The cave was shrouded in darkness, not only because of its enclosed surroundings, but also because of the suffocating atmosphere that lingered within.
The oppressive air made the space feel unbearably cramped. Enduring it for a short while was manageable, but remaining here for months would have driven most people to madness.
Yet the eight people gathered inside had already spent more than three months in this cave.
For three straight months, they had never stepped outside. Their food and water were delivered solely by White Zetsu clones, and they had been trapped in this miserable environment the entire time. Even the lawless rogue ninja of the Akatsuki had reached the limits of their patience.
The fact that they had not descended into outright violence was already remarkable. Still, sharp insults and constant verbal sparring had become their favorite way to pass the time.
After all, with their leader present, fighting was forbidden. Trading barbed words, however, was another matter entirely.
The source of all their frustration was the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki.
More specifically, it was the countless intricate seals covering the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki.
On the surface, she looked like an innocent, gentle young girl. Hidden beneath that appearance, however, were layers upon layers of extremely advanced sealing techniques.
Some of those seals had long since vanished from the ninja world's known records.
Before arriving in Konoha for the Chunin Exams, the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki had suffered from restless nights. Ever since then, however, she had finally been able to sleep peacefully.
She no longer dreamed of the monstrous creature that resembled a cross between a beetle and a dragonfly, nor was she forced to endure its terrifying bedtime stories every night.
Goodbye, nightmare monster. Goodbye, bizarre ghost stories.
Naturally, all of that was Hayashi's doing.
During the Chunin Exams, he had not only siphoned away a large amount of the Seven-Tails' chakra, but had also reinforced the seal containing it.
To put it simply, he had sealed the door shut, then gone one step further by sealing the windows as well.
From that day onward, the Seven-Tails could not leak even the slightest trace of chakra.
Hayashi had finished his work and left.
The Akatsuki, however, inherited the consequences.
They were forced to decipher countless unfamiliar seals while constantly worrying that even a minor mistake could kill the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki before the extraction was complete.
As the months dragged on, everyone's temper grew increasingly volatile. Had Nagato not kept the organization under control, the Akatsuki might have broken apart long ago.
Fortunately, after three exhausting months, they finally succeeded.
The seals were painstakingly dismantled, and the Seven-Tails was successfully extracted and sealed into the Gedo Statue.
With the extraction complete, another eye on the Gedo Statue slowly opened.
Only two sealed eyes remained.
Kakuzu stretched his stiff body before grumbling, "Finally. We've been trapped in this cave for three months. I don't even want to think about how much money I've lost. What a complete waste of time.
"I'm making this clear now. If the next Tailed Beast is sealed up like this one, count me out."
As a bounty hunter who could earn hundreds of thousands of ryō in mere minutes, spending months without making a single profit felt like a crime against himself.
Standing nearby, Sasori let out a mocking laugh.
"With your abilities, if I hadn't stepped in, you'd probably still be trapped inside Danzō's genjutsu."
Kakuzu's expression disappeared beneath his mask, but everyone could easily imagine how ugly it had become.
The two had already developed a grudge over Danzō.
From Kakuzu's perspective, Sasori had stolen his target.
That alone had been irritating enough.
To make matters worse, after Kakuzu fell under Danzō's genjutsu, Sasori had stabbed one of his hearts with a kunai, claiming it was to break the illusion.
Help? My foot.
Kakuzu had wanted to kill him ever since.
Sasori, however, paid no attention to the murderous glare directed at him.
In his eyes, there were only two kinds of Akatsuki members.
Those who could already be turned into puppets.
And those who simply could not... yet.
Kakuzu clearly belonged to the first category.
Perhaps one day, he would quietly dispose of him.
The thought alone amused Sasori.
Before either of them could continue, Pakura spoke coldly.
"Before you two start fighting, Kakuzu and Hiruko, explain something to me."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Why was the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki covered in so many seals?"
Pakura was no longer the woman she once had been.
Ever since attacking Sunagakure alongside Sasori, whether she had experienced some kind of awakening or simply become colder was impossible to say.
One thing was certain.
Her temper had grown far worse.
After enduring this sealing process for three months, she was already at her limit.
Hiruko answered immediately.
"When I captured the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki, she was already like that. Kakuzu is originally from Takigakure. Ask him."
Without hesitation, he shifted the blame.
Kakuzu clicked his tongue.
"What's that supposed to mean?
"I've been a rogue ninja for over thirty years. How would I know what's happening inside the village now?
"Besides, Takigakure may have been prosperous once, but it declined after I left. Even at its peak, it never possessed sealing techniques on this level."
"He's right," Fugaku said with a nod.
He also found it impossible to believe Takigakure possessed sealing techniques of such extraordinary complexity.
Even one of the Five Great Nations would struggle to produce seals like these.
More importantly, Fugaku recognized numerous sealing methods that clearly originated from the Uzumaki Clan.
It wasn't difficult to guess the truth.
At some point, Takigakure had most likely sought Konoha's assistance in strengthening the Seven-Tails' seal.
Hearing Fugaku support Kakuzu, Sasori sneered.
"Right? What a joke.
"You two really are alike. The organization's two biggest backstabbers.
"Fugaku, standing here in front of the leader, do you really dare deny it?
"Wasn't Jūzō secretly killed because of you?
"You've certainly learned a lot from Kakuzu. Both of you are experts at abandoning your teammates."
"I didn't. Don't spread nonsense."
Fugaku's face darkened as he denied the accusation without hesitation.
When he and Jūzō infiltrated Iwagakure to capture the Five-Tails, Jūzō had sacrificed himself to protect Fugaku from Ōnoki's Dust Release.
Fugaku had escaped while leaving behind half of Jūzō's remains.
Judging only from appearances, it certainly looked as though he had abandoned his partner to die.
Just as Fugaku was considering how to respond, a large pitcher plant emerged from the ground.
White Zetsu had returned with fresh intelligence.
"B-b-bad news!"
"The Fourth Raikage has decided to convene a Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron."
"The other Kage have all agreed to attend."
"A Five Kage Summit?"
Kakuzu frowned.
"Didn't they hold one just a few years ago?"
White Zetsu tilted his head.
"Maybe it's because our activities have become too frequent recently."