Land of Rain.
This was the location of the newly formed Amegakure.
At the very top of its central tower, the visible leader of the Akatsuki, Nagato, along with Uchiha Obito and Konan, were in deep discussion about their next move.
"Right now, trying to capture the Three-Tails and the Nine-Tails is out of the question. The Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki, the Silver Flash, is far too powerful, and he's constantly with the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki. Unless we find a way to separate them, there's no chance of a successful capture,"
Obito said grimly, looking at both Nagato and Konan.
"I have a method to substitute a small portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra, but we're still missing part of the Three-Tails' chakra. At the very least, we need to get some of it."
The group fell into silence.
Capturing the Nine-Tails was undoubtedly the biggest obstacle. But right now, the Three-Tails' chakra was arguably even more important.
The Gedo Statue had to be activated by sealing the Tailed Beasts in order, starting from the One-Tail. The Nine-Tails could wait until the end, but the Three-Tails needed to be sealed immediately after the Two-Tails was obtained.
"With our current strength, it's impossible to go after seven tailed beasts and also retrieve the Three-Tails' chakra. Acting rashly will only lead to failure."
Nagato's voice was low and serious.
Then, Black Zetsu spoke slowly,
"I think the best strategy is to continue amassing funds and expanding our influence, while also provoking more conflict between the other villages and Konoha. If Konoha ever lets its guard down around the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki, we strike. If not, we still draw their attention away."
"Inciting war, huh…" Nagato murmured.
"All for the sake of creating a peaceful world," Obito added, looking at him.
Nagato nodded slightly and turned to Konan.
"I'll be counting on you again, Konan."
"…I'll manage," she replied softly.
Most of Amegakure's funding came from the missions they carried out, and the rest from selling explosive tags and other supplies to other ninja villages, items all created by Konan.
But just as the three continued their discussion, Obito and Nagato's expressions suddenly changed. They both sharply turned toward the same direction outside.
"That chakra…!"
"Not good!"
Obito's face twisted. His Mangekyo Sharingan lit up as a dark vortex opened, instantly swallowing Nagato whole to evacuate him.
Nagato reached out to pull Konan along, but his hand grasped only empty air.
And in the very next instant,
BOOM!!!
A blazing golden sword slash crashed down from the heavens, cleaving through the top of the building and slicing straight down to its foundations!
The golden light engulfed Obito, Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and even Konan, who scattered into countless paper fragments under the impact.
CRASH!
The building split in two down the center, collapsing outward in a shower of debris.
Black Zetsu and White Zetsu were instantly erased. Obito, now in a phased, intangible state, floated in midair with a grim expression as he looked toward the sky.
Konan's scattered paper body began to reassemble midair, slowly reforming as she stared upward in visible shock.
In the sky…
A glowing golden figure hovered above, his Kusanagi Sword shimmering with dense, brilliant senjutsu chakra.
Kaede landed softly atop the sundered remains of the tower, golden sage patterns glowing faintly on his Fifth Hokage robes as they fluttered gently in the breeze.
"Land of Rain… It's been a while. Thanks for the little 'gift' you sent during my inauguration ceremony."
He spoke calmly, gazing down at Obito, Konan, and the countless Ame-nin swarming below.
His overwhelming chakra surged out in waves, scattering the falling rain away and creating a rainless zone around him.
"Now then…"
"The Fifth Hokage has arrived."
His voice wasn't loud, but carried immense weight, amplified by the sheer pressure of his chakra.
The Fifth Hokage…?
Wasn't Konoha only on the Fourth?
But that chakra…!
The surrounding Ame-nin trembled. The massive golden aura had displaced all the rain, forming a wide ring of dryness in the air. None of them could believe the scale of the chakra they were sensing.
Such terrifying power!
And what's more, if you replaced the golden glow around his body with silver… he was the spitting image of their worst nightmare.
The Silver Flash.
The man who once slew Hanzo the Salamander and shattered Amegakure's power!
Obito glared at Kaede, his voice laced with disbelief.
"Kaede?! You dare come to the Land of Rain?!"
Kaede didn't bother responding. His gaze swept over to Konan, and he spoke coolly,
"During my inauguration a few days ago… You were the one who dropped all those explosive tags from the sky, weren't you?"
When Nagato attacked Konoha earlier, Kaede had sent his nin to plant Flying Thunder God markers in the Land of Rain. Once he confirmed their placement, he instantly teleported here and struck, sensing both Nagato and Obito's chakra signatures before cutting them down with his sword.
Normally, he was very even-tempered and slow to anger, but sending two Paths of Pain on the day of his inauguration, after already pestering him with daily White Zetsu scouts?
Well… if they were going to play dirty, he'd return the favor.
Except this time, he didn't send a clone.
He came in person.
After all, with Flying Thunder God markers in Konoha, he could return at any moment. And Obito's abilities didn't allow him to teleport long distances instantaneously.
The only regret?
Obito and Nagato both had powerful sensing capabilities, Obito with his near-Sage Body, and Nagato with his Rinnegan. They'd sensed his arrival almost immediately. Obito acted fast, warping Nagato to safety before Kaede could strike.
Konan didn't speak. A bead of cold sweat rolled down her temple as she kept her eyes locked on Kaede, not daring to blink.
She could feel it now.
The monstrous chakra flowing from him, it was real. Nothing like the tiny traces she'd sensed before through her paper clones. This was the real Kaede, standing right in front of her.
SWOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, Kaede appeared at Konan's right side. His Kusanagi Sword flashed once, slicing her body into countless tiny sheets of paper.
These instantly turned into a swarm of explosive tags and flew toward him, exploding in a roaring blaze.
But,
Not even the outer layer of Kaede's chakra cloak was scratched.
This was no ordinary chakra. It was a hybrid cloak of Senjutsu energy and Nine-Tails chakra, its defensive capabilities nearly unmatched.
SHRIP!
Konan's paper fragments reformed some distance away, revealing her body once more. She looked at Kaede, eyes full of shock.
His speed… Even when she'd been completely focused, she couldn't react in time. And her counterattack, which had pushed her limits, hadn't done anything at all.
She glanced over toward Obito,
Only to see him look at her once… and disappear into a swirling space vortex.
"Don't bother."
Kaede's voice was calm.
"He's not going to save you. No, that guy can't save you."
As his voice fell, Kaede tightened his grip on the Kusanagi's hilt, and slashed again.
WHOOSH!!
Another arc of golden light surged toward Konan.
"Shinra Tensei!!"
Just then, a low shout echoed from below, followed by a powerful repulsive force that collided with the golden slash, just barely managing to deflect it.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!!
Six figures shot out from within Amegakure, landing in formation around Konan at the top of the tower ruins. Six pairs of Rinnegan eyes locked onto Kaede.
At the front stood Deva Path Pain, under Nagato's control, his voice cold and commanding.
"I wasn't able to channel enough chakra to my puppets before… but to think you'd dare invade alone."
"In that case, "
"You're not leaving."
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