Three days later, Ebizō's delegation returned to Sunagakure. However, the cunning Tsuchikage did not agree to the mutual alliance and assistance treaty between the two nations.
Instead, they only signed a non-aggression pact and drafted trade agreements.
The Tsuchikage also mentioned that, if given the opportunity, he might send troops to the Land of Fire.
Faced with such obvious opportunism, Ebizō did not show any reaction at the time. After all, given his understanding of the Tsuchikage, this was entirely within expectations.
In addition, the Tsuchikage demanded that Sunagakure must not invade the Land of Stone; otherwise, he would consider it a breach of the peace treaty.
If that happened, he wouldn't show any mercy to the merchants stranded in the Land of Earth.
Regarding this outcome, the Kazekage merely cast a deep, contemplative gaze at the map of the Land of Stone without making any remarks.
At this moment, the ninja world had entered a calm before the storm.
But this calm was gradually shattered by a series of shocking reports.
First, news came from Takigakure (the Hidden Waterfall Village) that the Seven-Tails, a Tailed Beast gifted to them by the First Hokage, had been stolen by an unknown enemy without leaving a trace.
Subsequently, after some time, rumors about the Akatsuki Organization began to circulate throughout the ninja world.
The era of Hanzō in the Land of Rain was over, and the country was now under the control of a group called the "Akatsuki."
The leader of the Akatsuki was a young man who referred to himself as a "god."
Moreover, Kakuzu, who had once slaughtered the high-ranking officials of Takigakure, had reportedly joined this organization.
Thus, a theory began to spread in the ninja world: the Seven-Tails had been stolen by the Akatsuki Organization.
As a rogue ninja from Takigakure, Kakuzu would certainly be familiar with the location where the Tailed Beast was kept. Meanwhile, the organization's leader possessed immense power, capable of subduing and taking away a Tailed Beast.
Their goal in stealing the Tailed Beast was said to be their ambition to establish a sixth great nation.
According to "reliable sources," the organization's ultimate goal was to collect all the Tailed Beasts and elevate the Land of Rain above the entire ninja world.
They intended to use absolute power to subdue the ninja world and bring about eternal peace.
When this news broke, the upper echelons of the major nations were in an uproar. Some well-informed countries had already heard whispers of the Akatsuki Organization's so-called peace ideology.
Analyzing the situation this way, the claims seemed quite plausible, making it difficult not to believe them.
The Land of Rain, Amegakure.
The architecture here was mostly made of steel, with a significant portion also built from stone. Numerous large and small steel pipes extended upward, creating a unique cityscape distinct from other ninja villages.
At the top floor of a tall tower, Pain, Konan, Zetsu, Kakuzu, and a man wearing a yellow mask were gathered.
Zetsu, with his split Venus flytrap-like head, was the first to speak. "The spread of information about our organization has been incredibly fast. By now, I'm sure every major village has a dedicated file on us sitting on their desks..."
"Moreover, the individuals spreading this information have appeared not only in the major nations but also in smaller countries and even some towns..."
"I've tried capturing a few of them, hoping to trace the mastermind, but it's as if the memories in their minds were injected out of thin air..."
"Additionally, their brains were rigged with explosive tags. If anyone forcibly searched their memories, they would self-destruct."
"The people targeting us this time are extremely troublesome..."
The masked man spoke in a deep voice. "The information they've spread mixes truth with lies, but the part about collecting Tailed Beasts is disturbingly accurate—it hits right at our core!"
"Where did this information originate?"
Pain scanned the room with his Rinnegan, his expression emotionless.
Aside from Konan, none of these individuals had earned his trust.
"Uh!"
"Although the information mentions me, I swear I have no interest in Tailed Beasts. If I had the time, I'd rather go hunt a couple of bounties for cash!"
"Besides, ever since I came here with you, I haven't left Amegakure..."
Locked in Pain's Rinnegan gaze, Kakuzu reluctantly spoke. His emerald-green eyes showed frustration, but the lingering memory of Pain's overwhelming power kept him from acting out.
"There's no need to doubt!"
"It's impossible for the leak to have come from within our organization!"
"With Zetsu around, any suspicious activity within our group would be impossible to hide from his eyes."
