“A! How do you expin this?!”

  “This is a failure on your part as Raikage! The Kumogakure ninja operating in Kusagakure… because of yligehey fought in despair and died in despair!”

  Elder Advisor smmed his staff on the ground, his face torted with fury. His opening words were a calcuted attack, aimed at undermining A’s authority.

  The report on Samui y on the fereable, a copy for each member of Kumogakure’s leadership.

  Some, after reading the report, closed their eyes, feigning indifferehers subtly g the Fourth Raikage, A, trying to gauge his rea.

  The report detailed the stark trast between the inscriptions on Konoha and Kumogakure’s new headbands. The evidehe film Konoha: War Ninja and the ats of merts Elder Advisor had secretly sent to Konoha.

  Initially, this intelligence had beeiculously analyzed by the Elder cil, f the basis for the Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere and subsequent operations.

  Now, a seemingly insignifit film had exposed Samui’s blunder.

  The worst thing for an intelligence agency was receiving false intel from its agents. The implications were far-reag.

  If even a single piece of intel was false, the entire credibility of the undercent was called into question.

  Had the ageed? Were they unknowingly maniputed? Or were they actively colborating with the enemy?

  And the most pressing question…

  Regarding Konoha’s special military operation against Kusagakure, did Samui deliberately withhold information, or was she genuinely unaware?

  If the former, she would pay dearly for the deaths of the Kumogakure ninja in Kusagakure! And the Raikage, who had personally chosen Samui for this mission, would also be held atable.

  A gripped the report, his breathing being ragged.

  How could this be?

  The headband inscription was supposed to be [Strictly Abide by Local Laws]. How did it bee [Konoha’s Unwavering Support]?

  He had po promote Samui to his personal secretary upon her return. Why was her loyalty now being questioned?

  A forced himself to remain calm. “This… might be an ht on Samui’s part. After all, the intel she’s sent sihen has been accurate.”

  “Including the Kirigakure rebellion and Konoha’s subsequent fn policies. If she’d truly defected, how do you expin that?”

  Damn, A’s actually using his brain.

  Elder Advisor narrowed his eyes, maintaining his posure. “Undercents are like that. If they don’t deliver critical intel, how they expect tinued support?”

  He then raised his voice, “And… I’ve made inquiries. Samui used the funds we provided to purchase a house fojo Kaigetsu in Konoha!”

  “With the vilge fag financial difficulties, Samui squandered vilge assets on real estate in Konoha! This is a btant act of aiding the enemy!”

  “We will not tolerate such treachery!”

  Elder Advisor blew the horn of his final assault. “After careful deliberation, the Elder cil has deemed Samui disloyal to Kumogakure. We are initiating an internal iigation… A, you’ll oversee the initial review. Thhly examihe Anbu personnel roster.”

  “The vilge’s administrative affairs will be temporarily managed by the Elder cil.”

  “Seded!”

  “Agreed!”

  “The Raikage’s ret duct has been too impulsive. He o… calm down.”

  The elders supp Elder Advisor chimed in, quickly solidifying their stance. With their pronous made, they left, their expressions smug.

  A sat alone, his face dark, the crumpled report in his hand. “They’ve gooo far…” he muttered, his voice low and dangerous.

  Kumogakure was ruly unified.

  During the era, they had stantly fought amongst themselves, fueled by geions of animosity. Only the threat of Konohagakure and the new hidden vilge system had forced them to unite and form Kumogakure.

  While the vilge presented a unified front agaiernal threats and during the Shinobi World Wars, duriime…

  …internal flicts resurfaced.

  Unlike Konoha, Kumogakure had a rge Elder cil, each member backed by a powerful , their influence deeply entrenched within the Anbu.

  Kumogakure’s Anbu was essentially a representative body of the various s, with only a small number of civilian-born ninja like Samui among its ranks.

  Theoretically, the Raikage’s position was meant to ensure band fairness among the s, but the Anbu’s loyalty was fragmented, g the cohesive “Will of Fire” of Konoha’s Anbu.

  And with the Third Raikage’s untimely death, orchestrated by Iwagakure, the Raikage’s authority had waned signifitly.

  If not for A’s unmatched strength and his close bond with his jinchuriki brother, Killer B, the elders might have already attempted a coup.

  Now, the flict had escated into open hostility.

  Even if A refused to ply, the administrative personnel and Anbu, deeply influenced by the s, would likely uo undermine his authority.

  A uood. The “Samui Defe I” was merely a pretext for Elder Advisor to seize power, to elimihe civilian-born ninja he had personally promoted…

  With Samui embroiled in troversy, Yugito Nii decred a defector, and the promising younger geion still developing, A ractically alone.

