Not long after, Minato Namikaze listened to Orochimaru's conversation with Konan and pieced together a bit of the truth.
So Jiraiya-sensei… never mentioned having students in the Land of Rain, Minato thought.
During those years when Jiraiya was away from the village, he'd been here.
Konan's expression remained calm, but a trace of nostalgia flickered in her pale-purple eyes. She didn't answer directly—instead, she looked toward the far side of the village.
An orange-haired young man strode over, several shinobi in the same black cloaks with red clouds following behind him.
"I'm Yahiko, leader of the Akatsuki."
He flashed a bright, open smile. He looked tired, but there was still a lively spark in his eyes.
"Thank you, shinobi of Konoha, for escorting these medical supplies. The situation in the Land of Rain… these will save a lot of people."
Orochimaru's slit-gold eyes narrowed slightly as he sized Yahiko up. His gaze lingered on the red-cloud cloak.
"Akatsuki… I've heard of you."
He paused, then continued.
"An organization active in the Land of Rain, with an ideal of bringing peace."
Kiyohara stood beside the wagon, watching quietly.
At this point, Akatsuki was still nowhere near the future transnational criminal syndicate packed with S-rank rogue shinobi—just a civilian organization struggling to survive in a war-torn minor country.
Looks like Danzō hasn't come here to set the trap with Hanzō yet, Kiyohara thought.
In canon, Akatsuki's descent into darkness couldn't be separated from Konoha's "Darkness of the Shinobi," Shimura Danzō.
His words stoked Hanzō the Salamander's anxiety, pushing Hanzō to eliminate Akatsuki before they could threaten his position.
Meanwhile, Akatsuki believed they were finally being recognized by Amegakure, on the verge of becoming official.
Instead, Hanzō ambushed them—Yahiko died there, and Nagato's heart turned black, determined to make everyone feel pain.
Kiyohara didn't know how strong Yahiko currently was, only that Yahiko's body later became the Deva Path of Pain—and that was terrifying.
"Once the supplies are counted, we can hand them over."
Konan turned to the caravan leader and began verifying the number of crates.
Yahiko stepped closer and said to Minato and Orochimaru, "Actually… we've run into a bit of trouble. Amegakure patrols have been unusually active nearby. We just received word from our people—there may be a squad moving this way. For safety, once the handoff is done, please leave as soon as possible."
Orochimaru's tongue flicked lightly over his lips.
"Hanzō the Salamander's Amegakure?"
"Yes." Yahiko nodded, his expression grave.
"Hanzō-sama is extremely wary of any armed group in the country that isn't Amegakure. Akatsuki is seen as an unstable factor. But I believe one day we'll be recognized."
"Heh-heh… since we're already here, dealing with a few Rain shinobi to prevent the supplies from being damaged should still fall within the scope of the mission."
Orochimaru smiled.
The title Sannin sounded glorious, but to him it was also humiliation—because it was earned only after he, Tsunade, and Jiraiya survived Hanzō.
Orochimaru had no fondness for Hanzō.
"That… wouldn't be appropriate."
Yahiko shook his head.
"Konoha and Amegakure aren't officially at war. If you act, it could trigger diplomatic problems."
Orochimaru's laugh came low.
"As long as no one lives to report it… who would ever know Konoha was involved?"
Yahiko fell silent for a few seconds. In the distance, chakra fluctuations were already becoming detectable—Rain shinobi really were closing in, and fast.
"…I understand."
In the end, Yahiko nodded.
Orochimaru was Jiraiya-sensei's close friend, so Yahiko chose to trust him.
"Then please hide yourselves first. Amegakure's target is us—they'll attack us directly. Once they enter the ambush range, please move."
Orochimaru gave a small nod, and the Konoha group scattered into hiding.
Kiyohara vaulted onto a leafy tree and watched the valley entrance through gaps in the branches.
Kakashi crouched behind a boulder, one hand already on his gear pouch.
Minato's presence nearly melted into the surroundings—unless you were deliberately searching, you'd never notice him.
Five minutes later, eight Amegakure shinobi appeared at the valley entrance.
Their leader wore a conical hat and carried two specialized metal umbrellas crossed on his back.
He was round-bodied, yet unnaturally agile—each step landing cleanly around puddles as if he'd measured the ground beforehand.
"Yahiko… leader of the Akatsuki…"
The chubby Rain jōnin spoke coldly.
"Hanzō-sama's final warning. Disband your organization… or die."
Yahiko stood in front of the crates, refusing to yield.
"Akatsuki exists to help the civilians of the Land of Rain. We won't threaten Hanzō-sama's rule. We only want to save people—and bring peace."
"Naïve."
Another Rain jōnin sneered.
"Any armed force outside our control is a threat. Since you've chosen to resist…"
His hands flashed through seals.
"Water Release: Water Clone!"
Four water clones formed instantly and lunged with the original toward Yahiko.
