Chapter 225: 221: Ame and Danzo
Amidst the rain, a tall tower loomed.
"Ah!"
A cry of extreme pain escaped from Kandachi's mouth. Yet, no one offered assistance.
Having betrayed Ame's interests to Konoha, many wished for Kandachi's immediate death. Those who colluded with him had already faced execution. In essence, Kandachi found himself in a desperate state of isolation and helplessness.
"You...you are Akatsuki..."
Kandachi moved his body backward with difficulty, fear in his eyes as he stared at the person standing before him. He had long red hair and a calm expression on his face, as if he was seemingly indifferent to everything, lacking the emotions humans should have. It was as if he had become a 'being' of another level, looking down on the world from above, including the struggling humans.
"Long time no see. It's been about two or three years since Hanzo-sama and Yahiko passed away." Nagato's tone had respect and politeness, without even releasing any murderous intent. For someone like him, displaying murderous looks seemed unnecessary and was a waste of time.
Kandachi's body trembled, lips quivering, and he couldn't utter a word. Fear had dominated his eyes. Just standing in front of him, Nagato made him feel an irreversible invisible force, and his body seemed extraordinarily heavy.
"However, I didn't think you would pay too much attention to someone small like me. Which is why I'm here today to take away everything that doesn't belong to you." Nagato spoke indifferently, as if he was speaking about something trivial.
Kandachi swallowed and finally answered, "Are you here to avenge Hanzo?"
Nagato remained silent, but in Kandachi's view, he undoubtedly acquiesced to this.
"Actually... I had no other choice... If Ame was allowed to continue under Hanzo's rule, it would definitely be brought into the darkness. You see, now with Ame and Konoha cooperating, neither Iwanor Suna would dare to make trouble with us...".Kandachi spoke. He didn't know if his sophistry was useful or not, but the.man was a member of the Akatsuki and he was that idiot Yahiko's subordinate, who put Ame's future first, no matter what, the situation wouldn't be too bad. At least, until Konoha's reinforcements arrived.
"So you're saying, everyone in Ame should thank you for your understanding and righteousness?"
"I wouldn't dare. In fact, that old man at time had already lost his will. As his right-hand, I knew everything about him. He was just forced to go to the battle. He didn't dare to confront Konoha and Suna at all...He was just an old man with vanity. In order to protect his demigod title, he didn't hesitate to watch the Land of Rain fall apart...He was the chief culprit who had caused the country's current situation today."
"Hmmm?"
"That's right. Even the demigod couldn't resist the washing o years, he become an evil old man who was greedy to live and scared of death. I had no choice but to cooperate with Konoha. It was the only way out for Ame and the Land Of Rain. If you don't believe me, I can..."
"No, I do believe you." Nagato smiled. In that moment, He seemed like the embodiment of compassion, and his smile brought incomparable peace of mind.
Kandachi was momentarily taken aback, but before he could express his joy, Nagato stretched out his hand, effortlessly grabbed him by the throat, lifting him into the air.
"Uh...uh...you...cough...do..."
Kandachi, whose throat was being strangled, was almost suffocated, and could only speak intermittent words that couldn't be connected into sentences. Despite Nagato's slender frame, the power contained within felt like that of an extremely dangerous and powerful beast, leaving Kandachi's face pale.
"But... Is there any necessary connection between that and me killing you?" Nagato remarked lightly, Kandachi's pupils shrank, there was a plead for mercy in his eyes. However, Nagato's grip tightened like steel, attempting to crush Kandachi's throat alive.
"Let... let me.. go... Please..." Kandachi's face was congested and red because he couldn't breathe. When Kandachi was the brink of suffocation, Nagato suddenly released his grip.
"Hah... hah..."
Sitting on the ground, embarrassed and panting, Kandachi, who had narrowly escaped death, knew for the first time how wonderful it feels to be alive. He still had a beautiful life he hadn't yet enjoyed, dying here wasn't an option.
Kandachi had no idea why Nagato spared him, but it definitely wasn't because of mercy. The notion that the other party intended to kill him was undeniably true. But, he didn't think too much; he crawled on all fours like a desperate animal, rushing towards the door in an ungraceful manner.
