Beneath the dark skies of the Land of Rain, within endless mist and rain, a strange white being emerged from a wall.
It was Zetsu.
"He was last seen in Kusagakure, accompanied by a white-haired elder. Shortly after their arrival, the village was destroyed. They vanished afterward."
"One of my bodies recently detected him in the capital of the Land of Birds. He is hiding there."
Konan narrowed her eyes.
"He destroyed Kusagakure? Then he's stronger than we estimated."
Before her stood Nagato, speaking through Pain.
"Someone like that is suitable for the Akatsuki. Send Kakuzu."
After Yahiko's death, the Akatsuki had changed.
Idealism died that day.
Now only five members remained:
Nagato.
Konan.
Kakuzu.
Zetsu.
And in the shadows, Obito Uchiha.
Nagato had abandoned naïve peace.
Only overwhelming power could enforce stability.
Just as Hashirama Senju once stabilized the world by sheer strength.
If a "god" was required to stop war—
Then he would become that god.
Meanwhile, the ninja world edged toward large-scale conflict.
Kumogakure and Konohagakure clashed indirectly in the Land of Hot Water.
Kirigakure had launched a coastal invasion of the Land of Fire.
Reinforcements led by Orochimaru stabilized Konoha's lines.
Among the defenders, Shisui Uchiha rose to fame.
Then came two shocking reports:
Kusagakure had been annihilated.
And in the Land of Rain, Hanzo had fallen.
The new rulers of Amegakure were called—
Akatsuki.
The board was shifting.
And only a few understood who truly controlled the game.
/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/
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