The masked man's Sharingan flashed red. This hidden enemy was truly despicable.
Now, the Akatsuki Organization had been forced into the open. Some ninja villages had even secretly dispatched personnel to the Land of Rain...
"Could it be Danzō..."
In the masked man's mind, the image of a sinister figure appeared.
Given Danzō's methods and personality, it wasn't impossible for him to secretly investigate after discovering that Hanzō, his former ally, had disappeared...
However, Hanzō's forces had been thoroughly wiped out at the time!
Even if Danzō had planted spies within Hanzō's ranks, they should have been eliminated by now...
Hmm?!
The masked man's pupils suddenly contracted as another figure flashed through his mind.
That mysterious One-Tails Jinchūriki outside Konohagakure on the day Kushina gave birth...
The masked man had originally planned to stay hidden in the shadows, leaving the Akatsuki's public operations to Nagato.
But with this information leak, the difficulty of capturing Tailed Beasts had suddenly multiplied.
Moreover, if another Tailed Beast went missing, all the villages would immediately suspect the Akatsuki. If the organization became the target of the entire ninja world...
With the Akatsuki's current strength, they wouldn't be able to withstand such pressure...
The masked man's plans to stir up trouble in Kirigakure were now completely ruined, leaving him deeply frustrated. After all, Kirigakure was supposed to be...
"Then we'll have to revise our strategy moving forward!"
Pain's Deva Path remained unfazed, his face devoid of fear as he spoke coldly.
Confident in his absolute power, he was not intimidated by the dire situation.
Time passed in this delicate balance of controlled calm and secret preparations among the nations.
Before long, the season of drifting snow had passed, and the spring rains began to nourish the land and foster new growth.
If one could look down at the ninja world map from the clouds, they would notice blue lines spreading across the Land of Wind near the territories bordering the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds. Alongside these lines were vibrant green dots of life.
Seasons came and went, and nearly a year had passed since the unmanifested Nine-Tails Night.
On this day, the bustling Konohagakure welcomed an unexpected guest."God-Tier Kazekage: Building"Chapter 120: The Akatsuki Organization
Three days later, Ebizō's delegation returned to Sunagakure. However, the cunning Tsuchikage did not agree to the mutual alliance and assistance treaty between the two nations.
Instead, they only signed a non-aggression pact and drafted trade agreements.
The Tsuchikage also mentioned that, if given the opportunity, he might send troops to the Land of Fire.
Faced with such obvious opportunism, Ebizō did not show any reaction at the time. After all, given his understanding of the Tsuchikage, this was entirely within expectations.
In addition, the Tsuchikage demanded that Sunagakure must not invade the Land of Stone; otherwise, he would consider it a breach of the peace treaty.
If that happened, he wouldn't show any mercy to the merchants stranded in the Land of Earth.
Regarding this outcome, the Kazekage merely cast a deep, contemplative gaze at the map of the Land of Stone without making any remarks.
At this moment, the ninja world had entered a calm before the storm.
But this calm was gradually shattered by a series of shocking reports.
First, news came from Takigakure (the Hidden Waterfall Village) that the Seven-Tails, a Tailed Beast gifted to them by the First Hokage, had been stolen by an unknown enemy without leaving a trace.
Subsequently, after some time, rumors about the Akatsuki Organization began to circulate throughout the ninja world.
The era of Hanzō in the Land of Rain was over, and the country was now under the control of a group called the "Akatsuki."
The leader of the Akatsuki was a young man who referred to himself as a "god."
Moreover, Kakuzu, who had once slaughtered the high-ranking officials of Takigakure, had reportedly joined this organization.
Thus, a theory began to spread in the ninja world: the Seven-Tails had been stolen by the Akatsuki Organization.
As a rogue ninja from Takigakure, Kakuzu would certainly be familiar with the location where the Tailed Beast was kept. Meanwhile, the organization's leader possessed immense power, capable of subduing and taking away a Tailed Beast.
Their goal in stealing the Tailed Beast was said to be their ambition to establish a sixth great nation.
According to "reliable sources," the organization's ultimate goal was to collect all the Tailed Beasts and elevate the Land of Rain above the entire ninja world.
