Land of Rain.
The skies above Amegakure were perpetually shrouded in unyielding dark clouds. A relentless drizzle trickled down onto the earth as people moved about, their eyes filled with a hopeful fervor—as if chasing some greater purpose.
In Amegakure today, there was only one god they worshipped.
That was Pain.
The people of Amegakure believed that under Pain's rule, their lives would only continue to improve.
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"Kakuzu has lost contact!"
Inside the Akatsuki hideout, the cold-faced Konan delivered the news to the haughty Deva Path Pain.
As the Akatsuki's financial officer, Kakuzu's role was undeniably crucial.
Originally, the organization's expansion had been hindered by a lack of funds, but ever since Kakuzu joined, their growth had surged beyond expectations—something that pleased both Pain and Konan greatly.
(Kakuzu: So I'm just a tool, huh?!)
"Did he find out you were embezzling funds?" Pain asked, before immediately feeling the deadly intent in Konan's glare.
'One more word, and I swear I'll blow you up.'
"Ahem!"
Pain instantly backed down. "Y-You were doing it for the organization's benefit. Purchasing necessary materials—even if Kakuzu knew, he'd understand!"
(Kakuzu: Explain yourselves! Where did my money go?!)
Satisfied with Pain's quick correction, Konan shot him a you-know-what's-good-for-you look before continuing.
"According to Kakuzu's last report, his final mission was a request from the Daimyō of the Land of Snow. But based on our investigation, that mission involved confronting Konoha shinobi."
At the mention of Konoha, the Deva Path's gaze sharpened considerably.
"Tell me, which Konoha shinobi was it? Hatake Kakashi?"
Konan shook her head. "Not Hatake Kakashi. It was someone two years Kakashi's junior—officially ranked as a chūnin in Konoha. However, the team he was leading was the Ino-Shika-Chō squad. That's... interesting, to say the least."
Pain frowned. "So you're suggesting Kakuzu was killed in a battle against a Konoha chūnin?"
It was hard to believe. Kakuzu had five hearts—five lives. Recruiting him had taken considerable effort.
Konan and Pain knew full well how formidable Kakuzu's survival skills were. Coupled with his decades of combat experience, even an encounter with a team of elite jōnin shouldn't have ended in his death.
Something must be off here.
Konan nodded. "As much as I don't want to accept it, you know how Kakuzu is. For someone as obsessed with money as him, he wouldn't abandon his position as Akatsuki's treasurer. The fact that he's gone silent can only mean one thing—he was killed."
The possibility of betrayal wasn't impossible, but it was negligible.
Kakuzu knew about Pain's Rinnegan. He had witnessed his power and held deep reverence for it.
If he dared betray the Akatsuki, he would face relentless retaliation.
Aside from the traitorous Orochimaru, no one who joined the Akatsuki had ever dared to leave.
"Kakuzu's death shouldn't be concluded so easily. Send White Zetsu to investigate."
Konan naturally didn't refuse.
"Then I'll notify Black Zetsu and have White Zetsu scout the area."
Though White Zetsu had countless clones, most were concentrated in the Five Great Nations and other critical locations. A remote, insignificant country like the Land of Snow had no White Zetsu presence.
Who would have thought a figure like Kakuzu could die so easily?
"That being said," Pain mused, "if that chūnin really did kill Kakuzu, then his strength must be extraordinary."
Every official member of the Akatsuki was a notorious S-rank missing-nin, at the very least at the elite jōnin level.
Thanks to his Earth Grudge Fear ability and mastery over all five elemental chakra natures, Kakuzu's strength was undoubtedly Kage-level.
For him to be slain by a Konoha chūnin...
Unless he'd gotten careless, the only explanation was that his opponent was that strong.
"Since it's someone from Konoha, why don't we gather more intel and ask Itachi about it?" Konan suggested.
Pain didn't answer immediately. After a long moment of contemplation, he finally nodded.
"Fine. Itachi was brought in by 'Madara' after all. It wouldn't hurt to test him. Especially since there's still one Uchiha left in Konoha."
"I'll arrange it."
Pain trusted Itachi—but at the same time, he remained wary.
Had Itachi truly exterminated the entire Uchiha clan, leaving absolutely no survivors, then there'd be no issue.
But now, with Itachi's younger brother alive, trust could never be absolute.
Still, that didn't hinder their collaboration.
Even as Itachi used the Akatsuki, Pain was equally using him—and everyone else—for his own ends.
"Still no sign of the Three-Tails' chakra. It's been over a decade since its death." Konan suddenly remarked, her gaze drifting into the distance.
Her vision seemed to pierce through the clouds, toward the vast sky beyond.
Somewhere out there, lay her longing.
"Just a little longer... just a little longer..."
Pain clenched his fists unconsciously, following Konan's line of sight—only to see the same oppressive gloom that had colored his world since Yahiko's death.
"Soon, our vision for peace will be realized."
As Pain murmured to himself, Konan remained deep in thought.
The silence lingered—until Tobi emerged from swirling space-time ripples.
Konan and Pain immediately tensed, eyeing him warily.
"Tch, tch. No need to be so guarded!"
Tobi raised his hands playfully, well aware that he had never truly earned their trust—just as he had never fully trusted them.
"Heard Kakuzu went missing?"
"Come now, as a member of this organization, isn't it natural to care about my comrades?" Grinning beneath his mask, Tobi offered a flimsy excuse.
Pain and Konan exchanged glances, coming to an unspoken agreement.
We were just talking about testing Itachi. Since this 'Uchiha Madara' showed up, why not test him first?
With mutual understanding established, Pain spoke coolly.
"Kakuzu has indeed gone missing. His last known mission involved an encounter with Konoha shinobi."
"Konoha? Don't tell me he tried assassinating the Fifth Hokage?" Tobi mused. "Aside from Tsunade or Jiraiya, I can't imagine anyone else capable of killing him."
He wasn't underestimating Kakuzu's strength.
In a direct battle, without the aid of the Uchiha fan, Tobi wasn't entirely confident he could win.
Among Konoha's forces, defeating Kakuzu was possible—but killing him? That should have been near-impossible.
"He didn't go to Konoha." Konan clarified. "He went to the Land of Snow. The escorting shinobi was allegedly a chūnin named... Kamizuki Hikari."
She abruptly stopped speaking when she noticed the sudden shift in 'Madara's' demeanor.
Tobi chuckled softly, clapping his hands in mock admiration.
"My, my. Konoha's talent pool truly is impressive! Very well—I'll take White Zetsu and investigate the Land of Snow personally. If this 'Kamizuki Hikari' is indeed a threat, we'll need to assess whether he's an enemy sooner rather than later."
A ripple in space appeared, and just like that—Tobi vanished.
Left alone, Pain and Konan stood in silence, their gazes once again drifting toward the rain-soaked horizon outside.
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