"Even if it is a trap, we must still go."
"I have waited far too long for this day."
"I cannot continue waiting."
"I do not have many three-year periods left."
"Rasa cannot stop me."
…
Nagato, Konan, Kakuzu, Sasori of the Red Sand, Kakashi, and Uchiha Shisui.
And hidden in the shadows—Black Zetsu.
It had to be said that Black Zetsu's mood was extremely terrible.
Uchiha Obito had been killed so easily, leaving Black Zetsu deeply disappointed.
Originally, Black Zetsu had placed great hopes on Uchiha Obito.
It had even arranged a whole series of follow-up plans.
But then, suddenly, Uchiha Obito died.
All of Black Zetsu's plans collapsed.
Even now, Black Zetsu still had not thought of how to complete the next part of its plan. It could only take things one step at a time.
In Nagato's mind, scenes from his past kept surfacing.
The misfortune of his childhood.
Meeting Jiraiya.
Creating the Akatsuki.
Helping the ordinary people of Amegakure.
Being attacked by Hanzo and Danzo.
Yahiko's death…
"I will end all of this."
"Yahiko, believe in me."
"I will bring peace to the shinobi world."
"I will make sure such things never happen again."
Worry showed on Konan's face.
If they succeeded, that would naturally be good.
But faintly, Konan felt that this operation would not go smoothly.
Even now, the Akatsuki's intelligence on Rasa was still incomplete.
No one knew Rasa's true strength.
It was as though Rasa could always become stronger than the last time he revealed himself, always possessing one more ability.
A complicated look flashed through Kakuzu's eyes.
The reason he had joined the Akatsuki was partly because the Akatsuki was indeed powerful.
But another reason was that the future the Akatsuki described was something even Kakuzu somewhat yearned for.
Sasori of the Red Sand's puppet body showed no change in expression.
But deep inside, Sasori was somewhat tense.
As a spy, this operation would be the moment when he had to act.
Sasori hoped he could find the best possible opportunity.
Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui were not strong enough and were assigned auxiliary duties.
Inside the jinchuriki base.
Onoki sat in a chair, his expression solemn.
The Fourth Raikage had already recovered. At this moment, as he looked at Onoki—the man responsible for his father's death—there seemed to be no hatred left in his eyes. Compared to the Akatsuki's attack, even the death of the Third Raikage seemed to count for very little now.
Chukichi stood to the side, almost invisible in presence.
Rasa did not appear. Representing Sunagakure were several of its major pillars.
Users of superior Devil Fruits.
Each of them had reached elite jonin level individually.
And they excelled at coordinated combat.
Many people looked toward them with envy in their eyes.
Tsunade had not come.
The one who came was Jiraiya. His entire body was wrapped in bandages, making him look even more like Danzo than Danzo himself. Over that, he wore a special cloak, a mask, and a bamboo hat, making it impossible for anyone to see his true appearance.
Konoha had been completely excluded from this operation.
"Attack!"
At Nagato's command, every Akatsuki member moved.
The Six Paths of Pain attacked the jinchuriki base from six different directions.
Kakuzu and Sasori of the Red Sand moved along the two flanks.
Konan's figure rose high into the sky.
Countless explosive tags fell like drifting snow.
Jiraiya looked at that figure in the sky, and his pupils shrank.
"That is… Konan?"
"Why?"
Jiraiya could not understand it.
Someone he had once taught, someone who was practically his disciple, was actually one of the Akatsuki's members?
And she had even cooperated with Hiruzen Sarutobi?
Could this also be one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's schemes?
But the situation before him no longer gave Jiraiya time to think.
The battle erupted in an instant.
They were all top figures of the shinobi world. The moment they attacked, their techniques were overwhelmingly powerful.
Any ordinary ninja would not even be able to participate.
"Kill!"
Only at the distant outer perimeter did some ordinary ninja stand, watching the battlefield with stunned expressions.
"So powerful!"
"Too strong."
"As expected of the top existences of the shinobi world!"
Some looked toward the Six Paths of Pain, their gazes filled with both fear and awe.
"So those are the ninja who destroyed nearly half of Kumogakure?"
"Just from their bearing alone, they're different from ordinary ninja. In the entire shinobi world, who could possibly be their opponent?"
"Could even the God of Shinobi from back then do it?"
Onoki's figure stood in the air, facing Konan.
On one side was Dust Release—if it struck, death was certain.
On the other side were explosive tags. Compared to Dust Release, each one was weaker in power, but their number was overwhelming.
Continuous waves of explosive tags placed Onoki under tremendous pressure.
Sasori of the Red Sand controlled his puppets and fought fiercely with Chukichi.
Jiraiya's gaze was fixed firmly on Yahiko.
However, first, Jiraiya was badly injured and disabled. His toad-man state was only something he had adopted out of necessity, and it was still far inferior to his true strength.
Second, Jiraiya had little intelligence on Yahiko.
Furthermore, the shared vision of the Rinnegan allowed multiple puppets to partly imitate the effect of the Byakugan in a certain sense.
If Hyuga Hiashi had not warned him, Jiraiya might already have lost.
The remaining forces joined the siege against Kakuzu.
Sunagakure's major pillars.
Kumogakure's elite ninja.
A Kumogakure ninja looked at the battlefield, his face extremely ugly.
"So many elites from so many shinobi villages have gathered here, yet they still aren't winning?"
"Just what kind of organization is this Akatsuki?"
"A single female ninja is actually holding Onoki back?"
"That Sasori of the Red Sand is completely suppressing Chukichi. That damned Suna missing-nin!"
"And most importantly, those six people with strange eyes."
"Damn it!"
"Does Kumogakure really have no chance for revenge?"
"If the Akatsuki gathers all the Tailed Beasts, what will they do next?"
"Will they destroy the entire shinobi world?"
A Sunagakure ninja was also frightened, but there was a trace of confidence in his eyes.
"Don't panic. Our Kazekage-sama still hasn't made a move!"
"Rasa hasn't acted yet, but Konoha also hasn't acted."
"If Hiruzen Sarutobi was able to expel Uchiha Fugaku, then his strength must be above Uchiha Fugaku's, right?"
"That was a man who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, an existence comparable to Uchiha Madara from back then."
"Could Rasa really be Hiruzen Sarutobi's opponent?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the reports from the battlefield, caught in a dilemma.
On one hand, Konoha under his leadership had already become an enemy of the entire shinobi world.
Putting aside whether helping the shinobi village alliance would bring any benefit, it was unclear whether the alliance would even accept Konoha's assistance.
But at the same time, Konoha and the Akatsuki were not truly allies.
Helping the Akatsuki would bring Konoha no benefit whatsoever.
"How did things become like this?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly exhaled a thick ring of smoke.