"How was it? Was the trip to Konoha smooth?" After Konan returned from Konoha, the Deva Path Pain called her for a meeting.
This was an internal meeting of the Akatsuki organization, not a high-level meeting. The main members present were: Deva Path Pain, Konan, Black Zetsu, Kakuzu, and Sasori of the Red Sand.
"It went very smoothly. Konoha is more than happy for us to help them win the war. How could they possibly refuse..." Konan answered expressionlessly.
"Hmph, helping Konoha fight a war. I can't believe you even thought of such a thing..." Sasori of the Red Sand snorted coldly, looking very displeased.
He held a deep grudge against Konoha's Fourth Hokage. If it weren't for the fact that he was no match for the Akatsuki leader, coupled with Ryun ordering him to be a spy here, he would never have agreed to this matter under any circumstances.
"We are merely using each other with Konoha. Our goal is the Tailed Beasts. We just need to defeat those Jinchuriki and bring them back. That is all. The reason we informed Konoha is for convenience, not to help them fight a war." The Deva Path Pain responded coldly.
"Zero, specifically, how do you plan to proceed?" Kakuzu's unique voice sounded at the appropriate moment.
"The main purpose of today's meeting is to assign combat missions..."
"Kakuzu and Sasori, you two choose between the One-Tail, Rasa, on the Wind-Fire battlefield, or the Six-Tails Jinchuriki on the Water-Fire battlefield. After defeating the Jinchuriki, bring the person back."
The Deva Path Pain left the choice to the two of them.
"Hehe... Helping Konoha deal with Sunagakure, Sasori will be scorned by others... We'd better choose the Water-Fire battlefield..." Kakuzu chuckled and proactively made the decision.
He and Sasori of the Red Sand were both Ryun's people. The two had long known about each other's spy identities...
"Hmph, Kakuzu, you talk too much nonsense..." Sasori of the Red Sand snorted coldly again, but he did not object to Kakuzu's decision.
"Then it's settled. You two go to the Water-Fire battlefield to capture the Six-Tails. Konan and I will go to the Lightning-Fire battlefield to capture the Eight-Tails. As for the One-Tail on the Wind-Fire battlefield, we'll leave it to Black Zetsu for now..."
Black Zetsu would team up with Masked Madara, but he hadn't yet decided whether to make Masked Madara's existence public.
"Can Black Zetsu handle it alone? Rasa is not only a Jinchuriki but also a Kage of a village. Don't fail and get killed..." Kakuzu couldn't resist teasing.
"No need for your concern. You just focus on not dying on the Water-Fire battlefield..." Black Zetsu was as sarcastic as ever.
"Hmph, ungrateful. You look like you'll die early..." Kakuzu wasn't exactly an easy-going nice guy either.
"Hehe, don't worry, I will definitely outlive you." Black Zetsu stated a great truth with a smile.
Kakuzu's age, even at its maximum, was only a fraction of Black Zetsu's... Talking about who lives longer? The combined ages of everyone present couldn't match this thousand-year-old monster. To call him, 'Zetsu the Thousand-Year-Old', someone who looks like he'll die early, how could Black Zetsu not find it amusing?
He wasn't as impulsive as Deidara, and he didn't actually have a face that looked like he would die young, so he wouldn't get angry just because someone poked a sore spot...
"Enough. The bickering stops here. I will arrange for someone to assist Black Zetsu. He won't die." The Deva Path Pain coldly stopped the argument.
"One, Six, Eight-Tails. What about the Seven-Tails? How do we handle the Seven-Tails?" Sasori of the Red Sand suddenly spoke up.
Since he was acting as a spy within the Akatsuki organization, he naturally needed to gather some useful intelligence that he could report back to his Dragon God boss.
Hearing this, the Deva Path Pain glanced at Kakuzu. The Seven-Tails was the Tailed Beast of Takigakure, and Kakuzu was a rogue ninja from Takigakure.
"Let's collect the first three Tailed Beasts first. After that, we can directly attack Takigakure and seize the Seven-Tails..."
Nagato did not take Takigakure seriously. In his view, the Seven-Tails might be the easiest to capture.
"Kakuzu, we're about to attack your hometown. You won't get angry, will you..." Sasori of the Red Sand took the opportunity to tease.
"Attack my hometown... Then you'd better do a good job when the time comes..." Kakuzu appeared completely indifferent.
With that, the internal Akatsuki meeting concluded.
After several days of preparation, Kakuzu and Sasori of the Red Sand went to the Water-Fire battlefield to capture the Six-Tails. The Six Paths of Pain and Konan went to the Lightning-Fire battlefield to capture the Eight-Tails. Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu went to the Wind-Fire battlefield to capture the One-Tails.
"Hehe... In the end, they are still young and impulsive, unable to handle provocation..."
After reading this intelligence report, Ryun smiled and burned the letter in his hand to ashes.
Nagato accelerating his plan suited Ryun's intentions perfectly. His recent actions to pressure the other were precisely for this purpose.
"Things are becoming more and more interesting..."
Ryun muttered to himself. Then, as if he remembered something, his face darkened. "Damn Orochimaru, not replying to messages. Could he be hibernating inside the Dragon Vein!"
Having worked for over two months now, his resentment towards Orochimaru was immense.
If Orochimaru didn't return within three months, he wouldn't mind finding a proxy Shadow to handle the official duties of Otogakure on his behalf, or he would go to Loulan himself to arrest that big snake and bring him back.
Whoever wants this job can have it, because he certainly didn't want to do it anymore!
Water-Fire Battlefield.
Konoha Command Tent.
"Please, Third Hokage-sama, allow me to leave the battlefield and go to Otogakure..." Uchiha Shisui knelt on one knee, his face showing a determined, resolute expression ready to face death.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzō sat in the high seats, quietly watching Uchiha Shisui without speaking immediately.
After a long silence, Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a heavy sigh.
"Have you thought it through? To do something like that, you can only first become a Konoha rogue ninja. From then on, you will have to bear the stigma of being a traitor. Neither I nor Danzō can clear your name, unless you truly succeed..."
Uchiha Shisui had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan on the battlefield. When he learned the effect of his ocular jutsu, the first person he thought of... was the legendary Phantom Sun Dragon God!
Everyone said Uchiha Ryun possessed the power to end wars, so Uchiha Shisui wanted to 'gift' his most powerful ocular jutsu to him.
If his plan succeeded, this protracted war would end, and Konoha would usher in a long-lasting peace.
As long as that supreme powerhouse was willing to protect Konoha for a long time, what did it matter if he, Uchiha Shisui, had to bear the infamy?
He and his good friend Uchiha Itachi were inheritors of the 'Will of Fire'. For the sake of protecting Konoha, he was willing to sacrifice everything he had, willing to bear any burden!
"I will succeed... I hope Lord Third Hokage, Lord Danzō, will give me this chance!" Uchiha Shisui was very confident in his Mangekyō ocular jutsu.
In truth, every Uchiha who first awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan was full of confidence in their own ability. They might be wary of the reputation of the 'God', but they would never believe their own ocular power (eyes) were inferior to his.
We are all from the Uchiha clan. You can awaken it, so can I. How much difference could there really be?
"Uchiha Ryun can control the world, and I... can control Uchiha Ryun!"
This humble author dares not ask for valuable gifts, just a few free 'Power Stones' for the love of it.
When they heard Uchiha Shisui's nearly arrogant words, the two men in the main seats couldn't help but show astonished expressions simultaneously.
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