"Has Lady Tsunade been injured?"
This was far too fake. Two top medical ninjas couldn't treat a single patient, and now, claiming serious injury, Lady Tsunade wanted an excuse to rest.
Kabuto Yakushi, seeing the situation, immediately suspected something but still stepped forward to examine her with medical ninjutsu.
Her chakra was nearly depleted, her meridians badly damaged, and her internal organs made faint shifting sounds. After the check, Kabuto silently marveled. Truly the most renowned medical expert in the ninja world—even he couldn't detect a faked condition. Clearly, Tsunade had a long way to go before reaching the pinnacle of medical mastery.
"It seems Madara Uchiha is indeed a formidable opponent for Lady Tsunade. Fortunately, I foresaw this and prepared a hospital room for her. Mirai-sama, please follow me."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, a faint smile on his face, and led them toward Konoha Hospital.
'See? I told you it would be fine. As long as she stays in the hospital, there's no problem.'
Tsunade whispered proudly to Hyuga Mirai, but Mirai knew better: if a top-level spy were this easily fooled, then Kabuto wasn't as formidable as Orochimaru or Tsunade in selecting assistants.
Soon, the three arrived at Konoha Hospital, where Kabuto led them to the specially prepared room for Tsunade.
Tsunade was stunned upon seeing the room.
Aside from the bed, almost all her Hokage office furnishings were there—bookshelves, filing cabinets, and Kabuto even thoughtfully provided a bedside work desk.
Since the filing cabinets couldn't hold all the recent documents, Kabuto stacked them on the floor, neatly arranged by date.
Seeing this, Mirai placed Tsunade on the bed and grinned. "Rest easy. I'll go ahead."
He then turned slightly to Kabuto. "Take good care of Tsunade."
Kabuto gestured and smiled. "Don't worry, Mirai-sama. I've deployed members of the perception barrier squad around here to ensure no one disturbs Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade, beside them, veins bulging in anger, gritted her teeth almost to the point of breaking her lips. Mirai wisely departed to avoid her outburst.
Normally, she needed fourteen hours of work daily. Now, lying in the hospital, she'd occupy at least eighteen hours. Mirai estimated that two days of feigned illness would be enough for her to heal before returning to the Hokage office.
Shortly after Mirai left Konoha, Senju Hashirama finished his discussion with Madara. Mirai's clone, positioned afar and uninterested in the old men's talk, observed. Hashirama now showed little interest in the mortal world.
After Hashirama departed, Mirai's clone secured Madara within the Amatsu-Mikado spatial containment.
His Rinnegan, flesh, and other components could produce a nanotech biological guard, with energy supplied via an enhanced Ark reactor.
With Madara captured and Nagato dead, Mirai informed the federal authorities and immediately ordered Maki to lead a thousand ninja to seize Rain Village and the Land of Rain.
Many members of the Jiekang Trade Association accompanied them to pacify civilians.
Mid- and low-level civilians in the Land of Rain, influenced by Jiekang, showed little resistance. Some even believed it long overdue for the Sand Federation to take over.
Those who had visited the federation, seeing the living conditions there compared to the Land of Rain, thought the Rain ninjas were practically vampires.
After Konan and Nagato vanished, some in Rain Village had attempted to consolidate power as new leaders. They did not expect the Sand Federation to arrive swiftly. With the mountains between the two countries gone, within two days, the federation's ninjas penetrated Rain territory.
"Where is Lady Angel? Where is Lord Kami?"
The newly appointed Rain Village leader panicked when Maki's federal ninja arrived. Seeing over a thousand ninjas, he remembered that leading the village was dangerous; other Rain ninjas might survive, but he was nearly on a kill list.
His predecessors, Hanzo and the previous God Leader, seemingly didn't survive—was it now his turn?
"Quickly, find Lady Angel!"
He ordered frantically, but aside from some loyal subordinates, no one listened. Once ambitious in power, now the Sand Federation had arrived; responsibility had to be shouldered.
In fact, after Konan and Nagato disappeared, many Akatsuki elders also left Rain Village, leaving few Akatsuki ninjas behind—mostly Rain ninja.
Taking Rain Village took little time; the local ninjas couldn't match the federal forces in numbers or skill.
The Rain ninja lacked morale and were quickly subdued by Maki's team. Except for Rain Village and the capital, other areas were calm. Civilians, reliant on the Jiekang Trade Association, were easily controlled.
With Rain Village captured, Sand Federation territory became contiguous. Relations with Konoha progressed, the Land of Water fell, and soon, the federation would be the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful nation in the ninja world.
Standardized textbooks, systems, and ninja attire were being implemented. Shikaku and Kabuto drafted a list of 100 students to study in the federation for two months. Afterward, they'd become the first administrative personnel in the Land of Fire, governing alongside federation-trained interns.
With constantly updated computer networks and communications, the Land of Fire would fully integrate within two years.
Konoha citizens showed no resistance, all working toward a common goal—except Tsunade, who still slacked.
"What's going on? It's been two days, yet no meeting?"
Kakuzu asked sharply, looking at the ring in hand. He had persuaded the Iwa and Kusa ninja. According to Nagato, they should have confirmed the next plan via projection two days prior.
"Two days without notice… could the leader be dead?"
Black Hammer Raiga remarked casually. Although unlikely, the extended silence suggested something had happened.
Kakuzu fell silent, torn between going to the underground gold exchange for a bounty or waiting for Pain's news. The bounty missions were minor; wartime rewards were the main gain. Harvesting lives on the battlefield was easy and continuous for him.
But Pain hadn't contacted them, frustrating Kakuzu—two days wasted meant lost money.
"No need to wait for Pain. He's dead."
The space in front of Kakuzu and Raiga twisted. Obito Uchiha emerged from Kamui.
"Akatsuki uniforms? Never seen you before," Raiga said, raising his thunder blade. Kakuzu shook his head, also unfamiliar with Tobi.
Obito waved. "Because Pain existed publicly, I never appeared in the organization. Now that he's dead, only I can reunite Akatsuki. By the way, I captured the Seven-Tails recently."
"The Seven-Tails? With that space jutsu, infiltrating the Chunin Exams seems reasonable."
Kakuzu glanced at Obito. "What's your plan? And how did the leader die? Not that I want to know, but if the Rinnegan could be killed, can we even face the enemy?"
"Relax. Pain's death was accidental. I have a method to deal with the Sand Federation. In fact, you have no choice."
Obito revealed his Sharingan beneath the mask. When Madara's Edo Tensei body lost control, Obito realized Nagato was doomed, and the Rinnegan couldn't be taken. Later, learning from White Zetsu that revived Madara had been defeated, he thought the Moon Eye Plan was impossible—until an unexpected encounter gave him hope.
"The Land of Rain is captured, the Land of Water's war ended. Only the Land of Earth, the Land of Lightning, and smaller nations remain. If they fall to the Sand Federation, where else can you go?"
"Consider how the Sand Federation treats the underground gold exchange and rogue ninjas. Then, what can you do? Mine like coalition ninjas?"
Obito's words silenced Kakuzu and Raiga for a moment. Finally, Kakuzu asked, "So, what's your method?"
"Not yet. I've found a way to counter them. You must continue contacting Iwa and surrounding small villages."
A White Zetsu clone emerged at Obito's side.
"Not as convenient as projection, but White Zetsu can relay messages."
Kakuzu asked solemnly, "Where will you go next?"
"To find more people capable of fighting the Sand Federation. More allies, higher success. You two are the last Akatsuki members to agree. Now, find others."
Obito returned to Kamui space, retrieving his left eye. Using Kamui, his speed doubled.
(End of chapter)
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