Before they knew it, several months had passed since Nagato and the others had left. Life in Konoha remained peaceful and quiet. The Hatake Clan, while a little less lively, seed to be adjusting to the change. Every now and then, conversations would still turn to Yahiko and the others.
"I heard that Nagato and the others are doing well in the Land of Rain," Sakumo remarked suddenly during dinner.
He wasn't prying for information, but rumors had reached him about a new force rising in the Land of Rain. Led by a group of young individuals, this force was gaining power rapidly, expanding its influence and disrupting the region's unstable status quo. Without much thought, he could already guess it was Nagato and his companions.
"It's okay," Kawakaze replied with a nonchalant smile, taking a sip of sake. "Just barely passable."
"What do you an, it's okay? Sensei, please tell us!" Minato's eyes sparkled with curiosity. He was eager to hear sothing interesting, as he dearly missed his Junior Brothers and Sisters. If Kawakaze hadn't forbidden it, he might have already rushed to the Land of Rain to join Nagato's group.
"There's nothing to tell, it's not worth ntioning," Kawakaze said, his tone still carefree. "If you really want to know, ask your Sensei's wife." Despite his dismissive attitude, a faint trace of pride betrayed him.
"Dad, you look like you want a beating," Ginji said ruthlessly, giving his father a pointed look. His deanor was cool, but his satisfaction was obvious.
"Haha, little Ginji is right," Sakumo burst into laughter at Ginji's comnt, and seeing Kawakami freeze mid-sip of his drink only made him laugh harder.
"You brat..." Kawakaze didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Since when did a son openly roast his own father?
"Uncle, there's no harm in laughing when you're proud," Kakashi chid in slowly, completely ruining Kawakami's attempt to keep his cool.
"Sensei's wife~" Minato teased, holding back his laughter as he turned to Tsunade.
"They've ford an organization called Akatsuki," Tsunade began, her tone calm. "The aning isn't bad."
She picked up the sake cup in front of her and took a long sip before continuing.
"First, they subdued the remnants of the A Ninja. Then, they began absorbing smaller ard forces. Now, they've beco one of the two largest powers in the Land of Rain." She paused briefly, setting her cup down. "It won't be long before the Land of Rain falls into their hands."
With just a few words, Tsunade summarized the accomplishnts of the trio.
Listening to her, Minato felt his blood surge with excitent, regretting only that he wasn't there to fight alongside his Junior Brothers and Sisters.
"Well done, I knew they could do it," Minato said, clenching his fists with excitent.
"They should make a big move soon," Tsunade added, revealing a bit more information. While it was just her inference, it was remarkably close to the truth. Intelligence reports indicated that the Akatsuki Organization had recently purchased large quantities of weapons and dicine.
"Is this the final general offensive? Why don't I go help?" Minato asked eagerly, turning to Tsunade with an almost pleading expression. He knew that if she approved, Kawakaze would have no choice but to relent.
"Don't even think about it. Just stay in Konoha," Kawakaze interjected firmly before Tsunade could respond, imdiately dousing Minato's enthusiasm. "If you go, will Nawaki be able to stay behind? If you both go, won't you risk exposing yourselves? Don't take everyone else for fools."
He saw straight through Minato's intentions.
"We can disguise ourselves," Minato argued, unwilling to give up. He was even ready to convince Nawaki to play the part of a woman again if it ant they could go. Nawaki's wishes weren't exactly a priority in this plan.
"Don't even think about it," Tsunade said, shutting the idea down completely. "All we can do is trust them."
She softened her tone slightly, promising, "I'll let you know when I have so good news."
Though she wouldn't send anyone to assist, she had secretly arranged for Nagato and the others to purchase a significant amount of low-cost supplies.
"That's fine," Minato muttered, his excitent deflating in an instant. He looked like a frost-bitten lon, his once-bright eyes now dull and downcast.
"Just stay in Konoha and wait for good news," Sakumo said reassuringly. "Nagato and the others will be fine. After seeing Nagato's strength, I have full confidence in him. There's no one left in the Land of Rain formidable enough to stop them."
"I understand, Uncle," Minato replied listlessly. Though he appeared to accept the situation, his thoughts had already drifted off to so faraway place.
...
Land of Rain.
A brightly lit tent housed a group of people deep in discussion. At the center of the room lay a map of the Land of Rain, divided by a bold red line. On the left side, the character for "flow" was written, and on the right, the character for "dawn." If one looked closely, it was clear that the territory of "Dawn" had grown slightly larger than that of "Flow."
Over the past few months, the Akatsuki Organization had expanded rapidly, recruiting mbers at an unprecedented rate. In response, the wandering ninjas, feeling threatened, had started annexing surrounding forces. The result was that the Land of Rain was now dominated by these two factions. Peace seed closer than ever before.
"Have the weapons and dicine been distributed?" Yahiko, seated at the head of the table, asked, directing his gaze toward Kakuzu.
In recent months, Yahiko had firmly established himself as the undisputed leader of the Akatsuki Organization. His position was now unshakable.
"Everyone has been issued their share," Kakuzu replied tersely, his tone harsh and his expression grim.
The organization's rapid expansion had co with massive costs in weapons and dicine. This spending grated on Kakuzu, who had worked tirelessly to build their reserves, only to see them dwindle with every step forward.
"That's good," Yahiko replied calmly, entirely unbothered by Kakuzu's sour deanor. He knew all too well that miserly types like Kakuzu were predictable.
"Have the wandering ninjas made any new moves recently?" Yahiko turned to Nonō, now the head of intelligence.
"After the last battle, they've grown cautious," Nonō reported. "They're on high alert now, so sneaking up on them will be much harder."
The Akatsuki Organization had ambushed the wandering ninjas not long ago, delivering a decisive blow. The victory had been significant, but it had also forced the enemy to adapt.
"If we can't sneak up on them, we'll fight them head-on. What are they afraid of?" Daiki Nakamura, now leading the forr A Ninja forces, spoke with confidence. He had been one of those who had convinced Yahiko and the others to stay in the Land of Rain and had grown bolder after their recent successes.
"You're right; we can defeat them in a head-on battle," Yūichi Nagashima added. A formidable Jōnin with Earth Release techniques, Yūichi had been selected to lead the newly recruited forces. If not for Yahiko's talent for recognizing potential, Kakuzu might have tried to claim Yūichi's heart.
"It's good to have confidence, but we still can't be careless," Yahiko interjected. "Strategically, we must defy the enemy; tactically, we must pay attention to them."
Over ti, Yahiko's commanding presence had grown stronger. His speeches, now filled with rhetoric and conviction, inspired those around him.
"What a show-off," Konan muttered under her breath. Yet, despite her teasing, she found herself drawn to the charisma Yahiko exuded.
"The next battle will be a tough one," Yahiko continued, his tone serious. "We must be on our toes. Stick to the original plan and take care of your own people. I don't want to see anyone faltering at a critical mont. After this battle, you will all be heroes."
He pounded the arm of his chair, his passion and determination evident.
"The peace of the Land of Rain is within our grasp."
Months of relentless effort had led them to this mont. Victory was finally within reach. Victory was within their grasp!
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