  He could unleash his Lightning Release chakra and elimihese elders in one fell swoop, but… that would destroy Kumogakure.

  The fragile alliance of ninja s would shatter, followed by the colpse of the Kumogakure Co-Prosperity Sphere.

  They would be left defenseless against Konoha and Iwagakure.

  The position of Raikage, and the vilge itself, were legacies ied from his father. A couldn’t allow them to be destroyed on his watch.

  He was frustrated.

  He had awakeoo te. ed by physical training, obsessed with absolute strength, by the time he realized the extent of the s’ influe was almost too te.

  If only… if only he had acted sooner. If only he had promoted civilian-born ninja, untainted by loyalties, to serve as his fidants.

  “If I had been more decisive and decred war on Konoha when Yugito was captured, my authority would have been strengthened, givihe opportunity to deal with those troublesome s…”

  “Yugito wouldn’t have defected.”

  “Now… it’s too te.”

  A slumped in his seat, his usually vibrant muscles seeming to defte along with his spirits.

  Mabui approached, holding a stack of dots. “Raikage-sama… do you truly believe Samui has betrayed us?”

  “No. I trust Samui implicitly. But whether or not she’s defected is no lohe issue. What matters is that Elder Advisor, driven by grief over his grandson’s death, has openly challenged my authority, and I’m… powerless to resist.”

  “This… is something muscles ’t solve.”

  Mabui nodded solemnly, sensing the trust in A’s voice.

  She pced the test intelligence reports on his desk. “Then, Raikage-sama, please take a look at this.”

  “More reports…” A sighed.

  But he was still the Raikage. The elders wouldn’t dare openly challenge his position… not yet.

  As Raikage, he had tain his posure, for the sake of Kumogakure.

  He picked up the first report.

  [Konoha News - Konoha Time, August 5th:]

  [By order of the Hokage’s office, the following annou is made: Former Hokage Advisor and Konoha Elder, Danzo Shimura, tragically drowned he Land of Fire border. He was 56 years old.]

  “What?!” A excimed, his earlier lethargy vanishing.

  “That’s impossible! Not to mention someone like Danzo Shimura, even an ordinary Genin wouldn’t drown after chakra depletion!”

  “Konoha is clearly cealing the true cause of his death!”

  Even a muscle-brained ninja like A could see through this charade. “Could it be… internal strife within Konoha’s leadership?”

  He looked at Mabui, a hought f. Is she suggesting I eliminate Elder Advisor?

  That’s… not a bad idea. As long as it wasn’t openly saned by me, the s would still harbor some hope, giving me a ce tain trol…

  “Raikage-sama, please review the report.”

  “There’s more?”

  [Konoha News Bulletin:]

  [The threat of assassination pgues the ninja world! Konoha is establishing the Avengers Initiative to address this crisis.]

  The shorter the annou, the graver the matter.

  A sat up straight, his expression turning serious.

  The bulletiiowo key points: Assassination and the Avengers Initiative.

  The former wasn't hard to uand, especially sidering Danzo’s obituary.

  “Danzo Shimura didn’t drown. He was assassinated?!”

  Within the Land of Fire? An assassination? Danzo? And so soon after Konoha’s show of strength?

  How bizarre.

  The situation in the ninja world was ging rapidly. A sighed. The assassination was ohing, but this…

  “Is it because I don’t read enough? I don’t uand what kind anization this is.”

  “Samui’s intel is as follows—” Mabui stood tall, her back straight. Sihe Raikage still trusted Samui despite the troversy, she would do her utmost to support her friend.

  “The Avengers Initiative is a newly established anization saned by Konoha’s leadership.”

  “Its purpose is to assemble the vilge’s ‘super ninjas’ for solo missions, to eliminate bounty ninja operating in the underworld.”

  “And… acc to Samui, Gojo Kaigetsu intends to colborate with other vilges, jointly deploying Aveo elimihese bounty ninja and their employers.”

  Wait a minute.

  Somethi… off.

  A’s eyes widened, a spark of uanding igniting within him. He had grasped a crucial point.

  “Does Samui know about the headband inscription discrepancy?” he asked urgently.

  “No… She tacted me before Elder Advisor revealed the information.”

  “I trust Samui’s loyalty, but the headband i is undeniable. This means… Gojo Kaigetsu has seen through her disguise.”

  “But he still revealed the nature of the Avengers Initiative to her. Knowing she’s a Kumogakure agent…”

  “In other words… Gojo Kaigetsu wasn’t talking to Samui. He was using her as a messeo unicate with me!”

