After a long, tense silence, under the dual pressure of Konoha and their own Raikage, the Land of Lightning's side finally quieted down.
"My apologies," the Raikage said, the muscles in his face twitching. To have to reprimand his own people like this... the humiliation and resentment were indescribable. Especially for the Raikage, who was famous for his explosive temper.
Hatake Kusuo let out a soft laugh and sheathed his sword. Tsunade gave a signal, and two Anbu members immediately emerged from behind the door to properly handle Darui's body. A conflict was a conflict, but the deceased's remains still deserved respect.
The rest of the negotiation process went unusually smoothly. With the Land of Lightning's side continuously making concessions, Konoha did not press their advantage too far. After some back-and-forth, they found a middle ground. The Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, and the Fourth Raikage, A, successfully signed a treaty of friendship and coexistence, officially ending the war.
Hatake Kusuo waited with his sword until Shikaku Nara had seen the Land of Lightning delegation off before walking over to Tsunade.
"Why did they suddenly propose an armistice?" he asked. The Land of Lightning's military strength was the most well-preserved among the three great nations. If the battle at Iwagakure had truly convinced the Raikage to submit, it wouldn't have been dragged out until now. Therefore, Kusuo deduced that something major must have happened in the ninja world.
Tsunade's expression was grave and not very pleasant. "The Akatsuki have made their move."
"In the last month, Kumogakure's Two-Tails Jinchuriki, Yugito Nii, as well as Iwagakure's Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki, have all fallen into the hands of the Akatsuki."
Kusuo's pupils tightened. As expected, the Jinchuriki capture plan had begun. "How is Naruto? He's been protected, right?" he asked.
Tsunade puffed out her chest. "I've already made a secret agreement with the Raikage for that boy. He's been arranged to train with Kumogakure's Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. It will both ensure his safety and help him master the power of the Nine-Tails within him."
"Good."
Tsunade suddenly remembered how unusually smooth the negotiations had been and looked at him with a peculiar glint in her eyes. "By the way, did something happen between you and the Raikage, brat? I feel like... he seems very wary of you."
Kusuo raised an eyebrow. "Nothing much. We ran into each other once at Iwagakure and had a little scuffle."
Only then did Tsunade remember that not only had this brat brought back Kurotsuchi from Iwagakure, but he had also brought along two busty girls, one dark-skinned and one light-skinned, a striking contrast. As Hokage at the time, having just won the war against the Land of Earth, she had too much to handle and had forgotten about the matter.
"I never knew you were doing so much behind the scenes," she mused. It must have been a completely one-sided beatdown to humble the proud and hot-tempered Raikage like that, she thought, a smile curving her lips.
"Alright, I won't bother you any longer. I'm leaving." Kusuo had only intended to take a stroll, but after hearing about the Land of Lightning's delegation, he had shown up to intimidate and admonish them. Now that his goal was achieved, and with an unexpected piece of information gained, he was ready to go.
Outside, the sun was bright and piercing, a rare sunny day.
'I didn't think the Tailed Beast capture plan would start so soon, but as long as the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails Jinchuriki are protected, it should be fine.' Kusuo shielded his eyes with his hand, thinking of Yugito Nii. As the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, her strength was certainly not to be underestimated. Not just her, but also the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, Roshi, and the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han. For the three of them to be captured within a single month showed just how monstrously Obito's strength had grown.
In the Land of Wind, sand swirled like a coiled dragon. Temari wielded her giant folding fan, her expression tense as she stood back-to-back with Kankuro.
"Hah... Hah...!" Both were panting heavily, their bodies covered in bloody cuts and sand, clearly having just survived a major battle.
"Haven't the elders arrived yet?"
"Why has it been so long since we sent the distress signal, yet there's no word from Konoha?" Temari was on the verge of despair. Just yesterday, two bizarre, seemingly unkillable figures wearing the Akatsuki's signature cloud-patterned robes had appeared in Sunagakure. They went on a rampage, destroying the already weakened village. Due to Kusuo's previous village-destroying actions, the current elders of Sunagakure were merely ordinary Jonin with limited combat ability, unable to mount a proper defense.
"The Konoha ninja said they would protect us!" Kankuro's face was filled with indignation and frustration. "Now, at such a critical moment, where have they all gone?" The humiliation of being subjugated and then attacked by another group of enemies left him feeling both powerless and enraged.
"Stop talking! Focus on what's in front of us!" Temari's eyes were locked ahead. The Akatsuki members this time weren't as overwhelmingly powerful as others they had encountered, but they were exceptionally strange. One of them, a crazed lunatic, had killed many of the village's "experts" by using a suicidal transformation! Their so-called powerful Wind Style ninjutsu was like child's play to them, pathetically weak.
Amidst the swirling yellow sand, two figures gradually approached. One was covered in blood, his injuries horrific. Logically, such wounds should have been fatal for any normal person. But this man walked forward with a savage grin, as if he were completely fine.
"Still want to run? Lord Jashin is getting impatient for fresh sacrifices! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" He laughed wildly, shouldering a three-bladed scythe, his body covered in black and white markings.
"Hurry up, don't waste time!" his companion beside him reprimanded coldly.
These two were the Akatsuki members, Hidan and Kakuzu. Hidan paid his partner's scolding no mind. "What's the rush? We've already found the One-Tail. As long as we capture him, the mission is complete." He licked his lips. In the previous battle, these two siblings had been the most slippery, and he hadn't managed to get their blood for his Jashin ritual. "If you want to be quick, fine. Kakuzu, get me some of their blood."
"Tch." Kakuzu spat disdainfully, his cold eyes fixed on the wary brother and sister. Between them, they protected a large pot containing their target: the One-Tail Jinchuriki, Gaara.
"What do we do?" Kankuro asked, his body trembling, having given up hope of rescue. "Should we... should we wake Gaara?"
"I... I guess so!?" Temari was no longer as composed as before. After all, fighting under the protection of the village and facing two Akatsuki members alone were two completely different levels of pressure! The suffocating feeling was almost unbearable.
"Do it!" Kakuzu saw their intention and shouted immediately.
Just as Temari and Kankuro were about to break the seal on the pot and release the One-Tail from within Gaara, a magnificent and sharp wave of sword energy came whistling through the air.
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