Just a heads-up: I've changed the fire clone's name from Zhurong to Kagutsuchi. Kagutsuchi (a Japanese fire deity) fits the Naruto setting and the 'Divine Court' theme better.
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"What?" Tatsuya exclaimed, astonished. He was at Kyoko's Yakiniku restaurant at noon the next day, having just heard the news about Uchiha Hiroaki from Misuke Uchiha. "You're saying Hiroaki awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan last night, and then vanished from the clan compound right under everyone's noses?"
His initial shock quickly gave way to deep thought. Not only awakened the Mangekyō, but also disappeared without a trace from amidst numerous Uchiha? Tatsuya immediately concluded Obito had to be involved. Aside from Obito's Kamui dimension, it was virtually impossible for anyone to spirit someone away so silently from the Uchiha compound, especially given the number of skilled shinobi present. Even Tatsuya himself couldn't achieve something like that currently. Kamui's dimension... that BUG-level ability, especially enhanced with Hashirama cells, is truly terrifyingly effective!
"What is it? Do you know something?" Misuke pressed, noticing the contemplative look on Tatsuya's face.
"Nothing concrete. Just some speculation," Tatsuya waved dismissively. He wasn't prepared to expose Obito prematurely; explaining how he knew would be impossible.
It was peak lunchtime, and the restaurant was crowded with customers. Just then, Tatsuya's expression abruptly shifted, becoming intensely serious.
"What's wrong now?" Misuke asked, alerted by the sudden change. Kyoko, busy at the counter, also turned her head, concern flashing in her eyes.
"I have to go," Tatsuya said curtly, having no time for explanations. With a swift Body Flicker Technique, he vanished from the restaurant.
Some customers looked over in surprise. Kyoko's expression filled with worry, while Misuke's became thoughtful. She had sensed an unprecedented gravity on Tatsuya's face just now. What could possibly make Tatsuya Akimichi look that serious?
Land of Fields, Village Hidden in Medicine.
Rustle… Rustle… Rustle…
In the forest just outside Yakugakure, black-robed figures flickered into existence one after another. A total of six individuals arrived, all clad in the black cloaks adorned with red clouds – members of the Akatsuki. Leading the group at the forefront was the Deva Path, Pain. Behind him, Konan, Sasori, Orochimaru, Kakuzu, and Iwamoto fanned out.
This time, the Akatsuki had mobilized almost in full force.
Inside the village's Ta-kage Tower, Pakura, currently handling official duties, shot to her feet, her expression turning grave as she stared out towards the village outskirts.
Flicker!
A figure appeared in the office – Jizo, Tatsuya's Earth-affinity clone.
"Prepare for battle," Jizo stated grimly, his voice deep. "We'll need to give it our all this time. I've already notified him; he'll send reinforcements."
"Let's go," Pakura nodded curtly. The two then vanished from the office in a flash.
At the village entrance, Guren had already rushed out with several Ninja Academy students. Ishikawa stood with over a dozen adult shinobi, all watching the arriving Akatsuki members with extreme vigilance.
Faced with the wary defenders, the Akatsuki members remained utterly unfazed. To an organization where nearly everyone possessed Kage-level strength, these individuals posed no threat whatsoever.
Swish! Swish!
Two more sonic booms echoed as Pakura and Jizo appeared in front of Guren and the others.
"Sensei!" Guren hurried forward, speaking in a low voice.
"All of you, fall back," Pakura ordered, her gaze fixed intently on Pain and his group, her expression grim. She waved Guren and the others away.
"Yes, ma'am!" Guren, Ishikawa, and the others acknowledged, retreating some distance. They knew they couldn't interfere in a battle between shinobi of this caliber; they would only become collateral damage.
"Are you the one calling himself Madara Uchiha?" Pain's gaze swept rapidly over Pakura and Jizo, finally settling on Jizo. The Bodhisattva image embroidered on Jizo's robe was quite distinctive.
"And you must be the leader of Akatsuki," Jizo countered, looking directly into Pain's Rinnegan.
"Is that… the Rinnegan?" Pakura murmured beside him, her voice hushed with shock. "Those legendary eyes… they actually exist!" Only now did Pakura get a clear look at the eyes possessed by the Akatsuki leader. The legend of the Sage of Six Paths, founder of Ninshū who subdued the Ten-Tails and divided it into the nine Tailed Beasts over a thousand years ago, was widespread in the ninja world. The eyes the Sage possessed were the Rinnegan.
"Join Akatsuki, or die," Pain stated coldly, his Rinnegan fixed on Jizo.
Jizo shook his head. "Join Akatsuki? Sorry, I'm already affiliated with an organization."
"Affiliated? With Yakugakure?" Pain's gaze shifted to Pakura.
"No," Jizo clarified. "I'm merely employed by Ansei Hall. I get paid to solve problems."
"Then leave your former organization and join Akatsuki. It's your only option," Konan stepped forward beside Pain, her voice cool.
"Impossible," Jizo replied, his gaze lingering on Konan for a moment.
Hearing the refusal, Pain slowly raised his right hand, palm facing Jizo. Jizo's heart clenched; he instantly raised his guard completely. This was the opening stance for Banshō Ten'in.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Just as Pain was about to unleash his technique, several more streaks of sound cut through the air. Four figures materialized beside Jizo and Pakura. Like Jizo, all four wore long robes – white with gold trim, clearly indicating they belonged to the same group.
"Trying to poach someone from my Divine Court?" the figure at the front challenged, looking directly at Pain. "You'll have to get through us first!"
The speaker was Kagutsuchi, Tatsuya's Fire-affinity clone. The arrivals were Kagutsuchi himself, the newly cultivated Water-affinity clone Suijin, and two basic clone bodies whose combat endurance was limited. Tatsuya, alerted far away in Konoha by Jizo's clone message, had realized the severity of the situation. He immediately returned to his lab, activated Suijin, and had Kagutsuchi summon the water clone along with the two basic clones to Yakugakure. Using the Earth Grudge Fear technique to create his clone bodies, Tatsuya could control a maximum of five simultaneously. This was the greatest force he could currently deploy.
"Divine Court" organization! Hearing Kagutsuchi's declaration, Pain's gaze swept over the five robed figures, his Rinnegan narrowing slightly as he murmured the name. Carefully sensing the chakra fluctuations emanating from the five clones, Pain's expression grew marginally more serious. This "Divine Court" that had suddenly appeared seemed far from simple.
Nearby, Guren, Ishikawa, and the other Yakugakure shinobi were utterly dumbfounded. They had never seen the four figures – Kagutsuchi, Suijin, and the others – who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere from within their own village. When had Yakugakure gained several more powerhouses like these?
Pakura, too, was slightly bewildered. She recognized Kagutsuchi from his previous appearance during Orochimaru and Sasori's investigation of Ansei Hall and Yakugakure. But Suijin and the other two clones were completely new to her. And she had never heard of an organization called the "Divine Court" before.
Where did that guy find so many powerful individuals? And he quietly established an entire organization called the Divine Court? Pakura wondered, a cascade of questions flooding her mind. Just how many other secrets is he hiding?