  “Heh, what is this? A peace ?” A crossed his arms, his muscles twitg.

  The more he thought about it, the more vinced he became.

  A musinja with muscles wasn’t scary; a musinja with brains was. This realization energized A.

  “Danzo was assassinated, and Konoha immediately annouhe formation of the Avengers Initiative. He even tacted me, wantio deploy Kumogakure’s elite to assist them in eliminating bounty ninja.”

  “It seems… the bounty ninja who killed Danzo is no ordinary merary. Even Konoha ’t handle him alone.”

  “Avengers…” A frowned.

  Kumogakure was currently in a transitional period. Promising young ninja were abundant, but still developing.

  From A’s perspective, Kumogakure’s only true powerhouses were himself and Killer B. To deal with a bounty ninja capable of assassinating Danzo, they would have to step in personally.

  But…

  “Why should I help Konoha deploy their Avengers? What be would that bring to me or Kumogakure?”

  “Raikage-sama…” Mabui raised her hand. “Samui’s intel also suggests that Gojo Kaigetsu strongly suspects Elder Advisor of issuing the bounty. The Konoha Avengers are secretly iigating this matter.”

  “What?! Elder Advisor did it?!” A’s face torted in disbelief.

  The purpose of the Avengers Initiative was to eliminate bounty ninja and their employers. If Elder Advisor was behind it…

  “Old man… you’ve gooo far. Even Father wouldn’t bme me for this.”

  “But since Konoha brought this up, I must seize this opportunity to be Kumogakure.”

  “Relying solely on Samui as a messenger isn’t enough. In that case…” A’s gaze settled on Mabui. “There’s no point in hiding anymore.”

  “Mabui, you will go to Konoha as my personal representative.”

  Mabui’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Me? Go to Konoha?”

  “Samui’s cover is blown. She’s in danger! And I need assistance here. You will retrieve Samui from Konoha and theiate a deal with Gojo Kaigetsu.”

  “Tell him…”

  A, despite his gruff exterior, was a shrewd leader. He began outlining his pn, having already decided te the corrupt elements within Kumogakure.

  What A didn’t anticipate was that Elder Advisor’s resolve was eveer, and far more ruthless.

  …

  …

  “Elder Advisor, the money is all in this scroll.”

  The Treasurer respectfully presehe scroll taining one billion ryō.

  “Excellent.” The Treasurer breathed a sigh of relief, though a flicker of worry remained. “We’ve allocated only 300 million to the southerories, out of the inal 1.3 billion… Won’t that cause trouble?”

  “Trouble? They’ll be grateful for even 300 million!” Elder Advisor smmed his staff on the ground. “To deal with external threats, we must first eernal stability. Those southern rednecks have been causing trouble for far too long.”

  “If they dare to rebel… we’ll crush them!”

  The thought, ‘The southerories have always supported the Raikage,’ remained unspoken.

  “I’m leaving. Ensure everything is in order.”

  “Safe travels, Elder Advisor!”

  Elder Advisor, leaning heavily on his staff, moved away from the crowd. Escorted by his guards, he arrived at a secluded hut oskirts of Kumogakure, entering through a side door.

  Initially, the passage was narrow, barely wide enough for a single person. After walking for some dista opened into a spacious underground chamber.

  At the ter of the chamber stood the Kumogakure branch leader of the underground exge. He wore a uniform and a bck cloak with a strange insignia.

  The insignia was circur, with a square inside taining three overpping diamonds and four symmetrical spheres above and below.

  Elder Advisor had inquired about it, and the man had expi was the symbol of a high-ranking member of the underground exge.

  “Eguchi-sama, I didn’t expect you to arrive so soon.”

  “Victor, I’m very satisfied with your efficy. I’ll certainly tio patronize your… establishment.”

  Elder Advisor casually tossed the scroll taining one billion ryō.

  He didn’t bother asking about the identity of the assassin; he only cared about results.

  Besides, even if he wao know, it would be incredibly difficult to uncover.

  The underground exge was shrouded in secrecy.

  Even at his age, Elder Advisor had no idea when it was founded. It seemed to have existed since before the Hidden Vilges, during the Warring States Period.

  For a simple intermediary anization to survive in such chaotic times… Elder Advisor suspected a powerful ninja force backed the underground exge.

  Its reputation was impeccable. It never revealed the identities of its ts or assassins, never cheated either party, and only charged a small ission.

  If they cimed a mission was pleted, it was pleted. No risk of double-crossing or unfulfilled tracts… Elder Advisor trusted them implicitly.

