The Akatsuki Organization
Pain sat at the desk, a deep furrow of frustration etched between his brows.
He had been poring over documents endlessly, frustration growing with each passing day.
For the first time in a long while, he felt a sense of defeat, and he had been reviewing records for days.
All of it was to find a single name: "Blood Moon."
"How could there be nothing? Not a single word of information about someone like this?"
Pain glanced at the bounty notice set aside. Apart from that single sheet of paper, there was nothing else about Blood Moon.
He leaned back against the chair, feeling helpless.
"That's right... Flying Thunder God!"
After a short rest, Pain decided to approach Blood Moon's identity from a different angle.
He suddenly recalled Blood Moon's miraculous ability to traverse through space and the image of the kunai being used during their first appearance.
It had to be Flying Thunder God—there was no doubt.
"Konohagakure... I feel like I should already know his identity. Why can't I remember?"
Pain muttered to himself, replaying all of Blood Moon's abilities in his mind. That inexplicable feeling became more intense.
"Flying Thunder God... Crows? Black Hokage? A red giant? Mysterious eyes? A serpent?"
Pain's eyes gradually became clear.
After filtering out the irrelevant details, the truth revealed itself...
"Uchiha Itachi... I didn't expect it to be you. Weren't you already broken? How did you become this strong? What on earth happened during this time?"
Pain rummaged through records, pulling up Itachi's profile.
He stared at the photo of a young Itachi, those deep eyes as calm as a still well.
Suddenly, Pain felt that this person was truly terrifying.
Especially considering how young he was yet wielded such formidable power.
Worse still, such a powerful individual, who had once been part of their organization, had now become their enemy...
He thought of Itachi lying motionless on a hospital bed, the cold indifference in his expression as he removed the ring...
"Itachi, having a good day, huh? I didn't expect Mei Terumi to be so forward—she might actually have a thing for you."
Land of Water
Juzo, a little drunk, was being supported by Itachi.
"I'm still young and have no interest in relationships," Itachi replied with a hint of irritation.
"Lady Mizukage, could it be that you've truly taken a liking to Uchiha Itachi?"
Meanwhile, Ao was supporting Mei Terumi, who appeared slightly tipsy.
Ao asked her calmly, his expression neutral.
Hearing Ao's words, Mei, who had seemed dazed moments ago, suddenly became alert.
Apart from a faint blush on her cheeks, there was no trace of her earlier drunkenness.
"Of course I like him. He's so young, handsome, and mature. The key is, he can even resist my charm! If I don't marry such an incredible man, it would be a complete waste!"
Mei patted her chest solemnly, the ripples of her motion leaving Ao momentarily dumbfounded.
"Look at you—such a lecherous expression, no composure at all," Mei remarked disdainfully as she caught Ao staring.
Her tone was full of reproach.
Feeling a sudden warmth in his nose, Ao glanced sideways at Mei before discreetly wiping it with the back of his hand.
He exhaled a quiet sigh of relief upon realizing he hadn't embarrassed himself.
"Do you think this will go smoothly?"
Just as Ao relaxed, Mei looked at the villagers in the distance, their faces filled with smiles, and asked softly.
"Huh?"
Ao blinked, confused by her sudden question.
"Our Hidden Mist Village has been isolated for so many years, suffering heavy losses. Now that we've reopened our village and reached out to the ninja world, do you think other villages will target us?"
Mei's tone carried a trace of worry, and Ao's distraction annoyed her slightly.
But she still voiced her concerns.
Compared to the rapidly developing and powerful villages, the Hidden Mist had indeed suffered greatly.
"Don't worry, Lady Mizukage. Lord Aide has already sent letters to the Leaf Village. Since Sarutobi is still in power, and given their peaceful nature, they surely won't refuse an alliance with us."
Ao heard Mei Terumi's words, his expression turned serious, and he replied earnestly.
"But…"
Mei Terumi recalled the actions of Kirigakure in the past. Now, it seemed they were subtly hoping for Konoha's protection.
Kirigakure hadn't hesitated to covet Konoha's prosperous and fertile lands before…
They had launched numerous large and small-scale battles against Konoha…
"Guy, you can't act impulsively this time."
Outside Konoha Village.
Two figures were sprinting swiftly, one in front of the other.
The person in the lead had a bowl-cut hairstyle, sharp eyes, thick eyebrows, and a determined face. He wore a green vest—this was Might Guy.
Behind him came a woman's voice.
The woman's outfit combined pink and red, with a black, semi-transparent, lace-edged strapless top.
Hearing Yūhi Kurenai's voice behind him, Guy came to a halt.
"Don't worry! I'll stay calm!"
Under Kurenai's concerned gaze, Guy turned around and flashed a wide grin, his sparkling teeth on full display.
His confidence and enthusiasm seemed to wash over Kurenai like a wave.
"Guy…"
Kurenai looked at Guy's demeanor and couldn't help but feel her spirits lift. Guy was undoubtedly someone who could inspire his teammates with immense strength.
"As a man, I will definitely protect you, Kurenai!"
Guy solemnly promised.
After turning around, his expression grew complicated.
He thought back to the Third Shinobi World War. If it weren't for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, his father wouldn't have lost his life protecting them…
And now, the place they were heading to was none other than Kirigakure.
They were the diplomatic envoys sent to discuss preliminary terms with the Mizukage.
After all, such delicate matters couldn't always be handled through letters. While this was still the initial stage, it wasn't serious enough for the Kages of both villages to meet in person yet. After all, the Kage was the backbone of their respective villages and couldn't leave recklessly.
Therefore, Hiruzen Sarutobi had sent the two of them for this mission. On one hand, they would gather intelligence; on the other, they would gauge the Mizukage's attitude.
Such a minor task didn't require the involvement of the "Blue Beast of Konoha."
This kind of careful work was better suited for Kurenai, who was more meticulous.
As for Guy, his most important role was ensuring the safety of Konoha's beautiful kunoichi.
"Sasori, our mission this time is to head to the Land of Water. How about we take a detour and do some sightseeing?"
In the Land of Rain, two figures wearing black cloaks with red clouds walked slowly along the road.
Kisame, with his shark-like face, asked softly.
"Are there any strong shinobi in your Kirigakure?"
Hearing Kisame's question, Sasori asked indifferently.
For Sasori, nothing was more interesting than collecting puppets.
"Uh…"
Kisame's shark face froze at Sasori's question.
That question struck a chord deep within his soul.