Rain Country was drenched in endless rainfall, the sky weeping without pause.
A shinobi dressed in a black raincoat moved swiftly through the forest, leaping from branch to branch before finally arriving at an abandoned town. His landing was silent, practiced.
Moments later, another figure descended from above. Cloaked in gray, he stopped a short distance away. His face was completely hidden beneath the shadow of his hood.
"Mei, you're late," the gray-clad man said, his voice low and edged with dissatisfaction.
"Sorry, Kou," Mei replied calmly, unaffected by the tone. He reached up and removed his hood, revealing his identity as Ida, known among Akatsuki as one of Yahiko's most trusted subordinates. "There have been too many assignments lately. I couldn't slip away."
"Assignments?" Kou repeated, his voice growing colder. "Let me remind you again, Mei. You are a spy. Your priority is Lord Danzo's mission, not Akatsuki's activities."
Mei's expression remained composed, a faint, controlled smile on his face.
"Lord Danzo also taught us that the essence of infiltration is to forget your identity and fully blend into your environment. That is the most effective disguise."
Kou let out a quiet scoff. "You'd better believe that yourself. You already know the consequences of betraying Root."
Mei's smile deepened slightly.
Of course he knew.
He had personally executed traitors before, some of them people he had trained with since childhood.
Those raised within Root were molded into tools. From a young age, they were stripped of identity and emotion, trained only to carry out orders. They had no names, no past, no future. Only obedience remained.
Absolute loyalty to Danzo was not just a rule, it was doctrine.
Root existed as Danzo's personal force, separate from the village's will. That distinction was never forgotten.
Because Mei was someone Danzo valued, Kou did not press further. After issuing his warning, he moved on.
"How is Akatsuki progressing?"
"Nothing unusual," Mei replied. "Since Hanzō was captured, they've entered a phase of steady expansion."
With Hanzō gone, Rain Country had fallen into disorder. Many factions were taking advantage of the instability to grow, including Akatsuki.
Even so, their progress was limited. Without sufficient funding or supplies, their development remained slow.
Danzo had attempted to establish contact earlier, sending someone to offer support. Yahiko refused outright.
Despite his ideals, Yahiko was not naive. An unknown party offering full backing was clearly suspicious. It suggested outside forces attempting to gain control.
He rejected the offer without hesitation.
Danzo had been furious, though his position in the Land of Hot Water prevented direct action.
Initially, Danzo's interest in Akatsuki stemmed from the presence of Jiraiya's students within the group.
Suspicion came naturally to him. When he heard they were spreading ideals of peace and cooperation, he immediately questioned their intentions.
Jiraiya might appear careless, even foolish at times, but appearances could be deceiving.
Danzo had learned that lesson from Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Once, Hiruzen had seemed simple and approachable, someone others naturally trusted. But beneath that exterior was a man capable of decisive and ruthless action.
Danzo would not be fooled again.
He sent operatives to infiltrate Akatsuki, to gather information and, if possible, uncover evidence of forbidden techniques being shared. At the same time, he collected leverage on other Konoha shinobi.
Anyone with potential to become Hokage was, in Danzo's eyes, a rival.
However, instead of finding weakness in Jiraiya's students, news of Hanzō's betrayal surfaced.
Enraged, Danzo attempted to manipulate Akatsuki again, intending to use them against Hanzō before discarding them entirely.
When that failed, he turned to a second plan.
Mei was ordered to eliminate Yahiko and take control of Akatsuki from within.
But the attempt never succeeded.
Yahiko was rarely alone, always accompanied by Nagato and Konan. Nagato, in particular, remained constantly wary of Mei's presence.
There was no opportunity.
With Hanzō's capture soon after, Danzo chose to keep Mei in place as a sleeper asset.
Since then, Mei had continued operating under the identity of Ida, gradually earning Yahiko's trust.
This meeting with Kou was the first contact since those events.
Each time Kou appeared, he brought critical intelligence.
This time was no different.
"Hanzō has reached an agreement with Konoha," Kou said. "He will return to Rain Country soon."
Mei's eyes narrowed slightly. The news was unexpected. Most had assumed Hanzō was already dead.
"The village plans to deploy Hayashi and Sakumo to lead forces into the Land of Earth," Kou continued. "They intend to avoid prolonged conflict with Sunagakure."
This strategy was highly confidential, known only to a handful within Konoha. Danzo, despite his position elsewhere, remained informed.
Kou's tone grew heavier.
"This may not work in Konoha's favor. Even with an agreement, Lord Danzo does not trust Hanzō. If their retreat is cut off, the entire force could be annihilated."
He deliberately omitted certain details and continued.
"Your mission is to prevent Hayashi and Sakumo from advancing into the Land of Earth."
Mei raised an eyebrow.
Even he understood the tactical advantage of shifting the battlefield there. It would trap Iwagakure's forces in the Land of Grass, creating a decisive pincer attack.
But there was another factor.
With Hayashi's current momentum, if he entered the Land of Earth, the war might end quickly.
If that happened, the credit he would gain would be overwhelming.
Land of Wind, Land of Water, Rain Country, and then the Land of Earth. If Hayashi dominated all fronts, there would be nothing left for Danzo to claim.
The intention behind the order was clear.
Danzo wanted Hayashi contained.
He wanted the war dragged back into the Rain Country.