The dimly lit chamber felt heavy with tension. The Amegakure ANBU, though puzzled by the unexpected visitor, obeyed Hanzo's unspoken command
The dimly lit chamber felt heavy with tension.
The Amegakure ANBU, though puzzled by the unexpected visitor, obeyed Hanzo's unspoken command and remained silent.
"I sent countless men to find you, yet you came to me. Seems that communication scroll I gave you still has some use," Hanzo said, his gaze assessing the seemingly younger man in bandages.
"You've grown stronger, your chakra reserves increased. Your forbidden jutsu research since defecting from Konoha has clearly paid off."
The ANBU's expression shifted. The bandaged man looked barely seventeen or eighteen, a stark contrast to the thirty-something described in Hanzo's intel.
Now he understood why Hanzo called him "younger."
"Heh, don't overestimate that scroll, Hanzo," the bandaged man said, his lips splitting the bandages to reveal sharp, shark-like teeth. "I'm a rogue ninja.
The Sannin hunted me; you saved my life. But those 'favors' are a joke."
"We're partners now. If you hadn't mentioned hunting those with the Mangekyō Sharingan and Rinnegan, I wouldn't have come."
The ANBU's face burned with anger at the man's bluntness. Hanzo, however, chuckled.
"You haven't changed. Always so ruthless. No wonder you, like Orochimaru, enjoy those twisted forbidden jutsus," Hanzo sneered.
"But I appreciate your ruthlessness. It's better to work with you than share the spoils with a crowd. We each get what we want. A win-win."
The bandaged man laughed.
"Haha, you haven't changed either, Hanzo. But I appreciate your offer. I'll join you. I heard those fools have the Blood Dragon Eyes. I've acquired a new power, and this is the perfect opportunity to test it."
"Oh? Seems you've made significant progress. Just don't use those new techniques on me, or I won't hesitate to kill you," Hanzo warned, his eyes glinting with interest.
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare test my skills against a demigod. One Mangekyō Sharingan and one Rinnegan are enough for me," the bandaged man said, chuckling nervously. "But are your preparations sufficient? Minimizing casualties requires some… discreet actions."
"Rest assured, everything is in place. I have other plans to ensure they're caught off guard. Once they're captured, we'll lure Uchiha Kai. No matter how strong he is, with Orochimaru and the others as bait, we'll reap the rewards," Hanzo said dismissively.
With their agreement, an alliance—unprecedented outside the Five Great Nations—was formed to hunt down Uchiha Kai.
A day later, on the Udon Mountain border…
Kai, in an Akatsuki robe, blended seamlessly into the large group. Seeing the town in the distance, he frowned.
Silence. A heavy, unnatural silence. Northwest Mountain Region was once a significant location in Amegakure, but after the Second Shinobi World War, it had fallen into decay. Yet, it should have shown signs of recovery, some signs of life.
But it was eerily deserted. Not a single merchant, villager, or ninja was in sight. This was deeply unsettling.
"Kai, did you notice something?" Konan whispered, staying close to him.
She was ostensibly gathering information to protect Akatsuki, but Yahiko and Nagato also hoped to minimize her risk.
Kai had been enjoying her close proximity.
"It's too quiet," Kai said, finally acknowledging his unease.
"Too quiet?" Konan's eyes widened as she looked at the closed, dilapidated gates.
Her expression changed.
"Kai, go ahead. I'll warn Yahiko and Nagato."
Konan dashed towards Yahiko and Nagato, leaving Kai with Kosuke.
Kosuke chuckled, "Kid, beauty is a dangerous thing. Are you sure about this? Letting those two get ahead might backfire."
Might Dai nodded vigorously.
They expected Kai to position himself advantageously.
His repeated acts of leniency were baffling.
"A little risk for a beautiful reward. Besides, do you really think Danzo and the others are that simple?"
Kai clapped Kosuke on the shoulder, a smirk on his face.
"If you're not willing to take a little risk, you'll be alone forever."
"You little…" Kosuke sputtered, but before he could react, the two hundred-strong Akatsuki vanguard halted.
Hanzo's invitation to take over Northwest Mountain Region was a calculated move.
Yahiko had split Akatsuki into two groups: the vanguard would scout Northwest Mountain Region, and the rearguard would follow once the town was secured. This cautious approach was widely accepted.
But Kai found it amusingly naive.
Yahiko and Nagato halting the advance… had they noticed something amiss?
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