It had already been two days since Jiraiya's invasion of Amegakure. Akatsuki was preparing their next move, with everyone gathered in the meeting room inside the Akatsuki Tower.
The atmosphere in the room felt weird. Pain and Konan hadn't arrived yet, but no one was chatting idly—they were either deep in thought or silently observing their surroundings.
Tap tap tap.
Soon after, Deva Path Pain and Konan entered one by one. Their eyes scanned the room before they took their seats.
"You all know why we're here today," Pain said.
He sat at the head of the table, expression cold. His Rinnegan eyes glowed with an intense, dominating light—a clear sign of his full confidence in control over everything. As he spoke, an invisible pressure began to fill the air, making everyone grow more serious.
Konan sat on the right side, followed by the elegantly composed figure of Sasori, then Hidan, who looked slightly impatient. On the left end sat Saitama, followed by the silent Zetsu and Kakuzu, who seemed completely unfazed.
This is all the Akatsuki has—and will be the core of our future strength.
"So are we really going straight after the remaining Tailed Beasts?" Saitama asked calmly, gazing at Pain. His black-and-white eyes faintly shimmered in the dim room.
His purpose for collecting the Tailed Beasts was for a completely different purpose than Obito had previously intended. So there was no need for rash action—steady progress would work just fine.
"A few major Hidden Villages led by Konoha will hold the Five Kage Summit in two days at the Land of Iron. That really could be our chance, though it won't be easy. The Jinchuriki might not be easy to deal with, and they'll definitely tighten security around them!"
Kakuzu gave a slight nod. Everyone already knew about the Five Kage Summit. He was just giving a quick recap.
"I heard the Eight-Tails' Jinchuriki is more like a wild man, right there at Raikō Ravine. Let me go meet him—let him feel Lord Jashin's power!"
Hidan leaned forward, speaking arrogantly as if the host of the Eight-Tails was nothing but a joke.
Zetsu had already shared the exact locations and some intelligence about the last two Tailed Beasts, so Hidan seemed especially eager.
"This really is an opportunity, but our enemies aren't stupid. Once a Kage leaves the village, protecting the Jinchuriki becomes top priority, and all defenses will shift toward that goal. Though Kumo's arrogance is pretty off the charts."
Saitama glanced around, clearly pointing out the danger.
But everyone in the room had already considered these issues. No one believed the current villages holding the Tailed Beasts were weak. After all, those were the two top powerhouses universally recognized in the Shinobi World—both capable of claiming the title of "Strongest."
"Dangerous, naturally. Which is exactly why we must create a solid plan now." Pain listened to everyone's opinions, then placed both hands on the table, fingers continuously tapping its surface. "This operation represents our best opportunity under current circumstances—it's a step we absolutely must take. No matter what lies ahead, we cannot retreat."
"If we wait until the Five Kage Summit concludes and the Hidden Villages come to an accord, capturing the Tailed Beasts will get a lot harder!"
"No problem. It's been a while since I've experienced such a large-scale event. I almost feel nostalgic."
Sasori scrutinized Pain with a calm tone, showing no concern for the imminent danger ahead.
"Then, since no one has objections, let's begin preparing our plans!"
Pain was satisfied with their attitudes. His gaze swept across Saitama before continuing, "The only Tailed Beasts we currently have not captured are Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails. This time, we'll eliminate these threats once and for all, bringing both under our control. The operation is divided into three main directions: the Five Kage Summit, the Nine-Tails, and the Eight-Tails!"
"Therefore, we must split into three groups and act separately!"
"No problem!"
"Understood!"
Silence fell as everyone turned their full attention to Pain's explanation.
"We need someone to not only disrupt the Five Kage Summit but also hold back the Kage themselves to buy time for the other two teams. Naturally, whoever undertakes this mission must possess the strength to temporarily suppress enemies, and must also have exceptional mobility. So..."
Pain looked toward Saitama; further explanation wasn't necessary. Clearly, Saitama would be the one heading to the Five Kage Summit.
