"Wow, that's really over the top!" White Zetsu's body twisted exaggeratedly as he spoke in a mocking tone.
"That was the Nine Tails!"
"And it got sealed away so easily!"
Everyone fell silent; no one said anything, each lost in their own thoughts.
Especially Uchiha Itachi—seeing the village suffer such a great loss, even losing the Tailed Beast, made him anxious. But he still remembered his mission, and knowing his current identity was that of a rogue ninja, he merely kept a blank expression and said nothing.
Seeing that no one else spoke, White Zetsu grinned and said cheerfully, "Hey, Itachi, do you have a twin brother?"
"How come I've never heard about that!"
Itachi cast a glance toward the battlefield and locked eyes with Uchiha Yasuo, who was staring back at him.
Even across the entire battlefield, Uchiha Itachi could still feel the boundless hatred and killing intent burning in those eyes.
"Just an impostor," Itachi said calmly, retracting his gaze indifferently. "Perhaps one of those who managed to survive that night by sheer luck."
"No need to bother with him."
"All right, enough talking." Biwa Jūzō unhooked the Kubikiribōchō from his back, licked his lips, and said eagerly, "Now that the leader has sealed the Tailed Beast, it's our turn to go up and completely slaughter these Konohagakure shinobi, isn't it?"
"No need," Itachi shook his head. "Nara Shikaku is a clever man. Seeing that the battle is lost, he'll soon withdraw."
"Right now, Konohagakure still believes the Land of Rain is under Hanzō of the Salamander's control. They'll likely try to use diplomatic means to retrieve the Tailed Beast."
"Is that so?" Biwa Jūzō instinctively turned his gaze toward the other rogue ninja from Konohagakure—Orochimaru.
"That indeed sounds like something Nara Shikaku would do," Orochimaru nodded, his eyes burning as he stared at Pain in the sky, growing ever more fascinated by the Rinnegan.
Itachi and Orochimaru's assessment of Nara Shikaku was correct.
While the members of Akatsuki were conversing, Nara Shikaku had already decided to retreat.
However, there still remained a trace of hope in his heart. Thus, stepping out from the group, he stood at the forefront of the formation and shouted loudly to Pain in the sky: "Are you people from the Land of Rain?"
"Thank you for helping us seal the Tailed Beast."
"Earlier, we did not intentionally mean to deceive you. It was merely because it concerned the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, and we had no choice but to act so. I hope your country can understand."
"The reason our comrades overstepped the boundary was also because we did not want the Tailed Beast to lose control within Amegakure and cause damage to your village."
"For our previous concealment, I am willing to apologize to the Land of Rain and provide compensation for the corresponding losses."
"However, this Nine-Tails belongs to our Konohagakure. It cannot be left exposed to the outside. I hope you can allow us to bring the sealed Nine-Tails back."
High above in the air, Pain looked down at him with cold eyes and slowly spoke: "As expected of a great nation's shamelessness!"
"Before Konan appeared, you people didn't show the slightest concern for whether Amegakure lived or died!"
"The only reason you are now willing to speak with us is because you've lost your advantage in force here."
"As I thought—those who have never experienced pain can never understand the value of peace!"
Hearing Pain's string of mystifying words, Nara Shikaku frowned and changed his tone: "Is Hanzō of the Salamander present?"
"Please deliver a message—Nara Shikaku of Konohagakure requests an audience."
Compared with this strange and unfamiliar ninja, Nara Shikaku still preferred dealing with Hanzō, whom he had interacted with before. Even though Hanzō was a powerful demigod, as a leader he certainly would not act on impulse.
"Hanzō…" Pain did not answer; he merely lowered his head in thought.
At present, Akatsuki was not yet fully prepared to begin collecting all the Tailed Beasts. Their personnel were incomplete, their supplies insufficient, and they had not even completely identified the locations of the nine Tailed Beasts.
To start a war now would be too hasty—it was not a good choice.
Yet this time, with the Nine-Tails delivered right to their mouths, it felt a pity not to take it.
But after tasting it, Pain realized this thing was of little use.
If the Ten-Tails is to be revived, the nine Tailed Beasts must be gathered together.
But once the collection of the Tailed Beasts begins, the operation cannot stop.
Otherwise, the villages to which the Tailed Beasts belong will keep coming to attack, trying to take them back, and the other villages will inevitably become alert, adding difficulty to the mission.
There is only one chance. Once it fails, Akatsuki will become the public enemy of the shinobi world, with no second chance, and the Land of Rain will surely be destroyed.
Perhaps they could first use the Nine-Tails to exchange for some supplies, and after everything is fully prepared, collect all nine Tailed Beasts in one go.