They intended to use absolute power to subdue the ninja world and bring about eternal peace.
When this news broke, the upper echelons of the major nations were in an uproar. Some well-informed countries had already heard whispers of the Akatsuki Organization's so-called peace ideology.
Analyzing the situation this way, the claims seemed quite plausible, making it difficult not to believe them.
The Land of Rain, Amegakure.
The architecture here was mostly made of steel, with a significant portion also built from stone. Numerous large and small steel pipes extended upward, creating a unique cityscape distinct from other ninja villages.
At the top floor of a tall tower, Pain, Konan, Zetsu, Kakuzu, and a man wearing a yellow mask were gathered.
Zetsu, with his split Venus flytrap-like head, was the first to speak. "The spread of information about our organization has been incredibly fast. By now, I'm sure every major village has a dedicated file on us sitting on their desks..."
"Moreover, the individuals spreading this information have appeared not only in the major nations but also in smaller countries and even some towns..."
"I've tried capturing a few of them, hoping to trace the mastermind, but it's as if the memories in their minds were injected out of thin air..."
"Additionally, their brains were rigged with explosive tags. If anyone forcibly searched their memories, they would self-destruct."
"The people targeting us this time are extremely troublesome..."
The masked man spoke in a deep voice. "The information they've spread mixes truth with lies, but the part about collecting Tailed Beasts is disturbingly accurate—it hits right at our core!"
"Where did this information originate?"
Pain scanned the room with his Rinnegan, his expression emotionless.
Aside from Konan, none of these individuals had earned his trust.
"Uh!"
"Although the information mentions me, I swear I have no interest in Tailed Beasts. If I had the time, I'd rather go hunt a couple of bounties for cash!"
"Besides, ever since I came here with you, I haven't left Amegakure..."
Locked in Pain's Rinnegan gaze, Kakuzu reluctantly spoke. His emerald-green eyes showed frustration, but the lingering memory of Pain's overwhelming power kept him from acting out.
"There's no need to doubt!"
"It's impossible for the leak to have come from within our organization!"
"With Zetsu around, any suspicious activity within our group would be impossible to hide from his eyes."
The masked man's Sharingan flashed red. This hidden enemy was truly despicable.
Now, the Akatsuki Organization had been forced into the open. Some ninja villages had even secretly dispatched personnel to the Land of Rain...
"Could it be Danzō..."
In the masked man's mind, the image of a sinister figure appeared.
Given Danzō's methods and personality, it wasn't impossible for him to secretly investigate after discovering that Hanzō, his former ally, had disappeared...
However, Hanzō's forces had been thoroughly wiped out at the time!
Even if Danzō had planted spies within Hanzō's ranks, they should have been eliminated by now...
Hmm?!
The masked man's pupils suddenly contracted as another figure flashed through his mind.
That mysterious One-Tails Jinchūriki outside Konohagakure on the day Kushina gave birth...
The masked man had originally planned to stay hidden in the shadows, leaving the Akatsuki's public operations to Nagato.
But with this information leak, the difficulty of capturing Tailed Beasts had suddenly multiplied.
Moreover, if another Tailed Beast went missing, all the villages would immediately suspect the Akatsuki. If the organization became the target of the entire ninja world...
With the Akatsuki's current strength, they wouldn't be able to withstand such pressure...
The masked man's plans to stir up trouble in Kirigakure were now completely ruined, leaving him deeply frustrated. After all, Kirigakure was supposed to be...
"Then we'll have to revise our strategy moving forward!"
Pain's Deva Path remained unfazed, his face devoid of fear as he spoke coldly.
Confident in his absolute power, he was not intimidated by the dire situation.
Time passed in this delicate balance of controlled calm and secret preparations among the nations.
Before long, the season of drifting snow had passed, and the spring rains began to nourish the land and foster new growth.
If one could look down at the ninja world map from the clouds, they would notice blue lines spreading across the Land of Wind near the territories bordering the Land of Rivers and the Land of Birds. Alongside these lines were vibrant green dots of life.
Seasons came and went, and nearly a year had passed since the unmanifested Nine-Tails Night.
On this day, the bustling Konohagakure welcomed an unexpected guest.