Chapter 128: The Rain of Betrayal
Evening settled over Konoha. Inside the small apartment, Kagenori, Kushina, and Miyuki shared a meal—a scene of domestic tranquility built on a foundation of unspoken secrets.
"Kagenori," Kushina asked between bites, "how long can you stay this time?"
He offered an apologetic smile. "I was recalled for a specific assignment. I have to leave again tomorrow. I'm sorry, Kushina."
She pouted, but it was without real anger. "Don't apologize. If it's for a mission, it can't be helped, right?"
"I promise," he said, his voice softening, "when the front lines quiet down, I'll take proper leave. I'll come back and stay with you."
A sweet, hopeful smile lit up her face. "Okay. I'll be waiting for you to come home."
Miyuki quietly ate her rice, feeling increasingly like an intruder on their intimate moment. The warmth between them was palpable, and it made her own solitude feel more acute. She decided that if she had known it would be like this, she would have made an excuse to leave earlier.
As soon as the meal was concluded, she did just that, offering a polite excuse and departing swiftly.
The next morning, Kagenori stood by the door, his travel pack ready.
"All set?" Kushina asked, her voice a little thick.
"I am. I'm heading out now, Kushina."
"Wait..." She stepped forward, her hands reaching up to straighten the collar of his flak jacket, a small, tender gesture. His intense gaze made her blush. "What are you looking at?"
He leaned in suddenly, pressing a quick, firm kiss to her cheek. "Wait for me to come back, Kushina."
Her face flushed a deep red as she rested her forehead against his chest. "I'll be waiting."
With that, he turned and left, his path set for the Root headquarters.
Danzo was pleased to see him arrive punctually. "Good. Let's move out."
Clad in full combat attire with a sword strapped to his back, Danzo led the way out of Konoha. In a forest just beyond the village borders, he halted. Kagenori's Observation Haki had already detected them—thirty shinobi, their chakra signatures muted and disciplined, hidden in the surrounding trees.
"Show yourselves," Danzo commanded.
In unison, thirty Root operatives dropped from the canopy, kneeling on one knee behind their master. They had slipped out of the village in small, unnoticed groups over the preceding days, awaiting their leader's arrival.
"The Hidden Rain Village," Danzo ordered, his voice cutting through the silence. "Follow me."
Days later, the group arrived at their destination. Waiting for them outside the perpetually raining village was Hanzo the Salamander, flanked by a dozen of his personal Rain-nin guards.
"Danzo," Hanzo greeted, his arms crossed over his chest. "You're here."
"Our cooperation was agreed upon," Danzo replied flatly. "I am a man of my word. Are you prepared?"
Hanzo gave a single, grim nod. "Everything is in place. Tomorrow is the meeting where I will lure the Akatsuki leadership into the open. We strike then. My forces are ready. Follow me."
His gaze lingered for a moment on Kagenori. The "Blood-Eyed Shura" was a figure of note, his appearance and abilities now known to every Kage-level shinobi.
Hanzo led them into his fortified base. Once inside, he turned to Danzo. "We need to talk."
Danzo nodded. "Very well." He then glanced at Kagenori. "You will attend as well."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
The three of them entered a spartan chamber. Hanzo and Danzo took seats, while Kagenori stood silently behind his master, the picture of a loyal guard.
Hanzo's eyes flicked to Kagenori again. "You have impressive reach, Danzo. To have the Blood-Eyed Shura under your command..."
Danzo ignored the comment. "What did you wish to discuss?"
"I merely wish to reaffirm the terms of our arrangement," Hanzo said, his tone guarded.
Danzo's voice was laced with impatience. "I help you maintain your grip on the Hidden Rain. You support my bid for the Hokage's seat. The terms are clear. Is there an issue?"
Hanzo shook his head. "No issue. Just confirmation."
Danzo scoffed. "There is no need for concern. The shinobi I brought are all elites. This 'Akatsuki' is an insignificant group. They will be erased without a trace."
"Good," Hanzo replied. "Once this is done, you will have my full support for the Hokage-ship."
After a few more logistical details about the next day's ambush, the meeting concluded. Hanzo departed, leaving Danzo and Kagenori alone in the room.
Danzo did not look at Kagenori, his gaze fixed on the wall. "What are your thoughts on my ambition to become Hokage?"
Kagenori's reply was immediate and devoid of personal opinion. "It is not my place to have thoughts. I follow your orders, Lord Danzo. Whoever stands in your way is my enemy."
A thin, satisfied smile touched Danzo's lips. "After this business is concluded," he said, "I will speak to Hiruzen about altering the Jinchuriki candidate."
Kagenori bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord Danzo."
Early the next morning, Danzo's Root operatives took their positions, hidden around the designated meeting ground. Kagenori remained at Danzo's side.
Meanwhile, Yahiko, the leader of Akatsuki, led his followers through the dreary rain, his heart buoyant with hope. Nagato and Konan walked beside him.
"Nagato! Konan!" Yahiko said, his voice brimming with excitement. "I heard that Lord Hanzo has managed to bring dignitaries from the Lands of Fire, Wind, and Earth to the table! A proposal for peace talks! Our efforts haven't been in vain. If this passes, true peace could be within our grasp!"
Nagato's expression was more cautious. "Yahiko, don't be too optimistic. The Great Nations are not so easily swayed. Peace won't be won in a single meeting. Things may not be as they seem."
"But it's a start!" Yahiko insisted, his optimism undimmed. "If they're willing to talk, that's everything! If once doesn't work, we try again! And again! We will succeed! Right, Konan?"
Konan offered a gentle, supportive smile. "I believe in you, Yahiko."
Yahiko looked back at the dozens of Akatsuki members following them, their faces alight with shared idealism. "I believe we will succeed! How can we fail, when we have so many who share our dream?"
His words hung in the damp air, a final, poignant testament to his hope. It was then that a commotion erupted from the rear of their column. Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan turned as one, their hopeful expressions shattering into horror.
Their comrades, their friends who shared their dream, were being cut down. Not by foreign shinobi, but by their own countrymen—the ninja of the Hidden Rain, led by the very man who had promised them a chance for peace. The rain, once a symbol of their nation's tears, now began to wash away the blood of betrayal.
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