer B's disguise would hold.
By contrast, Midorima's own situation would only grow more perilous with each passing day. That much was obvious without needing to think too deeply about it.
They still had some time. Rather than rashly abandoning the Hidden Cloud Village, it made far more sense to stay put and wait for the Raikage to return.
Killer B didn't particularly agree with Midorima's reasoning, but what could he do?
He couldn't beat Midorima in a fight, and he couldn't outrun him either. With no better option, he reluctantly followed Midorima back toward the village.
Yet the moment they approached the gates, they noticed the security had tightened dramatically. Patrols were heavier, sentries more alert—everyone moved as though expecting an imminent invasion.
Neither of them understood why at first. They assumed word had already spread about Akatsuki's attack on the two of them. But when they questioned Karui, the truth emerged: the village had been raided. The Two-Tails—along with the Amber Purifying Pot—had been stolen. Every shinobi assigned to guard the artifact, plus those who rushed to reinforce them, had been killed.
Midorima look at the sky in pure frustration. A surge of anger burned in his chest, but he had nowhere to direct it.
This was the Hidden Cloud Village, not the Hidden Mist. He held no authority here.
Of course, the Raikage bore ultimate responsibility for the village's safety, so his wariness toward an outsider was understandable.
Still, that very caution had—in a twisted way—contributed to the Cloud's current disaster.
Killer B fell unusually silent, patiently waiting for his brother to return.
The Five Kage Summit had appeared grand and momentous on the surface, yet it had accomplished almost nothing. The root cause was simple: the five villages had conflicting interests and hidden agendas. Under such circumstances, reaching any meaningful agreement was little more than wishful thinking.
Once it became clear no real progress would be made, the Kage had quickly ended the meeting and departed for their respective homes. The Raikage A was no exception.
When he saw the heightened security around the village, A immediately assumed the Hidden Stone had launched an attack. He stormed back to the Raikage's office in a fury—only to freeze the moment he stepped inside and found both Midorima and Killer B waiting for him.
"Big brother, you're finally back. The village is in serious trouble," Killer B said, jumping to his feet.
A raised a hand to silence him, then fixed his gaze on Midorima. "You. Tell me exactly what happened."
Midorima glanced at Killer B—apparently even A couldn't handle the full rap mode right now.
"To keep it short: Akatsuki showed up. They killed eight shinobi, stole the Two-Tails along with the Amber Purifying Pot, and ambushed both me and Killer B. I got away clean—they couldn't keep up. Killer B used an Eight-Tails clone to fool them. Bottom line: sometime in the last few hours, Akatsuki targeted the Hidden Cloud Village."
"What?!" A's eyes widened. He turned sharply to Killer B. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine," Killer B answered, shaking his head. "But they're really strong."
A clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked. "They dared to attack the Hidden Cloud… unforgivable!"
"So what's your plan? Charge after them and fight to the death?" Midorima asked flatly. "Let's be honest—you're not their match. They're far stronger than you realize."
A took a long, deep breath and shifted his gaze to Midorima. "From the way you talk, it sounds like you know them quite well."
"Didn't I already tell you? Back when I was trying to clear my name, I deliberately investigated them. I know their goals. I know their members. But you were convinced I was just exaggerating their threat to manipulate the great villages into helping me take revenge. So now… I honestly don't know whether I should bother explaining anything at all."
A glanced at Killer B, thought for four or five seconds, then spoke to Samui. "Close the door. No one comes in."
Samui nodded, stepped outside, and shut the door firmly behind her.
"I apologize," A said, straightening his posture. He placed both hands on his knees and bowed his head toward Midorima. After a moment he looked up again. "My position doesn't allow me to trust others lightly. I hope you can understand that."
"He's trustworthy," Killer B said firmly.
A shot his younger brother an irritated look—as if to say, since when do you take the side of an outsider?
"Fine, even if you still don't fully believe me, I'm willing to tell you everything I know. What you choose to do with that information is up to you." Midorima gathered his thoughts. "Do you know what the Rinnegan is?"