The relentless rain of Amegakure beat a never-ending cadence against the rooftops of the hidden village. Inside a dimly lit concrete hideout, the three founders of Akatsuki sat in a rare moment of quiet reflection. Outside, the world was full of endless civil unrest.
Yahiko leaned against a damp wall, his eyes fixed on the trickles of water tracing patterns down the windowpane. His mind was caught in the memory of a rainy day a few years ago... a day just like today. It was the day Hanzo the Salamander, paranoid and threatened by their growing influence, had colluded with Danzo Shimura and the Konoha ANBU to put a lethal trap on the Akatsuki.
They had captured Konan. Hanzo had thrown a kunai at Nagato's feet giving him an ultimatum: "Kill your leader, Yahiko, or the girl dies."
Yahiko remembered in his heart at that moment. He had been ready to throw himself onto Nagato's blade to save Konan and leave his vision of Akatsuki with Nagato.
Out of nowhere, a mysterious figure wrapped in a swirling spiral white mask had intervened. The masked man had cut through the ambush, pulled Konan from Hanzo's grasp, and secured their escape before the trap could shut on them.
"What are you thinking about, Yahiko?"
The low voice of Nagato broke the silence. He was sitting on a wooden bench, his long red hair falling over his face, partially obscuring the ripple-patterned purple rings of his Rinnegan.
Yahiko turned away from the window with a melancholic smile on his lips. "I was just thinking about that day, Nagato. And honestly... wondering how we can ever truly repay our debt to Brother Tobi."
Nagato looked down at his own hands as he recalled the sheer terror of that day. "Yes... Brother Tobi saved us that day. I was so terrified, Yahiko. For the first time in my life, I felt like my very existence was about to be erased. I swore to myself right then that I would never allow us to be put in a helpless position like that again." He paused, his gaze growing distant. "In that moment of absolute despair, I felt something deep within me. I felt the catastrophic power of these eyes... the Rinnegan. I was on the verge of unleashing it, of letting the rage consume me. But before I could lose control, Brother Tobi already made the move. He blindsided Hanzo and his men and got Konan out."
Konan, who had been quietly organizing medical supplies in the corner, paused. Her blue eyes stared blankly with voice of gratitude and concern. "Where is Brother Tobi now?"
"It's hard to say," Yahiko replied, shaking his head. "He's always been an enigma apart from his comic character. It's rare enough to see him under normal circumstances, but it has been an entire two years since he last showed his face. Before that, he used to check in on us every six months."
Nagato let out a quiet sigh. "It really is a pity that he rejected our proposal to officially join Akatsuki. With his strength and foresight, we could have done so much more by now."
"Even if he hasn't signed his name to our cause, he's been an incredible help to us," Yahiko said trying to lift the mood. "He's always there for us. In my heart, he will always be one of us."
Wanting to steer the conversation away from the grim past, Yahiko turned to Nagato. "Oh, that reminds me, Nagato... what do you think about the invitation from the Land of Whirlpools? Kushina Uzumaki, the leader of Uzushio, has issued an official welcome to all surviving Uzumaki clan members across the nations. She's offering a home." Yahiko watched his friend closely, desperately hoping that Nagato might finally seize a chance to escape the living hell that Amegakure had become.
But Nagato didn't hesitate as he looked up with an unwavering gaze. "Yahiko, please don't ever say that again. My home is wherever you and Konan are. If the Land of Whirlpools is truly peaceful, then that is all the more reason for me to stay right here and solve the crisis in Amegakure. I wasn't born with these eyes by accident, Yahiko. I was given this power for a reason. I cannot afford to live a comfortable, selfish life while people are suffering."
Konan stepped forward, the paper butterflies she often folded resting quietly in her hands. "So, what shall we do about Hanzo? The civil war is dragging the people of Amegakure further into poverty. If we can somehow make him understand our ideology... if we can make him realize our goal of peace without resorting to violence... it would be an incredible achievement for Akatsuki. Shall we attempt to negotiate with him again, for the... what, hundredth time? I forgot the number of attempts we made to convince him after that incident."
Nagato's expression hardened slightly. "Of course we should try. But we must never forget what he is capable of. We need to be fully prepared in case this is another trap."
"People can change, Nagato," Yahiko insisted with infectious optimism. "Just look around us. Look at how many people are willing to join our cause now. Akatsuki has grown far beyond our wildest dreams. We aren't just a handful of orphans anymore. We are one thousand members strong. The people are tired of the blood; they want what we want. Peace."
Konan looked at Yahiko, seeing the fire of inspiration in his eyes. She nodded slowly. "Then let's go. Let's face Hanzo."
~~
The meeting took place on a vast, rain-slicked plaza surrounded by towering, pipe-covered skyscrapers. Hanzo the Salamander stood tall atop his venomous summon, Ibuse. His breath hissed through his respirator, he looked down at the three youths who had defied his reign for six long years.
The Akatsuki trio stood their ground with 50 of their best accompanied completely guarded but refusing to draw a single weapon without provocation.
"Hanzo-san," Yahiko called out. "We are here today to tell you that we forgive you. We forgive the ambush, and we forgive the attempt on our lives. But you... a man who has survived the brutal eras of the great shinobi wars... you should be able to look into our eyes and see exactly what we are fighting for. We have spent six years trying to find an end to this pointless civil war."
Yahiko stepped forward. "Please, look at the state of our country. Our endless fighting has only crippled our infrastructure, weakened our borders, and filled the streets with desperate war orphans. We grew up hearing tales of the legendary Hanzo... the leader who wished for a peaceful Amegakure. Please, think through your actions. We have been trying for the past six years for a prosperous village."
~~
A/N: I have been thinking for a while about what the Hanzo and Danzo incident was supposed to look like. Since Madara wants to live, he believes that Obito won't be able to handle things on his own... especially after knowing the Raikage defeated both Hashirama and Tobirama.
So, Obito is asked to prevent Nagato from forceful summoning Gedo Statue which will cause Madara's death.
And since, all of canon Akatsuki members are within their own village - like Sasori (with Suna), Deidara (With Iwa), Itachi (with Kumo/Konoha), Hidan (with Kumo), Kisame (With Mist fighting against Kumo).
Upto 20 Advance chapters available @ patreon.com/aizenDuchiha0
This is a major plot direction change, some might not like a peaceful Akatsuki (will use force if need be) but take it a grain of salt.