  Victor sehe tents of the scroll with his chakra and was slightly surprised. “Another billion ryō?”

  “Eguchi-sama, you’re a wealthy man.” He pocketed the scroll. “So, who are we targeting this time?”

  “Konoha, of course.”

  “Konoha agai me see.”

  Victor unhurriedly retrieved the Konoha se of the bounty list.

  For example:

  Minato Namikaze: 1.5 billion ryōHiruzen Sarutobi: 1.1 billion ryōDanzo Shimura: 1 billion ryō (pleted)Fugaku Uchiha: 900 milliojo Kaigetsu: 100 million ryō…

  Almost every notable ninja in Konoha was on the list.

  As for who was issuing these bounties… It wasn’t hard to guess, even without asking Victor directly.

  In the ninja world, those with the motive and resources to issue bounties of this magnitude… it could only be the reat Vilges.

  “These bounties… were issued by ōnoki, weren’t they?”

  “That’s fidential, Eguchi-sama. rofessiohics,” Victor replied, smoothly defleg the question.

  “They haven’t been accepted yet?”

  “It’s not a matter of money.” Victor poi the bounty list. “These targets, with bounties exceeding hundreds of millions, are promi figures in Konoha, under heavy prote.”

  “Currently, there’s likely no ninja capable of infiltrating Konoha and pleting such missions.”

  “Even Danzo Shimura… only because he left Konoha did the bounty hunters have a ce.”

  Elder Advisor frowned. “Then, sidering the current bounties and the billion ryō I’ve provided, who they eliminate?”

  “I have two proposals.”

  “Either, we use the billion as a long-term bounty. I’ll issue a tract for the elimination of Konoha ninja operating outside the vilge. Ohey’ve collected a billion ryō worth of bouhe tract is plete.”

  “Or, with the existing 100 million and the additional billion, eliminating Gojo Kaigetsu, a Konoha elder, shouldn’t be a problem. After all, he’s just a in.”

  A shrewd smile appeared on Victor’s face. “Don’t think the price is too high. Among Konoha’s elite, the easiest target with sufluence is Gojo Kaigetsu.”

  “And he was just targeted retly. If he dies in a sed assassination attempt, the blow to Konoha’s prestige would be signifit.”

  Elder Advisor hesitated, then nodded slowly.

  In terms of sheer rank…

  A in wasn’t worth 1.1 billion ryō. Even if he was secretly a Jōnin, it wouldn't be worth that much.

  What did 1.1 billion ryō represent? Enough to buy tens of thousands of explosive tags, enough to level a small ninja vilge.

  But Gojo Kaigetsu’s political significe was undeniable. Assassinating him would be a sp in Konoha’s face, a way to honor his grandson’s memory.

  For Elder Advisor, ed by grief, it was an irresistible temptation.

  “But what if Gojo Kaigetsu never leaves the vilge?” He raised a crucial point. “From what I know, he rarely leaves, spending his days between the Hokage Tower and his safe house.”

  “Surely these assassins ’t just waltz into Konoha and kill him?”

  “He’ll e out eventually.” A mysterious smile pyed on Victor’s lips. “You should read the neers more often. In a while, Gojo Kaigetsu will attend the pletion ceremony for the Konoha-Suna Trade Route.”

  “How about this: since you’re ed, Eguchi-sama, we’ll issue both tracts simultaneously. Before eliminating Gojo Kaigetsu, they alset Konoha ninja operating outside the vilge. However, that will require an additional billion ryō.”

  “Given your excelleation, we offer you a loan, if needed.”

  Elder Advisor instinctively wao refuse.

  Were they treating him like a walking ATM? Two billion ryō was beyond his ’s resources. He’d have to embezzle vilge funds…

  ‘I’ll just… reduce the military budget again. After all, the increased military spending was meant to ter Konoha. It’s better to let bounty ninjas do the work, without riskialiation from Konoha.’

  With his mind made up, Elder Advisor nodded.

  “Very well. Issue both tracts.”

  “Two billion ryō. I’ll ensure every st is delivered. Ohe missions are pleted, I’ll have someone deliver the payment.”

  “Excellent. A pleasure doing business with you.”

  Victor pulled out a pen and paper, making notes in his bounty ledger.

  Gojo Kaigetsu’s official bounty increased from 100 million to 1.1 billion ryō.

  The bounty… was officially active.

  …

  …

  Amegakure. Sunday. Sunny.

  The miracle maed once more. Amegakure vilgers busily hung their clothes out to dry, enjoying the rare sunlight.

  Afterward, they wiped the sweat from their brows, csped their hands together, and bowed towards the ter of Amegakure.