Sensing Pain's hesitation, Nara Shikaku was instantly overjoyed and hurried to press further, speaking earnestly: "Konohagakure and Amegakure have always been in an alliance. Our village's Hokage and Hanzō of the Salamander also often exchange letters. I ask your village to grant us this convenience."
"Afterward, the Hokage will certainly write to Hanzō-sama personally to express thanks."
Who knew that just as his words fell, a strange laugh came from the side, like a night owl's screech, especially ear-piercing.
"Hehe… It really is an alliance!"
"The one who often exchanges letters with Hanzō of the Salamander isn't just Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
"There's also Shimura Danzō!"
"Back then, Hanzō of the Salamander hadn't planned to exterminate Akatsuki, but Shimura Danzō sent people over to egg him on, telling him that Akatsuki would definitely shake the foundations of his rule in the future, persuading him to wipe out Akatsuki."
Nara Shikaku turned his head and saw "Uchiha Itachi" there baring his teeth in a cold smile, a vicious light flashing in those blood-red eyes, with killing intent flowing like something solid.
He frowned, ignored it, and turned back wanting to continue persuading Pain—but his heart suddenly went cold as a surge of killing intent pressed straight down from Pain in the sky.
"Haha…"
Uchiha Yasuo burst into wild laughter, utterly unfazed by the killing intent coming from Pain. He even spread his arms, assuming a posture of letting himself be butchered, and with a crazed sneer mocked: "So, Pain, after all these years, do you still not know who the mastermind behind Yahiko's death was?"
"Or is it that you actually knew long ago that your true enemy was Konohagakure, but because the enemy is too powerful to provoke, you've been pretending not to know?"
"Ah?"
"Haha…"
After provoking Pain, he turned his head to provoke Nara Shikaku again.
"Ah, right, Nara Shikaku over there—you still don't know, do you?"
"The Land of Rain now is completely under Akatsuki's control!"
"That so-called Hanzō of the Salamander has long since kicked the bucket!"
"That so-called demigod—before the leader of Akatsuki, who possesses the same Rinnegan as the Sage of Six Paths—isn't even worth an ant!"
"What?" Nara Shikaku was shocked, his pupils suddenly contracting, and all the color drained from his face.
He abruptly looked up at Pain in the sky, only to see Pain's expression completely blank. Those ripple-patterned eyes were filled with cold indifference, and he instantly knew things had gone bad.
When a normal village changes leaders, they would certainly notify the surrounding nations. But not only had the people of the Land of Rain failed to send any such notice, they had even sealed off information tightly, letting not a single bit leak out. The hostility hidden within this was already perfectly clear.
And adding on the mention of the "same Rinnegan as the Sage of Six Paths" made it all the more terrifying!
Cursing Danzō for stirring up trouble once again in his heart, he hurriedly stepped back and shouted: "Since Amegakure has already changed leaders, I shall return to report this matter to the village. In a few days, Konohagakure will dispatch a diplomatic mission to negotiate with Amegakure."
"Haha… You truly live up to being Konoha's strongest brain—figuring it out that fast!" Uchiha Yasuo clapped his hands in laughter, leapt forward, and blocked the Konoha group's retreat. "Unfortunately, you're too late!"
Nara Shikaku raised an eyebrow but did not rush into combat. Instead, he turned toward Pain and shouted loudly: "New leader of Amegakure, are you certain you intend to stop us from leaving?"
"You must understand—we represent Konohagakure. Are you trying to start a war with the Leaf Village?"
"Konohagakure is the greatest nation of the shinobi world—it's not something a small country like the Land of Rain can contend with!"
"Even Hanzō of the Salamander, at his peak, was only on par with the Three Legendary Ninja!"
"But Konoha's powerful shinobi are far more than just the Three Ninja. If you rashly start a war, are you not afraid your entire village will be reduced to dust?"
Yet the more he threatened, the firmer the killing intent emanating from Pain in the sky became.
"As expected, one should never trust the lies of a great nation!"
"Domineering, arrogant, self-righteous…"
With each word he spoke, his tone grew heavier, his voice louder.
This was not only spoken for the Konoha group below to hear, but also as a reaffirmation of the conclusions he had long since drawn through his own contemplation.
"So-called goodwill is nothing more than perfunctory deception—a tactical ploy to buy time!"
"So-called peace is no more than flowers in a mirror, the moon reflected on water—a fleeting illusion that shatters at a touch!"
"Only by making you experience great pain yourselves can you truly understand the value of peace!"
"Only war is the sole means to prevent war!"
After once again confirming the correctness of his belief, Pain spread his hands and pressed them downward.
"Shinra Tensei!"
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