The thick clouds split open, revealing a narrow rift through which the pale light of the moon spilled down.
Below, winding mountain paths stretched on, shadows shifting along their course.
The special assault unit, a joint force of Iwa-nin and Ame-nin, raced swiftly through the narrow trails between hills and valleys. More than a dozen figures stretched out in a long snake-like formation, with Akaishi and—fully armed—Hanzō of the Salamander leading at the head.
Yes.
After much effort, Akaishi had finally reached Amegakure and met Hanzō. Following a round of veiled threats and sharp exchanges, the two had agreed to set aside the grudges and hatreds left behind from the Second Great Ninja War. For now, they would join hands to uproot the malignant growth that was the Akatsuki—together with the Koeda Clan.
And to make sure this was a decisive strike—one that would wipe out Akatsuki completely—Hanzō himself had come. Not only that, he had carefully selected eight of the very best jōnin from Amegakure to accompany him. Counting Akaishi's own team of five from Iwagakure, the strike force now consisted of thirteen jōnin and one tokubetsu jōnin.
With such a formation, truth be told, they had the power to sway the outcome of a battle involving thousands—provided the enemy lacked comparable high-level fighters.
"Hanzō, how much longer until we arrive?" Akaishi asked.
"Cross that ridge up ahead," the masked, rasping voice of Hanzō replied, distorted by his respirator. "Beyond lies the Shirouhime River. There's an abandoned village there. Your Iwa defectors should be lodging in its ruins tonight."
"And Akatsuki as well," Akaishi added.
"Hmph! You don't need to remind me of that."
"Then say it outright, don't make it sound like you're here just to lend us a favor."
"Those Akatsuki rats can be exterminated sooner or later. But if your Iwa-nin can't finish off your own defectors here in Amegakure, and they make it to the Land of Rivers… the Koeda Clan might throw themselves into Konoha's arms. Then your mission will have failed."
"If they wanted to go to Konoha, they'd just travel through the Land of Grass. No need to detour through Ame."
"Then perhaps they'd side with Sunagakure," Hanzō countered quickly. "And to get from the Land of Grass to Land of Wind, one must pass through our Land of Rain."
Unlike the Land of Grass, a fickle state swaying endlessly between Fire and Earth, the Land of Rain's geopolitical position was far harsher—it bordered Fire, Earth, and Wind all at once. That was why, in the Second Great Ninja War, it had clashed bitterly with all three powers in turn.
"Hanzō!" Akaishi's brows shot up. "We agreed before—this operation is mutually beneficial. What exactly are you implying? And another thing… our mission's success or failure isn't for you to judge."
"Young men really are quick to lose their temper."
Hanzō's rasp carried a faint sneer.
That one line—young man—left Akaishi momentarily speechless. He was over forty now, long past being called young. But then again, Hanzō was in his sixties, as old as the Tsuchikage himself. In comparison… perhaps he was young.
As the two traded words, the unit crested the ridge.
"Halt!"
Hanzō's sudden command snapped through the night.
The Ame-nin behind him stopped at once. Akaishi followed suit, and the rest of the Iwa-nin quickly fell into line.
"Rest for a quarter hour. Then we launch a full assault."
Hanzō gave the order, then calmly found a clean patch of ground, sat cross-legged, and began restoring his stamina. The other Ame jōnin followed his lead.
"Akaishi, we'll be facing a hard fight. You'd best take a breath too, and get yourself into peak condition." Hanzō opened his eyes, fixing Akaishi with his piercing gaze.
"...Is Akatsuki really that dangerous?" Akaishi frowned.
Caution was something he believed in. He was always careful by nature. But Hanzō's vigilance wasn't just habit—it was the wariness of someone who had already crossed blades with a powerful enemy.
Truth be told, with the strength they had gathered here, they should have been able to crush the combined force of the Koeda Clan and Akatsuki like dry leaves underfoot. Akaishi himself could restrain Kyoichi. As for that woman, Konan… the Ame side had someone with a technique that countered her immunity to physical strikes.
And failing that—Hanzō was a master of Fire Release.
With those two troublesome ones handled, who else could stand against Slate, Iwami, and the other jōnin of Ame and Iwa?
"You big village shinobi never change," Hanzō sneered coldly. "Always so arrogant."
"When have I ever been arrogant?" Akaishi scowled.
"Just now."
Before Akaishi could retort, Hanzō pressed on:
"You ask if Akatsuki is truly that strong. What you really mean is that I'm exaggerating. That they aren't even worthy to face us in battle. Isn't that so?"
Akaishi fell silent.
He had been thinking exactly that. To him, Akatsuki was a small-time group with perhaps one or two standouts. Yes, Konan was dangerous, but beyond that? If they had more, the Land of Rain would already have changed rulers by now.
"Akatsuki doesn't have many elites," Hanzō admitted, as if reading his thoughts. "In my eyes, only one of them is truly a threat. But that one… has thwarted my raids time and again. Akaishi—if you face him, you will die."
"..."
Akaishi's brows furrowed deeply.
He couldn't imagine Hanzō making such a claim lightly. But still… he himself believed that even if he couldn't defeat Hanzō outright, he could at least escape with his life. So how could this one Akatsuki member be more dangerous than Hanzō himself?
"Don't scoff."
Hanzō's tone grew grim.
"That boy… Nagato. He's the same type of shinobi as Konoha's old monkey."
Konoha's old monkey?
Akaishi froze, then realization dawned. Hanzō was speaking of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen—the so-called Professor of Ninjutsu. If Nagato was of the same type as the Hokage… that meant he had mastery over all five chakra natures, able to weave countless jutsu, combining and countering at will.
A chill gripped Akaishi's heart.
Yes. That would be enough to cost him his life.
"Slate, Iwami—sit and recover your strength," Akaishi ordered at last.
Then he, too, sat cross-legged on the ground, mirroring Hanzō.