Nagato didn't intervene; Kandachi saw a glimpse of hope for survival. However, at that moment he grasped this hope, a shadow appeared in front of his eyes. The shadow, with eyes resembling Nagato's, an old face, stared at him with calm pupils.
"Han... Hanzo..." Kandachi looked as though he had seen a ghost, stepping back in horror, uttering incoherent sentences.
Having glimpsed hope only to have it snatched away intensified Kandachi's desperation. He seemed to have been poisoned by some kind of poison, his face twisted in fear, muttering incomprehensible words, he stiffened and fell to the ground, lifeless.
"He was scared to death, he's truly useless." Konan emerged with a cold expression l, with the emanating pungent odor from Kandachi's body, she showed no hesitation in showing contempt at Kandachi. Someone like him becoming the leader of Ame, relying on Konoha's power, was an shame as an Ame n8n.
Nagato disregarded Kandachi's body, he was just an insignificant.
"Has the situation outside stabilized?"
"Um." Konan nodded.
Kandachi was far too unpopular in Ame, particularly in the past two years with the power granted by Konoha. He has acted mischievously during his rule which displeased many. His death will bring happiness to many.
"The next step is facing Konoha." Nagato went outside, listened to the rain, he spoke indifferently.
Kandachi, the spokesperson, was dead, and Konoha wouldn't let it go. However, there was no reason to relinquish what was in his possession. The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, who filled him with dread, was dead, so currently within Konoha, there was no one who could rival him except for maybe the Third Hokage who stayed at home.
Yet, Konoha's might extended far beyond individual prowess. The combined strength of its united ninja troops was a formidable force to be reckoned with. Even the mighty Nine Tails could be temporarily subdued with their combined firepower – Konoha's greatest strength.
"The Fourth Hokage is dead, and Kumo's side has resumed the war. They don't have extra energy. Moreover, the deliberately disclosed information to Konoha may play a role in the restriction." Nagato agreed with Konan's deduction. Yet, despite this, they couldn't underestimate Konoha.
"They won't do anything on the surface, but there will undoubtedly be some underhanded means behind the scenes. Moreover, we also need to increase our strength."
Nagato had something to propose. Kumo alone wasn't sufficient. If Ame hadn't suffered heavy losses in the previous war, it would indeed be a huge aid. However, now the number of ninjas in the village was under a thousand, the economy depressed, and the people lived in poverty. This wasn't a predicament alone for Ame, ir is the whole Land of Rain. Merely addressing basic needs like food and clothing was no simple matter.
"Konan... What do you think of me sending the ninjas in the village to farm? The harvest would improve, and efficiency would increase."
"???" Konan was startled; the corners of her mouth twitched twice, rendering her speechless. Honestly, she felt Nagato lacked talent for humor – at best, it could be regarded a cold joke.
...
The Land of Rainappeared calm on the surface.
A long bridge stretched over the water, leading directly to Amegakure.
Kakashi, openly leading two Anbu teams, walked on the bridge, heading towards Amegakure without concealing their presence.
The rain pattered, and in the middle of the long bridge stood the entrance guard room to Ame. There was a team of Ame nins guarding the place. They noticed Kakashi and his team, immediately grabbing their weapons, blocking the road with stern faces. They didn't seem to welcome Kakashi's party very much.
Although Amegakure was no longer a vassal to Konoha, te Ame nins harbored resentment towards Konoha. Their eyes were filled with hatred. Because Konoha had betrayed them on the war; many of their comrades had died at the hands of Suma, even Hanzo-sama met the same fate. If it wasn't for Konoha's betrayal, Ame wouldn't have fallen to this point.
"This is..."
Kakashi was about to hand over the scroll written by the Hokage when a ninja from the Ame group stepped forward, snatched the document from Kakashi's hand, threw it on the ground, letting it soak in the rain.
"Get out of here!"
Kakashi looked at the scroll on the concrete floor, but before he could speak, the Anbu behind him had already drawn their weapons, mirroring the Ame nins who either brandished weapons or had formed hand seals, gathering their chakra. The imminent outbreak of battle hung in the air. Ignoring the tense atmosphere between the two sides, Kakashi stretched out his hand, feeling the rain falling from the sky.
'Weak chakra is mixed in the rain, this whole place was being watched,' Kakashi thought to himself. This presence filled him with a sense of foreboding. It's was so bad... they might be killed at any moment. If they clashed with these Ame ninjas here, survival for the Anbu was absolutely impossible.
