Land of Rain, Amegakure.
This was a village established by the Shinobi known as the Demigod, Hanzo the Salamander.
Although Amegakure's population wasn't large, each Shinobi's abilities were honed to the limit, and they possessed many unique techniques.
In other words, they followed an elite route.
Located at the border of three major nations, Amegakure had suffered the ravages of war for years.
Therefore, under Hanzo's training, Amegakure's assassination techniques were highly developed.
They often accepted commissions from other countries to carry out various assassination missions.
Even including those targeting famous Kage.
Currently…
Amegakure had become the base of the Akatsuki. Nagato, under the identity of Pain, secretly ruled the entire village, codenamed God.
Today, Amegakure was still pouring with rain.
The harsh weather was like this all year round, and perhaps some people had never even seen the sun since birth.
On a peculiarly shaped steel building…
At this moment, a man with orange hair and black studs piercing his nose, lips, and ears was sitting on the tongue of a humanoid statue.
He was Deva Path Pain, the surface leader of the Akatsuki.
Every day at this time, Pain would sit on this statue, quietly observing the entire Amegakure.
From this highest point, everything below was in view.
The whole world seemed to be already within his grasp.
"Is it... not time yet?"
Nagato murmured softly.
As the leader of Akatsuki, his goal was singular: to revive the legendary Jubi.
Using Jubi as a high-pressure policy to intimidate other villages and countries in the Shinobi World, preventing them from easily starting wars, thus achieving so-called permanent peace.
Simply put, it was nuclear deterrence.
To this end, the Akatsuki had formulated three steps.
Step One: Recruit followers, gather funds.
Step Two: Capture the Jinchuriki.
Step Three: Revive the Jubi, use the Biju Weapon to suppress the world.
Currently, Akatsuki had completed Step One.
After Orochimaru left, the organization's members had stabilized.
Itachi, Deidara, Kakuzu, Hidan...
Super-strong Missing-nin from various countries were all recruited.
However, because these people were all crazy and dangerous existences, they couldn't immediately proceed to Step Two. They first had to carry out missions for a period, hone their teamwork and become seasoned, before they could launch the second phase of the plan.
Otherwise, a hastily assembled combination would only cause originally successful missions to fail.
…
"Pain."
Just as Pain was silently standing in the rain.
Suddenly, a cold woman's voice came from behind.
Pain turned his head silently.
Behind him stood a woman with short blue hair, fair skin, and a melancholic aura… a mature beauty.
It was Konan of Akatsuki.
"Has something happened?"
Pain turned his head, silently gazing downward, asking coldly.
Konan's face was wet with rain, her expression somewhat troubled.
"The organization has... a bit of a problem..."
"Perhaps... it requires your intervention."
"A problem? What kind of problem?"
"It's... it's a psychological issue with a member..."
Konan seemed to find it difficult to say.
"Hmm?"
A trace of surprise appeared in Pain's cold eyes.
'A psychological problem?'
'What was this about?'
The group in Akatsuki were all life-threatening terrorists.
Each one had countless bloodstains on their hands, bearing numerous lives.
Theoretically, there should be no one in this world more mentally disturbed than them.
How could anyone possibly have psychological problems?
However…
Although that was the theory, currently an organization member was indeed having problems.
As the leader, Pain had the necessity, and the duty, to check.
First floor…
Organization hall.
Two men wearing cloud-patterned cloaks were struggling with each other.
"Let go of me, Hidan!"
"I'm going today!"
"I must go find Takumi-senpai and ask him clearly!"
An angry blond man desperately tried to rush out the door.
Beside him, a pervert with an oily hairstyle tried hard to restrain him.
"You idiot! I told you, no unauthorized actions!"
"Our identities are Missing-nin! Going to their village recklessly will cause trouble!"
Hidan held onto Deidara tightly.
If not for the team rule forbidding killing each other, he would have already stabbed the other party!
"But!"
"But without Takumi-senpai, my techniques can't surpass his!"
"I want to know!"
"I want to know why Takumi-senpai is so strong! I want to know his training methods!"
Deidara cried out hoarsely, his expression full of agony.
For so many days, he had been living in Takumi's shadow.
Whenever he picked up his explosive clay, the god-like technique Takumi displayed that day immediately surfaced in his mind.
Compared to his, his own technique was simply a joke!
He desperately wanted to learn to use Explosion Release freely like Takumi!
So he practiced frantically, in massive amounts!
But even though he trained like his life depended on it, he made no progress at all!
He couldn't eat, couldn't sleep...
He was almost going crazy!
That's why he wanted to go out today regardless of the consequences.
To go to Konoha to see Takumi!
Best case, even become his disciple!
"Hidan! Let me go now!"
"Or don't blame me for using my explosions on you!"
Deidara's eyes were bloodshot. His angry attitude made it clear he wasn't joking.
Pain frowned slightly.
He had heard Konan's report about Takumi.
He only knew the other party was a Konoha's Shinobi with remarkable explosion techniques, and quite young.
And it seemed he had left a deep impression on Deidara during their previous encounter.
But he didn't expect Deidara to be so deeply affected that he actually wanted to go to Konoha to find Takumi.
"Both of you, stop."
Pain slowly descended from the sky.
His cold aura, his imposing, god-like pressure, immediately made the two juniors stop their argument.
"L-Leader..."
Deidara greeted somewhat timidly.
He shot a resentful look at Hidan.
'It was all because this bastard stopped me, alerting Konan.'
'Now I had attracted the leader too.'
'If the leader was here, there was absolutely no way I could leave today.'
"Deidara, I ask you, what is your reason for joining the Akatsuki."
Pain's cold eyes swept over Deidara.
"Isn't it obvious? Of course, to use my explosions to kill people freely." Deidara replied bluntly.
"…"
Hearing this answer, both Pain and Konan couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.
They didn't react for a moment.
Because Pain's goal remained constant: to bring peace to the Shinobi World.
He brainwashed, hypnotized, and reminded himself of this daily...
Unconsciously, he began to think this was the Akatsuki's default principle.
Now, Deidara's words reminded him.
Bringing peace to the Shinobi World was only his wish.
The other members were just homeless, gathered together for various reasons.
After an awkward few seconds, Pain responded silently, "I can understand your feelings. After all, as an explosion user, the other's technique is far above yours, and he can be your senior."
"Exactly! So tell Hidan to let me go!"
Deidara shouted.
Pain's expression was stern, "But the organization has its rules. As a Missing-nin from the Land of Earth, if you rashly appear in Konoha, it will inevitably cause chaos."
"Perhaps some of our Akatsuki's intelligence might be leaked because of it."
"Can you take responsibility for that?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Deidara instantly lost his spirit.
He was most afraid of Pain using organizational rules to pressure him.
After all, for Missing-nin like them, the only place in the entire Shinobi World where they could settle down was the Akatsuki.
Deidara didn't want to lose this sanctuary.
"But Leader..."
Deidara still wore an expression of unresolved frustration.
After all, he was young and so obsessive about his art, so he couldn't give up so easily.
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FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER