"Cut the crap! I know exactly who you are! How dare you act so recklessly? Do you have any idea how many Iwagakure sons will die if we go to war with Sunagakure?!"
Kitsuchi was livid, his voice echoing off the stone walls as he confronted the Fourth Tsuchikage, Murasaki.
But Murasaki barely seemed to care about Kitsuchi’s fury. He just lazily flicked dirt from beneath his fingernails, a faintly wicked smile curling his lips.
"Kitsuchi-sama, there’s no need to get so worked up."
He leaned back, still smiling slyly. "Konoha’s gone all-in this time—between their Eastern Army and the Northern Army from Amegakure, they’ve got over ten thousand troops each. Sunagakure will be stretched thin, barely able to defend the west. This is a once-in-a-lifetime shot at revenge. And don’t forget, Sunagakure’s practically swimming in riches. If we wait too long, Konoha will snatch it all up! Why leave the juiciest peach on the tree for someone else?"
"Hmph! You think I’m some gullible kid?"
Kitsuchi snorted, unmoved.
"If I go after Sunagakure, Kumogakure’s just waiting to pounce from the north. We might end up losing our own base before we even get a taste of that peach!"
"Relax. Iwagakure won’t fall that easily. I’ve got ways to keep Kumogakure pinned down."
As he spoke, Murasaki glanced at his right hand. Suddenly, a ball of molten lava materialized, hovering just above his palm.
Kitsuchi’s eyes widened in shock. He hadn’t expected this "puppet" to wield the power of the Four-Tails, Son Gokū.
"It’s nothing special, really. Just forcibly extracting the tailed beast’s chakra. Sure, it’s not quite as strong as a perfect jinchūriki, but it’s close enough."
The display left Kitsuchi wavering. With firepower like that, Iwagakure’s overall strength needed to be recalculated.
After a moment’s thought, Kitsuchi asked, "Alright, tell me—how exactly do you plan to keep Kumogakure from making a move?"
Seeing him soften, Murasaki grinned wider. "You really won’t show your hand until the rabbit’s in sight, huh? Here’s how it’s going to work..."
"I’ve taught you everything I know about the Rinnegan. The rest is up to your own understanding and mastery."
Jinghang now carried himself with the air of a true mentor. Nagato and Konan nodded solemnly, their respect for him clear.
After more than ten days together, a genuine bond had formed among them. Nagato had received nothing but patient, thorough guidance, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed. Not just Nagato and Konan—even the other members of Akatsuki found themselves developing a strange sense of reliance on this Kazekage who, once upon a time, had slapped Nagato across the face. It was almost like a touch of Stockholm syndrome.
And the "chosen one" truly lived up to his title. Nagato’s grasp of the Rinnegan’s secrets was nothing short of astonishing—within just a dozen days, he’d mastered nearly everything. Using the body of "Yahiko," he’d orchestrated several sharp strikes in Amegakure, not only crushing Konoha’s arrogance but also rekindling hope among the villagers. Akatsuki’s reputation in Amegakure had never been stronger.
"Are you really leaving already, Kazekage-sama?"
There was a rare hint of reluctance in Konan’s voice.
"Alas, time waits for no one," Jinghang sighed, looking genuinely regretful. "Konoha’s Eastern Army is already massing at the border, and Danzo’s Northern Army is about to move south. The situation is dire—I need to return to Sunagakure and take command."
"Kazekage-sama, why don’t we strike first? If we hit them now, we could stop Danzo from moving his troops!"
Nagato’s tone was sharp, eager for action.
Jinghang cut him off at once. After everything they’d been through, Nagato was still acting like a hothead.
"Not only must you not attack, you need to relocate immediately. Danzo has used brutal tactics to temporarily stabilize Amegakure, and he’ll be coming for us next. He won’t move south until he’s sure you’re wiped out."
"What’s there to be afraid of? If one comes, I’ll kill one. If two come—"
Jinghang’s face darkened, and he pointed toward the Akatsuki members training in the courtyard.
"Even if you were made of iron, how many nails could you hammer in? And what about them? They’re all battle-hardened, loyal warriors—the very core of Akatsuki! The seeds of revolution! How could you throw their lives away so easily?"
"Then... what should we do?"
Nagato looked sheepish, realizing his recklessness.
"Preserve yourselves, destroy the enemy—the two are inseparable. Only by surviving can you hope to win. Right now, with more than ten thousand Konoha ninja occupying Amegakure, this is absolutely not the time to counterattack."
"Then when is the right time?"
"When Danzo’s main force moves south. While I’m tying up his army, Amegakure’s defenses will be thin—that’s when you’ll have the best chance to liberate the village."
The logic was simple, and Nagato and Konan immediately accepted it.
"So where should we retreat to now?" Nagato asked.
"Head west—all the way to the Land of Stone. It’s neutral territory. I’ve already spoken with the Tsuchikage; he’ll provide you a secret base. Sunagakure also has businesses and three regiments stationed there. The commander is Aotu Ace, cousin of Aotu Tailuo. He’ll handle your logistics and daily training. After that, we’ll keep in touch by radio."
"Tonight. Take only cash, a little dried food, and your personal weapons. Leave everything else. I’ve arranged for the rest of the equipment and supplies. Once you get to the Land of Stone, you can open an independent account for your funds—just in case."
Akatsuki really were "poor kids" now, but Jinghang didn’t care about small change. He’d already set aside a full billion in "resistance funds" for them in the Land of Stone.
"Alright, is there anything else we need to watch out for?" Konan asked.
"The most important thing is mindset. Don’t let anyone lose hope, no matter how tough things get. Nagato, you have to make the most of ’Yahiko’ to boost morale. Hatred, sometimes, is the best stimulant."
"But how do we do that, exactly?"
"Simple—build up Yahiko’s legend. Spread his heroic deeds, denounce Konoha’s atrocities. In fact, I think it’s time for a full-on deification campaign!"
Nagato looked puzzled.
"That’s right. Yahiko is Akatsuki’s founder and the revolutionary of Amegakure. In his lifetime, he was a benefactor to the people, respected both inside the organization and among the villagers. Otherwise, our recent actions wouldn’t have made such a huge impact. His return from the dead is a miracle in itself. So let’s turn that miracle into reality. It’ll fire up our own side—and terrify our enemies."
The story isn’t over...
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