Among all the members present, aside from Pain himself and Saitama, no one dared claim they could create chaos at the summit and still escape unscathed.
"Got it! Leave the Five Kage Summit to me! I can buy you some time. However, if it's Minato Namikaze, it might be difficult to keep him pinned down because he masters Space-Time Ninjutsu. As for the Raikage and others, I can definitely hold them back so they won't be able to reinforce the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki!"
Saitama spoke confidently. Although he'd yet to face the Raikage directly, having mastered similar Ninja Taijutsu techniques plus Flying Thunder God, along with enhanced abilities granted by the Snake Sage Art, he had full confidence in his skills. If necessary, he still had [Gundam] and Dojutsu ready to unleash overwhelming power onto his opponents.
Moreover, although he faced five Kage, there was honestly nothing terrifying about it.
Rasa of Sunagakure was already his defeated opponent. Last time, if Shisui hadn't suddenly appeared, he might have succeeded in killing Kazekage Rasa, making him unworthy of attention now.
As for Mist's side, Yagura had already been captured and Terumi Mei had perished. Out of what used to be the Seven Swordsmen, only Ameyuri Ringo remained, and her strength was nothing special. Whoever sits in the Mizukage seat this time could practically be ignored, likely being the weakest faction at this summit.
Minato Namikaze from Konoha won't be able to focus on Saitama once the mission starts — since he'll be dealing with the chaos directly, there's no need to worry about him.
The remaining Raikage and Tsuchikage were indeed troublesome, but Saitama was confident that he wouldn't be defeated!
"No problem. Let Minato escape. I'll handle the Nine-Tails myself. I've heard the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is none other than Minato's wife, and I've decided to fight directly within Konoha Village, so this time he won't have any chance to flee."
Pain nodded. As long as Saitama could keep the other four forces occupied, the mission would be an overwhelming success. He didn't care if Minato Namikaze decided to come to the village's aid—if he did, even better, they could take him down together!
"Kakuzu, Hidan, and Sasori—the Eight-Tails is entrusted to you three. Any problems?"
"No problem. Leave the Eight-Tails to us!"
Kakuzu glanced at the silent Sasori before nodding his agreement.
In his opinion, the most dangerous parts of this operation were dealing with Saitama guarding the Five Kage, and the direct attack on Konoha led by Pain. The part concerning the Eight-Tails wouldn't be a big issue as long as the Raikage couldn't provide timely backup. Although Kumogakure wasn't weaker than Konoha in terms of hard power, it was their side that had three members, and they didn't need to mount an all-out assault on the entire village.
Previously, Zetsu's intelligence had already indicated that unlike the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki did not live within the village of Kumogakure itself but instead trained permanently outside the village at the Raikō Ravine. This further reduced the difficulty of the mission. It seemed like either the Raikage had great confidence in the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki or something else—White Zetsu's clone entering the Raikō Ravine found surprisingly few defensive forces present.
"Zetsu will handle intelligence transfer and communication between us. Konan will accompany me into Konoha Village to capture the Nine-Tails. That concludes our mission assignments for now."
Pain swept his gaze around the room, clearly satisfied.
"So then, comrades, the operation begins at this very moment! I do not expect failure from anyone!"
All members rose to their feet, eyeing each other with ambiguous smiles before heading outside.
Today, Amegakure saw no rain. Sunlight, mild and warm, shined upon the exit of the Akatsuki Tower, stretching seven dark figures' shadows into elongated lines.
...
Inside a dimly lit laboratory, a tall yet somewhat gaunt figure paused what he was doing.
Black hair cascading down, a purple Tomoe earring dangling, pale yellow Snake Eyes glowing, and seductive eyeliner sharpening piercing eyes—it was none other than one of the legendary Sannin (Sanin), Orochimaru.
"Kimimaro, clean up the lab—we'll be heading out soon."
Orochimaru's voice sounded hoarse, likely due to not having spoken much over recent days.
