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As the weakest of the four major hidden villages, Kirigakure chose to stay out of the conflict and simply spectate from the sidelines.
The once covertly developing Akatsuki organization was now being roasted alive under the spotlight.
Because—Konoha was simply too strong.
And now, the strongest hidden village in the ninja world had shamelessly declared war on a small village like Amegakure. The pressure on Amegakure was immense.
Upon receiving the news, the shinobi of Amegakure were filled with dread.
Though their village had once been led by the legendary Salamander Hanzō, known as the "Half-God" of the ninja world, their current leader was even more powerful than a half-god—a so-called "god." Although Akatsuki controlled Amegakure and the news of Hanzō's retirement hadn't been made public, everyone in the village knew the truth.
But even so, Konoha had truly produced a figure revered as the "God of the Ninja World"—a superpower that had fought one-on-four in all three Shinobi World Wars. Their village's strength paled in comparison. No matter how much they boasted, they couldn't match Konoha's might.
This was the epitome of a disorganized rabble.
And as the true core of Amegakure, Akatsuki had never considered these weaklings as part of their fighting force.
Because Akatsuki's leader, having experienced despair, had fully awakened and transformed into a "god."
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Amegakure's Highest Tower—
"Nagato, you were far too hasty about the One-Tail. Now we've drawn Konoha's attention," Konan said with a worried expression.
Seated in his specialized wheelchair, Nagato Uzumaki looked emaciated, his once vibrant red hair now dull and lifeless.
"Perhaps.
But from the moment we set this plan as our goal, a confrontation with the Five Great Shinobi Villages became inevitable. This situation was only a matter of time."
Nagato's words made sense, leaving Konan momentarily speechless. After all, this was an almost impossible dream.
A single tailed beast was already a calamity—let alone attempting to fuse all nine tailed beasts into the ultimate weapon, the Ten-Tails.
This was nothing short of a fairy tale—if not for the power of those legendary eyes.
Unconsciously, Konan's gaze shifted to the Rinnegan embedded in Nagato's eye sockets—the divine eyes said to hold the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
"Nagato, are you truly confident in facing Konoha's army?"
Nagato's gaze was blank, yet radiated an indescribable confidence.
"Don't worry, Konan. I'm no longer the person I once was." He paused briefly before continuing.
"As for the weaklings in the village, let them flee if they can. This war is not something they can involve themselves in."
"Mm." Konan nodded.
Despite enduring countless hardships, a sliver of her former kindness still lingered in her heart.
Moreover, this land was their homeland. She didn't wish to see any meaningless casualties.
Suddenly, Nagato seemed to recall something and asked, "Has Orochimaru returned?"
Complex emotions flickered in Konan's eyes as she shook her head.
"No. But he did complete his mission, using a Shadow Clone to bring back the One-Tail jinchūriki. It's highly likely he has defected."
In an instant, the dimly lit room fell silent. Neither of them knew whether to call Orochimaru principled or shameless.
He had completed his task but fled out of fear of being dragged into this war.
A flash of killing intent crossed Nagato's eyes. He despised traitors more than anything, but considering the current situation, dealing with the immediate crisis took priority.
"Very well. Once we resolve the current situation, I'll deal with him. Traitors must die.
By the way, what about the other core members?"
"Madara, Zetsu, and Hidan have agreed to fight. However, upon hearing about the war, Kakuzu and Kisame attempted to defect. I've sealed them away. What do you want me to do with them?" Konan reported calmly.
Akatsuki was no longer the organization it once was. These S-rank missing-nin each had their own agendas. Strictly speaking, the current Akatsuki was merely a temporary coalition held together by Pain's overwhelming power.
"I see." Nagato remained calm. After all, expecting loyalty from missing-nin was laughable.
However, the willingness of Madara, Zetsu, and Hidan to join the battle felt unsettling to Nagato.
Hidan could be dismissed—he was nothing more than a mindless killing machine.
The real wildcards were Madara and Zetsu. Though Nagato hadn't awakened the Uzumaki clan's divine ability, the Kagura Shingan, which allowed him to intuitively perceive good and evil, he knew these two—who had joined after the original Akatsuki's collapse—were harboring malicious intent.
If not for their mysterious and formidable abilities, and the desperate need for high-level combatants in the newly formed Akatsuki, Nagato would never have allowed them to join.
After a moment of thought, Nagato spoke. "Since Kakuzu and Kisame chose to betray us, let's use their bodies to complete the remaining paths of the Six Paths of Pain. Their bodies are strong enough to serve as top-tier puppet materials.
As for Madara…
Give him a mission. Let him assassinate the Fifth Hokage, Kakashi Hatake. With his strange abilities, he should be able to pull it off.
Zetsu will gather intelligence during the battle, collecting blood samples from the enemy's high-level fighters. Pass them to Hidan to perform his cursed ritual, Dead Demon Consuming Seal. This will ease some of our burden."
Konan nodded in acknowledgment and then expressed concern for Nagato's health. Though the person she loved wasn't Nagato, he was still a companion who had grown up alongside her. Seeing his once healthy body now so frail broke her heart.
But compared to his physical suffering, Nagato was more tormented by the anguish in his soul.
"The great nations…
You dare to recklessly ignite war, forcing this land to endure pain once again. Then allow me, this newly born god, to make you feel the same pain.
Only by experiencing pain, accepting pain, will you understand what true suffering is—and only then can this world achieve true peace."
Unaware of the twisted obsession festering in Nagato's heart, Konan began issuing orders.
Soon, the once-prosperous Amegakure became a ghost town.
Kakashi naturally received this intelligence but didn't intervene. The true targets of this operation were only four individuals—and Ye Wen had already provided detailed information about them.
How could they lose?
Given the overwhelming strength of the enemy, Kakashi decided to take matters into his own hands.
"Let's begin."
With Kakashi's command, four violet pillars of light shot into the sky.
"Barrier Technique: Four Violet Flames Formation!!!"
The oracle had decreed capture, not annihilation. To prevent the enemy from escaping, Kakashi ensured there would be no retreat.
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