Just as Yūsuke had said, the leader of Akatsuki, Yahiko, was truly sincere in wanting to repay the debt of saving Konan. When he heard Yūsuke's request—"Please help escort my clan to the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers"—he agreed readily and without hesitation.
And not just Yahiko.
The other members of Akatsuki all showed a strikingly eager attitude.
This was hardly surprising. Under the rule of Hanzō the Salamander, Amegakure and Akatsuki had long been locked in a hostile, irreconcilable rivalry. The struggle between the two sides—both open clashes and secret skirmishes—had never ceased. What's more, after Konan's recent ambush, Akatsuki's members had been seething with frustration, itching for payback against the Ame-nin.
Thus, escorting the Koeda clan to the southern border of the Land of Rain would not only repay the life-saving favor Yūsuke had shown Konan, but also give them the perfect chance to cross blades with Ame-nin. For Akatsuki's members, there was simply no reason to refuse.
"Leader Yahiko, we'll be troubling you with this from here on."
Dazen smiled as he extended his hand.
Yahiko firmly clasped it and replied, "Clan Head Dazen, rest assured. We will do everything in our power to escort your people safely to the southern border."
"My thanks."
Dazen released his hand.
Yahiko withdrew his own and turned to the side. "Kyūsuke, take a squad back to base and have Nagato come in your place."
"Yes!" Kyūsuke answered loudly, then leaned in and asked in a quieter voice, "Yahiko, can I come back along with Nagato?"
"If you go with Nagato, then who will oversee things at the base?" Yahiko asked helplessly. On the surface, Akatsuki looked like it was flourishing—already strong enough to contend with Amegakure itself—but as its leader, Yahiko knew better than anyone how shaky its foundations truly were. Its splendor was still a veneer; the roots were shallow.
In truth, Akatsuki had a severe shortage of talent. Nearly every member had to juggle multiple roles. That was why Yahiko had Kyūsuke replace Nagato here: if Nagato left, there'd be no one strong enough to maintain order at the base.
"But isn't Daibutsu still there?" Kyūsuke muttered guiltily.
Yahiko said nothing. He simply fixed Kyūsuke with a steady stare.
The meaning was obvious without words. If Daibutsu alone were enough to hold the situation together, Yahiko would never have needed to send Kyūsuke back in the first place. It was precisely because Daibutsu couldn't manage alone that the fourth seat of Akatsuki had to return.
"...Fine, fine! I get it. I'll watch over the base with Daibutsu."
At last, under Yahiko's gaze, Kyūsuke backed down.
Before long, he took a group and departed from the Kuchi clan's camp.
Meanwhile, Yahiko, Konan, and several other Akatsuki members remained. As Yahiko put it, the escort mission had already begun from the very moment he agreed to it.
---
Amegakure
High-rises. Skybridges. Drainage pipes.
These were the three elements that defined Amegakure's silhouette.
As a land of perpetual rainfall, the overabundance of water was a burden every person born in the Land of Rain had to face. Over generations, that struggle had shaped a distinct architectural style, unlike anywhere else in the shinobi world.
"Gōu-sama."
At the docks, Ame-nin on watch bowed as a jōnin returned.
But Gōu, whose mood was foul to the extreme, ignored the grunts completely. He strode past them in silence, marching straight toward the heart of the village.
"Looks like Gōu-sama's mission didn't go well."
"Now that you mention it, I remember Gōu-sama left with Tōu-hime. Why's he the only one who came back?"
"Hss!"
The Ame-nin guarding the pier sucked in sharp breaths, making their own meager contribution to the village's humidity. Then, with remarkable wisdom, they promptly abandoned that dangerous line of conversation. In unspoken agreement, they went back to idly chatting about family squabbles, grumbling about the ever-rising prices, cursing their sons who had failed to become shinobi and were freeloading at home, complaining about this, about that...
"Gōu."
The call came from above, from one of the skybridges.
Gōu halted and looked up.
"It's Kurōu."
On the bridge stood an ame shinobi, leaning casually on the railing, staring down at him.
"What do you want with me?" Gōu asked, his face clouded.
"It's not me. Hanzō-sama sent me to find you."
"...Has Hanzō-sama changed residences again?"
"That's right."
Kurōu beckoned from the bridge. "Come with me. Hanzō-sama is waiting."
Gōu frowned, then leapt up to join him, following close behind.
To outsiders, Hanzō of the Salamander—hailed as the "Demi-God"—was a figure of unparalleled courage and martial might. But only those within his inner circle knew just how cautious, even paranoid, their leader truly was.
He was always flanked by guards who worked in shifts around the clock. And he frequently changed residences at irregular intervals, ensuring no one could track his movements.
"Kurōu, why does Hanzō-sama want to see me?" Gōu asked as they walked.
"What else? He wants to know why you and Tōu set out with a squad of over ten, yet you alone returned to the village... Tell me, did that woman die?"
"Yes. Tōu is dead."
"Oh? Well, that's... unfortunate."
Anyone could hear the gloating in Kurōu's voice, utterly devoid of sympathy. But Gōu wasn't surprised. Kurōu and Tōu had always been on bad terms. Had their roles been reversed, Tōu would have shown him no pity either.
And besides—Amegakure under Hanzō-sama's rule was not a place for tenderness.
The dead were simply dead.
Even Gōu, who had been Tōu's partner, felt no real grief. What churned inside him instead was bitter humiliation and rage: being beaten back and forced to flee by that illusion-wielding shinobi who'd appeared out of nowhere. His thoughts were already fixed on how to exact revenge.
"Gōu, was it Akatsuki's Nagato you and that woman encountered?"
Having had his fill of schadenfreude, Kurōu now pressed curiously for details.
The conflict between Amegakure and Akatsuki had dragged on for some time, and through their repeated clashes, both sides had gathered substantial intelligence. For example: Akatsuki's strongest fighter wasn't their leader, but a young man named Nagato.
That one had performed feats like taking on three Ame-nin jōnin at once—and winning. Two of the "Rain Four" had fallen to him, leaving only Shōuyū alive.
Even Hanzō-sama himself had issued orders: if you encounter Akatsuki's red-haired man, withdraw. To fight him required at least five jōnin together.
"Hmph. I'll say it when I see Hanzō-sama."
Gōu had no interest in wasting his breath.
"Fair enough." Kurōu shrugged, then pointed toward a looming tower ahead. "In any case, we're almost there. Hanzō-sama is inside that building."