Land of Rain – Inside the Tower
After listening to Kakuzu's report, Konan couldn't hide her surprise.
"Someone from the Hyūga Clan can actually be this powerful?"
Thanks to her former teacher, Jiraiya, she knew quite a bit about Konoha and its major clans.
The Hyūga Clan...
Could such a rigid and outdated family really produce a ninja of this caliber?
It was truly unbelievable.
"What a pleasant surprise," Pain said. "There are far too few rogue ninja in the shinobi world who possess strength like his. We have to recruit him."
Hyūga Hazane's abilities were perfectly suited for capturing Jinchūriki. His ability to fly alone gave him an overwhelming advantage.
"From what he said, he hasn't completely rejected our offer," Konan remarked. "The question is... how do we persuade him?"
Pain fell silent in thought.
After delivering his report, Kakuzu left the room.
Moments later, a figure gradually emerged from the shadows in one corner.
Wrapped in the Akatsuki's black cloak adorned with red clouds, the person concealed his entire body. A mask covered his face, revealing only a single eye.
"What do you think, Mr. Madara?" Pain suddenly asked.
Obito, disguised as Uchiha Madara, replied in a low voice.
"That man is extremely dangerous. He's incredibly calculating. There's no telling what he's hiding or what he's truly after."
Obito had never liked Hazane.
Back at the Ninja Academy, the two of them had both been mocked as the disgraces of their prestigious clans.
Yet Hazane had never shown the slightest interest in becoming friends with him. He always treated Obito with distant indifference.
Obito, for his part, wasn't interested either. He and someone as handsome and popular with girls as Hazane lived in completely different worlds.
Then Hazane joined the special medical training class alongside Rin Nohara and the others.
From that moment on...
Obito disliked him even more.
Not only did Hazane get to study in a private classroom with Rin...
She constantly went to him whenever she had questions.
Watching scene after scene unfold...
Obito nearly twisted himself apart with jealousy.
Damn normie!
Hazane's life at the Academy was the kind of dream Obito only dared to have while asleep.
Even though Obito had become far stronger than he once was...
That pretty-faced bastard had apparently been hiding his true strength all along.
He was even more devious than Obito himself.
The last time Obito secretly returned to Konoha before the Night of the Nine-Tails, he had watched Hazane from the shadows.
Yet...
He hadn't noticed a single thing out of the ordinary.
Too cunning!
His schemes ran far too deep.
"So that's your assessment?" Pain said, turning toward him. His Rinnegan stared into Obito with unfathomable depth. "It sounds like you know Hyūga Hazane quite well, Mr. Madara."
"I've always kept a close eye on Konoha. Even I completely misjudged that man." Obito answered calmly. "That's why I advise you to think carefully before allowing him to join the organization."
Truthfully, Obito had no desire whatsoever to see Hazane become part of the Akatsuki.
If possible...
He would rather eliminate him outright.
At this point, Obito could even kill his own former teacher without hesitation.
Someone who had irritated him since childhood meant even less.
Still...
He suspected that the sly Hyūga possessed far more than he had revealed.
The man was shrouded in mystery.
There had to be more hidden cards up his sleeve.
Killing him wouldn't be easy.
Better not create unnecessary complications.
"Really?" Pain replied with a faint smile. "Now you've made me even more interested in him. That only convinces me we absolutely must recruit him."
Obito fell silent.
He understood that Pain—or rather, Nagato and Konan behind him—had always been wary of him.
In fact...
They had never truly trusted him from the beginning.
Under those circumstances, the more Obito opposed someone...
The more determined Nagato became to bring that person into the Akatsuki.
"So this is your way of keeping me in check..." Obito thought. "I just hope you don't end up playing with fire, Nagato."
Out loud, he merely shrugged.
"You're the leader. Recruit whoever you want."
"I'll meet him personally," Pain replied with a nod.
At that moment, another figure slowly rose from the floor.
Its body was split down the middle, one side black and the other white, while a Venus flytrap-like structure surrounded its head.
It was Zetsu, one of the Akatsuki's intelligence specialists.
"Envoys from Iwagakure and Sunagakure have arrived together," Zetsu reported. "They're demanding that the Land of Rain open its borders so their allied army can pass through to attack Konoha. They're also requesting logistical support from us."
"Refuse."
Pain answered without the slightest hesitation.
"The great nations have always been this arrogant."
"What do they think the Land of Rain is?"
If those armies were allowed to march through the country, countless innocent people would suffer along the way.
Moreover...
There was every chance they would destroy Amegakure while they were at it.
"Tell them this," Pain ordered coldly. "If their shinobi set foot inside the Land of Rain, Amegakure will join forces with Konoha and fight them."
Obito remained silent.
If it had been his decision...
He would have accepted Iwa and Suna's proposal.
Let the two villages march against Konoha.
With the Akatsuki's strength, there was no reason to fear either village turning against them afterward.
Allowing the alliance to pass and letting them wear each other down against Konoha would have been the perfect outcome.
But Obito knew Pain well.
He would never agree to such a plan.
So Obito kept his thoughts to himself.
Zetsu slowly sank back into the ground to deliver Pain's orders.
After he left, Obito finally spoke.
"It looks like there's a good chance we'll end up fighting the allied forces of Iwa and Suna before anything else."
"Then let them come."
Pain walked toward the window, gazing out at the rain-soaked world beyond with an expressionless face.
...
Tsuchikage's Office – Iwagakure
"So that's their answer?"
Ōnoki slammed his hand heavily onto the desk.
"Hmph. That new leader of Amegakure is unbelievably arrogant."
The Land of Rain lay between the Lands of Wind, Earth, and Fire.
If Sunagakure and Iwagakure wished to launch a joint invasion of the Land of Fire, they had no choice but to pass through the Land of Rain for logistical reasons.
Otherwise...
A combined offensive would be impossible.
It was precisely because of this strategic location that the Land of Rain had endured endless wars throughout its history.
"We should take this opportunity to wipe out Amegakure," Kitsuchi suggested. "At a time like this, Konoha won't dare interfere."
Ōnoki leaned back in his chair and pondered for a moment before asking,
"How are things progressing with the bounty hunters from the underground market?"
"We've already established contact with the Raikō Group. Negotiations with the Shūenyu are also underway," Kitsuchi replied.
Both organizations were notorious throughout the shinobi world.
The Raikō Group was composed of members of the Chinoike Clan, all wielders of a Kekkei Genkai.
The Shūenyu, meanwhile, consisted of five brothers from a unique half-human, half-beast race, renowned as elite ninja hunters with tremendous strength.
"Hire them."
Ōnoki narrowed his eyes.
"Send them to assassinate Amegakure's leader."
"I want to see what that village is truly capable of."
Kitsuchi couldn't help but think that this was exactly his father's style.
Whenever facing an unfamiliar enemy...
He always sent someone else to test the waters first.
Only after understanding everything would he decide whether to make his own move.
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