A shadow quivered slightly from the corner of the room before a small figure stepped forward. "Understood, Lord Orochimaru!"
"A Five Kage Summit? Now that's something interesting! Wonder what'll happen—I'm actually looking forward to it!" Orochimaru licked his lips with excitement, his burning gaze fixed ahead as if seeing through physical barriers to observe distant events.
For quite some time, he had not stepped outside, fully immersed in his experiments within this laboratory. Yet, he hadn't been cut off from news circulating in the outer world—his spies embedded across various Hidden Villages had continuously fed him with plenty of crucial intelligence.
"With such an opportunity, I might just find myself some perfect specimens. Time to try out my latest breakthroughs!"
Walking forward, Orochimaru stepped toward the exit.
When he slid open the heavy door, letting light flood in, for a brief instant, the massive chamber revealed everything inside: countless glass cylinders, each containing humanoid forms bound by multiple Cursed Seals.
"Come along, Kimimaro. Let's witness the changing world! Perhaps the next time we see it, things will be entirely different!"
Orochimaru's echoing voice followed along the corridor outside.
"No matter how things change, I will always stand by Orochimaru's side!"
Kimimaro's voice was cold and detached, carrying a level of maturity and calmness far beyond his years. His reliance on Orochimaru ran deep—his gaze burned with fanatical devotion, as if Orochimaru were his god.
"Hmm."
The sound of footsteps gradually faded away, leaving the place in silence once again.
...
"Teacher, you're looking much better. You're healing up nicely!"
Minato teasingly handed Jiraiya a peeled apple.
"Cough...I'm...alright!" Jiraiya sat halfway up on the bed, leaning against the wall. Though he still looked somewhat weak, it was clearly just due to lack of energy. His voice sounded odd when he spoke, like he was struggling to catch his breath.
"I'll be departing for the Land of Iron soon, so please focus on your recovery."
Minato sat down on a chair nearby, clasping his hands tightly together, wearing a serious expression.
"You must be careful! Since this meeting you're organizing might draw interference from Akatsuki, you should have at least some understanding of their strength!"
Jiraiya whispered urgently, forcing himself to keep his voice low after speaking one sentence.
"I understand completely, and I'll stay cautious. But I'm not afraid of Akatsuki attacking us directly—if they dare show themselves, the Five Great Kage won't just sit idle. What worries me most is that they might use this opportunity to target Kushina."
Minato said with concern, frowning deeply.
"It's not like he hadn't considered taking Kushina with him, but her safety would actually be worse traveling alongside him than staying in the village."
"Infiltrating the village? I don't think Akatsuki would be that bold yet—their power isn't quite there either. Still, your concern is valid—I'll keep an eye out."
"There's no need for you to worry about it, teacher. Just rest easy while you recover. I'm merely stating what's on my mind. Besides, I've already arranged enough ninja to protect Kushina. Once I leave the village, we will place the Hidden Village on high alert and minimize contact with outsiders. While Akatsuki members are individually powerful, none of them are foolish enough to launch a direct assault on a Hidden Village."
Minato and Jiraiya exchanged a meaningful glance, understanding each other without a word.
"Not discussing it further—I came here just to inform you that I'm leaving the village. So you rest well, teacher. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."
After a long moment, Minato stood up and said this to Jiraiya before turning and walking away.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Minato met Tsunade at the door, who was holding a food tray, and gave a slight nod.
"Oh, Minato, visiting Jiraiya?"
"Yes, I've already seen him. I have things to do, so I won't stay longer. You two talk." He politely stepped aside to let Tsunade through before making his way out.
"Your student really is thoughtful!"
Tsunade glanced at Minato's retreating figure before placing the food tray on the bedside table next to Jiraiya. Then she dragged over a chair and settled down beside the hospital bed.
"Minato has always been someone warm-hearted—this is precisely why he deserved the Hokage position!"
Jiraiya closed his eyes contentedly, seemingly savoring the atmosphere around him.