Faced with the legendary doujutsu, Kakashi didn't have the confidence of escaping. In such a scenario, leaving Konoha would be his only option.
"Hokage-sama hopes that peace is the most important thing, and it would brbest not to have unnecessary disputes."
"Then please relay to your Hokage, Amegakure will no longer be under Konoha's jurisdiction." The Ame ninja delivered these words with an indifferent and cold voice.
The atmosphere froze once more. Kakashi had no choice but to sigh, saying, "In that case, I will report this to Hokage-sama. At the same time, I also hope that you will take care of yourself and avoid unnecessary troubles due to your rash decisions."
From Konoha's standpoint, although direct confrontation was not an option, the dignity of Konoha could not be compromised.
Kakashi handled this with adept speed. Sure enough, after he finished speaking, several of the Ame ninjas showed hesitation, visibly fearful of potential retaliation from Konoha.
"That would be all for today. Next time, it won't be so simple."
Kakashi knew this was far from over. Amegakure seeking independence wasn't a simple matter. At least, a significant portion of Konoha hoped Ame qould break away from Konoha's rule. Because the Land of Rain served as an excellent shield against Sunagakure, protecting the territory of the Land of Fire.
Keeping it under control was the safest option. However, Kakashi couldn't make this decision. The Third Hokage's orders were to investigate, not to engage with the Amegakure. After getting the clear stance of Ame, Kakashi turned away, departing with the Anbu, heading back toward the Land of Fire.
The Ame Jōnin stood there without moving, hands wet with sweat or rain, breathing a sigh of relief. Honestly, a conflict with Konoha's Anbu here would not bode well for Ame. However, Ame had no room for retreat now, and Konoha would hold them accountable. Only by weathering through this tough times would Ame truly break free from Konoha's control.
....
Kakashi reported Amegakure's situation truthfully to Hiruzen.
The Land of Rain's daimyo suffered an attavk, and changes in Amegakure seemed apparent. Kandachi, the leader, had severed contact with Konoha, his whereabouts unknown.
Kakashi's team couldn't infiltrate the village to gather more information. Their main mission, in the end, was to uncover the events unfolding within Ame.
Yet, Konoha was presently overwhelmed with various responsibilities. Kumo had restrained a considerable portion of Konoha's power, the Uchiha situation demanded Anbu surveillance, and three S-rank rogues might be lurking in the shadows, planning their next attack. With Ame being drawn back into the picture, Hiruzen frowned.
Until October of this year, Konoha had enjoyed a scene of peace and stability. However, the Nine Tails Rampage, the death of the Fourth Hokage, various emerging issues had thrown Konoha into disarray.
Investigating the troubles within Ame with the current Anbu alone was an impossible task.Most Anbu had their own duties and couldn't be spared. Yet, there was an Anbu unit that could assist him. That was under Danzo's leadership. But letting Danzo become involved with Ame... Hiruzen shook his head.
Danzo wasn't suitable. Initially, he had assigned Danzo to handle the diplomatic relations with Ame, which resulted in Danzo's disloyalty to him and his numerous unsavory activities behind his back.
"Kakashi, you can go back and stand by, keep in touch at all times." In desperation, Hiruzen issued Kakashi an order to standby.
"Yes." Kakashi nodded, disappearing from the office.
...
"Danzo-sama, this is he information from Kakashi."
Wearing his signature black coat and sunglasses, Aburame Ryoma held a scroll used in recording the secret information and delivered the news with an indifferent expression.
Danzo accepted the scroll handed over by Ryoma, opened it, and glanced through its contents.
"Amegakure... Do they intend to break free from Konoha's control? Hiruzen is truly unreliable. If it were up to me, Ame would remain firmly within Konoha's palm." Danzo expressed dissatisfaction with the information presented.
The Land of Rain served as a critical war buffer zone, acting as a protective barrier against enemy attacks on the Land of Fire during times of war. Losing this barrier would be a significant blow to Konoha.
"Yes, after the Third's return to power, many in the village have raised objections. Some suggested selecting the Fifth Hokage from the Sannin." Ryoma sighed. Despite being an adversary of Root, the Fourth Hokage Minato, as a young and high-ranking Hokage, held positive significance for Konoha, even from the Root's perspective.