  A curious child asked, “Kaa-san, why are we praying in that dire?”

  “Because… God is there.”

  The God of Amegakure, Nagato!

  Nagato stood atop the highest tower, his mood far from pleasant.

  Through the Rinnegan in Yahiko’s body, hidden in a dark er, he observed Amegakure.

  Beside him, Konan’s expression was filled with worry. “Nagato, your body…”

  “I’m fine,” Yahiko’s body replied calmly.

  Maintaining the “No Rain on Sundays” miracle came at a great cost. Even with his pure Uzumaki lineage, Nagato’s body was struggling to keep up.

  Though he hadn’t engaged in any major battles, the chakra required to maintain clear skies exceeded his regeion rate. His body was growing weaker by the day.

  Sundays were Konan’s most dreaded days.

  She had tried to persuade Nagato to abandon this taxing jutsu, but he had refused.

  “I’ve never sidered the pranted by the Sage of Six Paths’ eyes a misfortune. Possessing this power… I am blessed. I will use it to create a better world!”

  “With ‘No Rain on Sundays,’ all of Amegakure will know of my existence, of a God using the Sage’s eyes to ge the ninja world. I will bee the God of the new era.”

  “This is something only I achieve!”

  Nagato was stubborn. Seeing the genuine smiles on the vilgers’ faces and their revereowards him, he felt it was all worth it.

  Konan sighed, abandonitempts at persuasion. She then brought up ret events in the ninja world and some unusual activity within their anization.

  “Nagato… Uchiha Madara hasn’t appeared in a while.”

  “Heh, that guy wouldn’t disappear for so long without reason. And he hasn’t even issued a statement. It seems… he’s likely dead.”

  “Dead? Uchiha Madara… dead so easily?”

  “Life is fragile, even for someone like Uchiha Madara. His death, while a loss for the anization, is ultimately a good thing for us.”

  Nagato and Konan had ruly trusted Uchiha Madara.

  Nagato also khat Konan was stantly preparing explosive tags with her Paper Ninjutsu, in case Madara betrayed them.

  His death… was truly the best oute.

  “Konoha unched a special military operation against Kusagakure arieved the surviving members of the Uzumaki .”

  The Uzumaki … Konahey were Nagato’s kin; the Land of Whirlpools was his homend.

  Though he never openly aowledged it, the timing and his hair color aligned perfectly.

  After Uzushiogakure’s destru, the survivors scattered across the ninja world. Nagato’s parents had traveled halfway across the world to Amegakure, believing Hanzo, the Demi-God, could bring peace… The rest, as they say, is history.

  Less than five years after Uzushiogakure’s fall, war erupted. The war cimed Nagato’s parents and granted him the legendary Rinnegan.

  It was as if everything reordained.

  “The Uzumaki …”

  Yahiko’s body, g the ability to express emotions, remaioic. But Konahe turmoil brewing within Nagato’s heart.

  “If I had lived in that era, I would never have allied with that hypocritical Konoha!” Nagato’s voice was low and dangerous. He raised Yahiko’s hand, as if grasping the sun itself. “I would have annihited all invaders aroyed that false Konoha, proteg all Uzumaki members.”

  The hatred… it had ruly faded.

  Since awakening the Rinnegan, Nagato had been plotting Konoha’s destru. He wao expose their hypocrisy, their weakness.

  “There are reports that Konoha has weled the Uzumaki survivors and is allowing them to rebuild their .”

  “Hypocrites!” Nagato growled, his voice filled with loathing. “I will never aowledge my lineage! I will never five Konoha!”

  “Ohe Akatsuki has amassed suffit strength, I will desd upon Konoha and make them suffer. And if, at that time, the Uzumaki sides with Konoha… I will annihite them all!”

  Konan’s heart tightened upon hearing his words.

  In that instant, she made a decision. She would save the Uzumaki Konoha.

  Nagato… had suffered enough. The hatred within him was so profound, it terrified even her, his closest friend.

  If he were to eliminate his own kin… Konan couldn’t imagihe depths of his despair.

  The Uzumaki was Nagato’s redemption.

  If anyone in the ninja world could alleviate his hatred, it could only be the Uzumaki.

  Konan had made her choice. Even if it meant deceiving Nagato, she would secretly save the Uzumaki in Konoha.

  “Zetsu, have you recruited any new members?”

  Konan, snapping back to the present, reported, “Yes. I’ve also assessed his abilities.”

  “Who is he?”

  “A missing-nin from Konoha, a Jōnin who defected over ten years ago. His name is…”

  “Hiruko.”

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