"The examination results of the corpse and the cerebral invasion are in. It turns out your theory is correct."
"Pain isn't the real body; those were corpses already long dead, simply modified somehow!"
Leaning back in her chair with arms crossed, Tsunade told Jiraiya, still somewhat amazed by this revelation herself.
"Yeah, I already had a feeling about that, but it doesn't matter now. The key now is to find Nagato hiding behind everything. Once we do that, the issue with Pain should be resolved."
Jiraiya took a bite of his apple, chewed briefly, and spat it into the trash can beside him. His throat wound hadn't fully healed yet, so he couldn't swallow solid food—only juices while he slowly recovered.
"Hmph, stop eating apples. Try some soup instead. This is... uh... Shizune made you some fish broth."
Tsunade snatched the unfinished apple from Jiraiya's hand and opened the lunchbox she had brought along. A rich aroma of fish instantly wafted through the air, quickly filling the entire ward.
"Careful, it might be hot!" Tsunade smiled slightly as she watched Jiraiya hastily scoop a spoonful into his mouth.
"You know Tsunade, something's off about this soup—it's way too salty. Next time, use less salt, and don't cook it for so long either. The bones melted right into it."
Jiraiya joked lightly. He knew immediately after tasting it that Tsunade herself—not Shizune—had made this soup.
"You should be grateful there's anything to eat at all. If you're not happy with it, I'm not exactly eager to cook again anyway!" Tsunade's face darkened slightly. Despite being her first try, she actually felt quite proud of herself.
"Alright, alright."
Jiraiya continued gulping down the soup hungrily. His pale complexion took on a healthier tone, and his eyes squinted with pleasure, clearly enjoying the taste far more than he let on.
...
"Sensei Minato!"
Obito stood calmly before Minato, ready and waiting for orders.
"Obito, the reason I'm leaving the village without bringing you along is because I need you to take on an even more critical task. While I'm away, I want you to serve as Kushina's personal guard and eliminate any danger before it reaches her. Since you've already mastered [Flying Thunder God Technique], I feel confident placing this trust in you."
Minato looked directly at Obito while speaking earnestly.
"I understand." Obito nodded, lowering his head respectfully.
"While I'm away, Akatsuki might try to sneak into the village. Although I've set up many precautions, you remain my final safeguard. If you truly encounter an unstoppable enemy, use [Flying Thunder God Technique] to bring Kushina directly to me."
"If no enemies appear, then that would be ideal. It's expected to last around two days. I'm leaving shortly, and if everything goes smoothly, I expect to return within four days total. Until then, I'm counting on you! I've already spoken to Kushina about this, so go straight to her location once you're done here. Your mission starts right now!"
Minato finally spoke seriously to Obito. Obito's growth over the past period had been clearly visible—his power and temperament had almost undergone earth-shaking changes. This was exactly why Minato felt confident placing Obito as Kushina's final line of defense.
...
"Lord Hokage!"
A group of four had already been waiting at the village gate. As Minato emerged from the village, they called out in unison while slightly bowing their heads.
Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, Hizashi Hyuga, and Shibi Aburame—none of them were weak by any means, especially the two from the Uchiha Clan.
Minato might be one of the few in the village who truly understood Shisui and Itachi—as individuals and as ninjas—apart from Fugaku Uchiha.
"All right, let's get moving fast! Kakashi's already ahead. I'd like to reach the Land of Iron before dinner and get settled in."
Minato said earnestly while scanning each of their faces with his gaze.
Hizashi appeared very solemn, his expression tightly guarded; Shibi wore thick sunglasses, making it impossible to see his face, but the deathly silence around him also showed how seriously he regarded this mission.
As for the two younger Uchiha ninja, they remained surprisingly calm.
"Understood!"
After responding to Minato, everyone began moving out.
Creak!
As Minato and the others left, the heavy, weathered gates of Konoha Village slammed shut behind them with a deep thud.
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