"Hiruzen won't allow anyone to interfere with the power of the Hokage, even if the Fourth were alive. His original intention was to groom the fourth as his puppet. Otherwise, Orochimaru would have become the fifth Hokage already."
Danzo never missed a chance to criticize Hiruzen. Ryoma couldn't refute Danzo's words, as he, too, harbored some dissatisfaction with the Third Hokage. He felt a need for a more decisive leader in Konoha.
"How do we handle the situation with Ame?"
"Root has been disrupted, and it will take time to regroup. Moreover, an unknown change has occurred within Ame. Kandachi hasn't contacted us, which means he might have been killed. by someone. Even if Root intervenes now, it will be difficult challenge to restore the stability in Ame." Danzo's eyes showed a deep meaning.
Ryoma nodded, acknowledging the complications of the situation. The reason Ame surrendered to Konoha was Kandachi, a man driven by self-preservation. Only if he lived well could he bring benefits to Konoha. With his death, the connection between Ame and Konoha was severed.
"It seems Hiruzen will have to handle it. Let's hope he doesn't disappoint again."
"I wish so... Uh!" Danzo's expression suddenly changed, his face contorting in pain. His right arm wrapped in bandage trembled violently, it emitted a violent chakra.
"!"
Seeing this, Ryoma rushed to the side, retrieved a medicine bottle from the cabinet drawer, poured out a few pills, and fed them to Danzo. After taking the pills, Danzo breathed a sign of relief. His face, covered in fine sweat, the pain had been reduced.
"How are you feeling?" Ryoma asked with concern.
"It's okay, I barely suppressed it." Danzo breathed lightly.
"That's good. I didn't expect the power of the wood release to be quite overbearing." Ryoma stared at Danzo's bandaged right arm with concern. Despite Danzo's extraordinary strength, controlling the arm transplanted with the implant carried the risk of backlashing.
"There's a price for gaining power. My original arm was cut off by that stupid girl from the Hyuga clan. Otherwise, I wouldn't risk being backlashed to transplant the cells from the Wood Release.".Danzo shared with lingering fear. However, in his view, obtaining the power of Wood Release was worth any sacrifice. To become Hokage, strength was essential.
"But if this continues..."
"It's okay. The results of Orochimaru's experiment should be almost out...." Danzo whispered to himself.
"Experiment?"
"The reason I can't control the power is because it is too violent, it keeps disrupting the balance with my chakra. I just need to find another something as powerful to counterbalance ."
"Since that's the case, what should be used to balance the power of wood release?" Ryoma became confused.
Danzo's face took on a cold expression, and he uttered a word.
"Sharingan."
Ryoma's body suddenly stiffened.
"After combining the powers of the Senju and Uchiha, even Hiruzen won't be my opponent!" Danzo spoke with unwavering confidence.
"Danzo-sama, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but this isn't an easy task."
"That's why Orochimaru's existence is meaningful. His brilliant research mind surpasses his ninjutsu prowess."
"No, I meant the Uchiha." Having worked with Orochimaru, Ryoma was well aware of Orochimaru's capabilities.
In terms of strength, he was only slightly inferior to Orochimaru. However, with the unique insects he bred, he could contend with Orochimaru for an extended period. Yet, when it came to research, he fell short. Of course, he wasn't denying Orochimaru's abilities. The crux of the matter was the Uchiha. To acquire the Sharingan, the Uchiha clan couldn't be bypassed.
"Stealing the kekkei genkai of fellow villagers... This is a serious offense."
Especially when the Uchiha clan was involved. This was a menace even more terrifying than Orochimaru once it took root. Although their strength had reduced due to the war, they remained the most powerful force in Konoha, unshakable.
"Don't worry, Ryoma. I've found a suitable candidate from the Uchiha."
A sneer replaced the earlier expression on Danzo's face, silencing Ryoma. Ryoma understood that once Danzo made a decision, it was impossible to change, even by the Third Hokage's authority.
Danzo had been warned repeatedly against privately studying the Wood Release, but he persisted in violating this taboo, still continued on studying it secretly. Now, he not only sought to obtain a foothold in Wood Release but also had no intention of not letting the Sharingan go.
A storm of bloodshed would inevitably ensue within the village.
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