At the same time, the chubby jōnin yanked both umbrellas free and spun them upward.
"Ninja Art: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
The umbrellas opened midair. Hidden mechanisms clicked—and senbon poured down like a storm, covering a massive area.
That was the moment Yahiko moved.
"Water Release: Water Colliding Wave!"
He drew in a breath, chest expanding, then blasted out a raging torrent.
This wasn't a standard Water Colliding Wave. The volume and force were far beyond normal.
The surge not only blew apart the four water clones, it also formed a roaring wall of water that blocked most of the senbon rain.
Watching from the tree, Kiyohara analyzed rapidly.
The databook said Yahiko's chakra natures were Fire, Wind, and Water, with Water Release as his specialty.
From what Kiyohara could see, Yahiko's Water Release was indeed advanced—and his chakra reserves were substantial.
In canon, Yahiko died easily mostly because he trusted Hanzō's ultimatum: if he died, Konan and Nagato would live. He chose to impale himself on Nagato's kunai.
But the Rain shinobi still had the numbers.
The remaining six chūnin attacked together, firing water techniques from multiple angles at Yahiko and Konan.
"Move."
Orochimaru spoke at the critical moment.
Kiyohara vanished from the tree.
Leaf Flash Body Flicker—his body scattered like drifting leaves, and the next instant he was behind a Rain chūnin.
A blade flashed.
His ninjatō drove up under the ribs and through the heart.
Blood burst out in a soft pfft—the Rain chūnin didn't even understand what happened before his eyes went wide and he collapsed.
Almost simultaneously, Kakashi stormed in like a silver bolt.
The shriek of Chidori tore the air as blue-white lightning gathered in his right hand.
He didn't go for the jōnin up front—he struck a chūnin on the left who was mid-seal.
"Chidori!"
His palm pierced straight through the man's chest; Kakashi yanked his hand free, spraying a fan of blood.
Konan's Paper Release unfolded as well.
"Paper Shuriken Technique!"
Countless sheets burst from her sleeves, transforming midair into razor-edged shuriken and streaking toward another Rain shinobi.
They looked weightless, but with chakra reinforcement they cut like metal.
That Rain shinobi raised a Water Barrier in panic—but the paper shuriken pierced through and carved multiple wounds into his body.
The chubby Rain jōnin's face twisted.
"Ambush! Retreat!"
He didn't finish the command.
A gold streak skimmed past his side.
Minato appeared like a flash, his special kunai already buried into the back of a jōnin who was about to fire a Water Dragon Bullet.
"Wha—"
The jōnin looked down at the kunai tip protruding from his chest, pain exploding through him.
Minato pulled the blade out; his body vanished again and reappeared behind another chūnin.
Flying Thunder God.
"Konoha's Yellow Flash… and Orochimaru!"
The chubby Rain jōnin finally grasped the situation, terror shaking his voice.
"Retreat! Now!"
Too late.
Orochimaru rose slowly from the ground in front of him.
The Rain jōnin froze on the spot.
"Since you came… don't leave."
Orochimaru's voice was hoarse.
In the next instant, his neck shot forward like a launched spear.
The Rain jōnin couldn't react in time—Orochimaru's bite sank into his neck.
"Gah—!"
Venom flooded in.
The Rain jōnin's skin darkened before their eyes. He struggled uselessly as his umbrellas clattered to the ground.
Orochimaru's neck recoiled, returning to normal length as though nothing had happened.
Kiyohara recognized the technique—Soft Physique Modification. Orochimaru's altered body could move like a snake, performing motions beyond human limits.
The rest of the fight ended quickly.
Genma's senbon sealed off two chūnin trying to flee.
Kurenai's genjutsu snapped onto a Rain shinobi attempting a counter-illusion against Konan—Kurenai's mastery was clearly higher, and the opponent's technique died before it could form.
Kiyohara gathered iron sand into three heavy spears.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method!"
The black spears howled forward, punching through the last Rain chūnin's chest and pinning him to the rock wall.
Kiyohara sheathed his blade and immediately walked toward the bodies. He pulled out a sealing scroll and began collecting spoils—tools, scrolls, cash, even intact clothing.
His movements were fast and practiced, as if he'd done it a hundred times.
Yahiko and Konan watched, their expressions complicated.
Konan frowned slightly, but said nothing.
Yahiko stepped forward and bowed deeply to Orochimaru and Minato.
"Thank you for your help. Without you, we wouldn't have won this so cleanly."
Orochimaru waved it off.
"A trade. We cleared your pursuers, and you avoid the hassle of retaliation. And of course… they won't know Konoha was involved."
He glanced at the corpses.
"No survivors. But Amegakure will eventually notice this squad vanished. Search pressure will increase. After that… it depends on you."
Minato added calmly, "Yahiko-kun, I admire Akatsuki's ideals. But in this era, ideals alone aren't enough."
Yahiko nodded, serious.
"I understand. And again—thank you."