Looking down at the robot on the ground, [he thought], So this is the power of Scientific Ninja Tools, unique to this era. It seems I can't afford to underestimate them after all.
He had been too self-assured before, confident in his own overwhelming strength, dismissing Scientific Ninja Tools entirely. But now, it was clear they had their merits. Perhaps he, too, should adapt to these so-called Scientific Ninja Tools.
Shaking his head, he pushed the thought aside. Now wasn't the time. Nagato's parting words echoed in his mind – they had already begun to move.
If the Akatsuki were making their move, what was their objective?
Tailed Beasts!
Had the Akatsuki already started hunting the Tailed Beasts? If so, which one was their target?
Among the known Tailed Beasts, the Nine-Tails had been recaptured and returned to Konoha, so it was safe for the moment. Naruto should have things under control there soon enough. Besides, if any trouble arose in Konoha, Naruto could return instantly. More importantly, Naruto now housed the power of all nine Tailed Beasts within him.
Given Nagato's current strength – barely enough to pose a challenge even to Sasuke himself – it was unthinkable that he'd be arrogant enough to target Naruto, a Jinchuriki wielding the might of nine Bijuu.
So, Konoha was out.
That left Sunagakure, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure as possibilities.
The Nine-Tails had been taken from Kirigakure, so the Mist Village could likely be excluded for now. Even if the Akatsuki went there, it wouldn't matter; the beast was already gone.
Wait... The Akatsuki had allied with the Kara Organization now. Nagato himself had undergone modifications with Scientific Ninja Tools. What about the other Akatsuki members?
While the Akatsuki in this world were practically operating blind initially, their alliance with Kara granted them a source of intelligence. In other words, the Akatsuki could now pinpoint the locations of the Tailed Beasts in each village.
Considering this, which Tailed Beast were they most likely to target first?
The Tailed Beast of the Land of Rain should have already been captured by them. That left the Land of Iron, Kumogakure, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure.
Out of these four, the most probable target was...
Sasuke recalled the look in Nagato's eyes as he left. That blatant provocation... It meant Nagato's most likely first move would be...
"Sunagakure!"
Nagato's final words, telling Sasuke to try and stop him, were a direct challenge. A challenge clearly directed at Sasuke, but also, perhaps, at Nagato himself.
Nagato, the Akatsuki! They intended to follow the historical pattern, capturing the Tailed Beasts one by one. That's why he'd said what he did before leaving.
Therefore, the first target had to be... Sunagakure's One-Tail!
No!
The Eight-Tails was also currently in Sunagakure. That meant the Akatsuki's target this time wasn't just one, but two Tailed Beasts.
The One-Tail and the Eight-Tails!
Quite the appetite you have there, Nagato.
Meanwhile, within the Kara Organization's base, Nagato faced Jigen.
"Provoking Sasuke Uchiha like that... he's going to cause you a lot of trouble, you know," Jigen remarked calmly. "Capturing the Tailed Beasts might become considerably more difficult."
Nagato simply chuckled. "Even if I didn't provoke him, did you really think capturing the Tailed Beasts would be easy? This was always going to be a challenge!"
He smiled faintly, looking at Jigen. "Besides," Nagato continued coolly, "the Five Great Nations are currently united. But if Sasuke rushes off to Sunagakure... under those circumstances, will the others believe he's there to help protect the Tailed Beasts, or will they suspect he's using 'protection' as a pretext to steal them himself?"
Jigen understood Nagato's strategy then. If they didn't sow discord among the Five Great Nations, allowing them to band together for mutual defense, capturing the Tailed Beasts would become exponentially harder. Only by creating friction between the great shinobi villages, or at least eroding their trust in one another, could Akatsuki find an opening.
Otherwise, with the Akatsuki's current strength alone, confronting the entire shinobi world was simply impossible. Nowadays, wasn't every village protected by multiple Kage-level shinobi? This reality drastically increased the difficulty of capturing the Tailed Beasts.
"Continue the modifications," Nagato commanded, turning towards Amado who stood nearby. "Bring me to the level I specified as soon as possible. And the Six Paths of Pain as well!" With that, he headed towards the laboratory.
At that moment, near Sunagakure...
Out in the desert, the rampaging Eight-Tails, Gyūki, had already cut down a large number of Sand shinobi. Fortunately, before the three Kazekage arrived, the beast had been successfully trapped, unable to move freely.
Then, the Kazekage arrived: the Third, the Fourth (Rasa), and the Fifth (Gaara).
All three unleashed their power simultaneously!
As users of Magnet Release, the combined chakra erupting from the three Kazekage created a staggering pressure wave. The nearby Sand shinobi watched, utterly dumbfounded.
"Three Kage-level shinobi... using the same Kekkei Genkai, and performing the same ninjutsu simultaneously!"
"It feels like the entire desert is trembling!"
Across the boundless desert, the golden sands instantly surged like a tidal wave. The attack came first from the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara. Tempered by years of experience, Gaara's power had grown even more formidable; he was arguably the strongest Kazekage in history. With effortless control, his sand ensnared the Eight-Tails, binding it tightly.
Simultaneously, Gold Dust surged forward, followed by rolling waves of Iron Sand. The three Kazekage hovered in the air, forming a triangular formation. Their hands clasped together, chakra flooding wildly from their bodies.
"Sand Waterfall Funeral!" x3!
A triple Sand Waterfall Funeral manifested. First, the Iron Sand rolled over Gyūki, applying the initial layer of suppression. Next, the Gold Dust coiled around the already slowed beast, adding the second layer. Finally, a colossal wave of ordinary sand, vast enough to seemingly swallow the world, swept in, delivering the third layer of crushing restraint.
Once all three types of sand were in place, the Kazekage exchanged glances. Then, they exerted their combined will.
"Joint World-Devouring Sandstorm Funeral!"
VWUUUUUUUMMM!
In an instant, the desert floor convulsed violently, as if the lifeless sands had suddenly roared to life, transforming into a raging ocean that unleashed a furious tsunami. The frantically swirling sands engulfed the struggling Eight-Tails, burying it instantly beneath a thousand meters of compacted desert.
At that depth, the sheer weight and pressure of the sand alone would have immobilized Gyūki, let alone the focused, combined power of three Kazekage reinforcing the seal.
The Eight-Tails, Gyūki, was forcefully subdued.
Watching the sand slowly coalesce into a massive pyramid, sealing the Eight-Tails within, a smile spread across Rasa's face. Beside him, the Third Kazekage grinned as well.
"With the Eight-Tails secured, Sunagakure will finally, truly rise!" Rasa declared excitedly. Hearing this, the surrounding Sand shinobi erupted in cheers.
The One-Tail and the Eight-Tails! From this day forward, Sunagakure possessed two Tailed Beasts. No longer would they be considered the weakest of the Five Great Nations. Possessing the Eight-Tails, a beast capable of contending even with the Nine-Tails, meant a new era for the Hidden Sand Village.
Just then, Indra arrived on the scene. He gazed at the newly formed pyramid in the distance.
Impressive techniques... capable of suppressing a Tailed Beast directly. These guys aren't half bad.
Still, this only made it more convenient for him to take the Eight-Tails away.
Just as Indra prepared to move forward, an explosion detonated behind him. A terrifying aura flared into existence...
Instantly, the hairs on Indra's neck stood on end. His entire body locked up, completely frozen.
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