Chapter 195: Is This the World Seen Through the Rinnegan?
He knew that the Third Hokage had come to him with a plan already in mind—one designed to take down Sakumo Hatake.
Obviously, such a plan couldn't be carried out by the ever-noble and virtuous Hokage himself. It had to be handled by Danzo.
Danzo had done plenty of dirty work for Hiruzen in the past, and he understood his old friend very well.
If Hiruzen came to him now, it meant he was serious and ready.
"I heard there's a new organization in the Land of Rain called Akatsuki. In just two years, they've made a name for themselves," Hiruzen said, his eyes flashing coldly. "I'll send Sakumo and a team of ninja to investigate under the pretense that Akatsuki might be a secret faction supported by Iwagakure. You'll arrange for some of your men to attack a border town—destroy as much infrastructure as possible—then send another group to pursue that ninja team and force them back."
He paused and smiled. "Once they return, you know what to do."
Danzo, though used to Hiruzen's ruthlessness, couldn't help but be impressed. This old man really is something.
When a flawless hero shows even a single crack, guided by manipulation, admiration can quickly turn to resentment.
Even if it didn't provoke public hatred, the failure of a mission that leads to severe civilian loss would be more than enough to strip Sakumo of his ANBU commander role.
And once that happened, no one would consider him as a candidate for the next Hokage.
Just like that, Hiruzen would solidify his position.
"I understand. Leave it to me," Danzo replied with a smile. Inwardly, he smirked—he had just learned a new trick from his old friend.
Maybe someday he'd use it on Hiruzen himself.
…
Land of Rain.
A country of endless rain. By all logic, the rainfall should have turned the entire nation into a swamp long ago.
But that never happened.
All because of one lake at its center.
Genkai Lake.
A lake so vast it was named as if it were a sea.
Its surface area was enormous, but what was even more terrifying was its depth.
Even along the shore, the water reached depths of 3,000 meters—deeper than some seas. And it connected to underground rivers beneath.
Most of the rain that fell in the Land of Rain didn't overflow—it flowed into this lake. From there, it continued underground, draining into other regions of the ninja world. This kept the massive lake from ever flooding, and the Land of Rain from becoming a true swamp.
The bizarre geography of Genkai Lake made it feel unnatural.
Sometimes, Li Yao even suspected this place might've been where the Sage of Six Paths and his brother used Chibaku Tensei to seal Kaguya and create the moon.
Otherwise, how could such a vast and deep inland lake exist? If it were caused by tectonic shifts or meteor impacts, the surrounding land would show signs of it.
But around Genkai Lake, there were none—only solid bedrock.
That's why most cities in the Land of Rain were built along the lake's shores.
Although the lake prevented flooding, the near-constant rain left the soil extremely soft.
Building on it with wood or stone? Within a few years, the structures would sink or shift and become uninhabitable.
So many of the country's cities and villages were built on rocky foundations.
The village where Li Yao's team had taken that mission had also been in a rocky canyon.
On stone, buildings wouldn't sink, and terrain wouldn't shift easily.
Eastern shore of Genkai Lake.
Drizzle City.
As the name suggested, it was a place where the rain never stopped—never too heavy, never too light.
The city's architecture was unlike anywhere else.
Dense black towers like a forest, exposed pipes of all sizes snaking through the structures—it gave off a cyberpunk feel, a futuristic aesthetic unique to the Land of Rain.
On the western side of the city stood a black tower. At its top, shaped like a demon's head, a long red tongue jutted out like a platform.
Yahiko stood at its tip, letting the rain fall upon him as he looked out over the village below.
Ever since they took over the long-term protection of this city half a year ago, this tower had become their base. Yahiko loved this spot—it gave him a clear view of the entire town.
Watching the townspeople go about their daily lives, Yahiko couldn't help but smile, imagining what a peaceful future would look like.
"Yahiko, have you seen Brother Li?"
From behind, Nagato's voice called out. Yahiko turned his head slightly and smiled. "He said he had something to do today and won't join us for training."
"Something to do...? What?" Nagato asked from the doorway.
"I don't know, he didn't say." Yahiko shook his head.
It was Wednesday. Normally, with no missions, they trained outside the village together.
But that morning, Li Yao had said he was busy and would train later. Then he left, without saying where he was going.
"I see."
Nagato dropped the topic and joined Yahiko at the tower's edge, gazing down at the village. Pride and satisfaction lit up his face.
In the past two years, Akatsuki had grown rapidly.
Shortly after Li Yao and Yuzu joined, the blue-striped ninja they once defeated returned with two new recruits.
One morning, under the rising sun, Yahiko officially named their group: Akatsuki.
With each new battle, more opponents were defeated. Yahiko's ideals of peace spread. More people were drawn in—by his charisma and by their strength.
In just two years, Akatsuki had grown to 200 members, officially registered by all five major hidden villages.
Its growth meant Yahiko's dream of peace was becoming real.
And that feeling—watching your ideals become reality—was addictive. Like a power-hungry shinobi feeling their chakra grow every day.
Everyone in Akatsuki was intoxicated by this success—even Yuzu had started to believe.
Only Li Yao remained clearheaded.
Because he knew—it was all an illusion. A fleeting mirage.
He had always known why he joined Akatsuki.
And now, he had finally achieved his goal.
As he walked through the rainy streets of Drizzle City, Li Yao observed the spiritual energy fluctuations radiating from the people around him. Each person's was different—like a genetic code, utterly unique.
These one-of-a-kind fluctuations were what made each soul distinct.
"So this... is the world seen through the Rinnegan."
Li Yao whispered, a faint smile playing on his lips. Deep within his eyes, the highly refined chakra of the Rinnegan glowed with a subtle blue light.
(END CHAPTER)
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