Akatsuki's base.
Just as Konoha was in full preparation for battle, Akatsuki had completed their own preparations, and all the members were fully armed and brimming with energy.
Because this time, they aimed to accomplish their goals in one decisive strike.
In the entire Ninja World, only the last remaining Eight-tailed Jinchuriki and Nine-tailed Jinchuriki were left, and these two Jinchuriki were the most difficult to capture, with the strictest defenses protecting them.
"We should have launched the plan sooner."
Black Zetsu's voice carried an added layer of gloom as it raised its head, looking at Deva Path of Pain standing on the Gedo Statue, and said gravely, "Now, Konoha has gathered many ninjas from The Hidden Sand Village and The Hidden Mist Village. It's said that the Fifth Kazekage and Fifth Mizukage have also arrived..."
"It doesn't matter."
Deva Path of Pain looked down at the members below, cloaked in cloud black robes, and slowly reached up to touch the Rinnegan in his eye socket, speaking softly, "My aim is precisely this, to deliver a devastating blow when they think they are at their strongest."
This was also influenced by Uehara Naraku's provocation.
Because Uehara Naraku had destroyed the ninja villages of three major countries in succession, Nagato felt a bit reluctant to be outdone by his junior. Thus, when he learned that the ninjas of The Hidden Mist Village and The Hidden Sand Village were mobilizing, he was even faintly excited.
After all, this was also the first official appearance of the Rinnegan.
In front of the strongest ninja villages in this world, the abilities of the Rinnegan would fully unleash, allowing them to experience the terror of the Rinnegan and to feel true pain and despair.
Nagato was filled with confidence.
In front of the power level of Pain of Six Paths, the advantage in numbers had little meaning—in fact, no matter how many ninjas there were, they were merely adornments to showcase his power.
Not to mention the strongest Deva Path of Pain, even just the final explosion of the Asura Path could destroy the entire Konoha Village.
"Is the leader finally going to act personally?"
Deidara said with a chuckle, "If the elite forces of The Hidden Mist Village, The Hidden Sand Village, and Konoha gather, that power would be such that even we wouldn't be able to charge in head-on!"
"Hehehe..."
Hidan chuckled as he looked at Deva Path of Pain, stroking the scythe in his hand, "So this time we might finally see the leader in action? In that case, I am really eager to see the leader's battle results!"
After Hidan finished talking, his smile turned somewhat sinister, "If a leader's power is too weak, I might just have to take his life for Lord Evil God to wash away the shame of me joining Akatsuki!"
Crack!
Snap!
Hidan's head suddenly dropped to the ground!
Ringo Ameyuri's swift strike directly cut off Hidan's head. She sheathed her lightning blade and, without a change in her expression, took a bite of an apple.
"Too noisy."
"Hey, you damn woman!"
Hidan's head lay on the ground, looking up at Ringo Ameyuri, cursing loudly, "Do you have the guts to not sneak attack! Sooner or later, I'll offer you to Lord Evil God, you damn woman!"
"Shut up!"
Kakuzu frowned. His arm suddenly extended to grab Hidan's head and stitched it back onto his body.
As Kakuzu was stitching up Hidan's neck, he turned his head to Ringo Ameyuri, "Next time, if you can kill him, finish him off on the spot. I am tired of stitching wounds for this fool!"
"Hey, Kakuzu!"
Hearing his teammate's words, Hidan immediately looked at Kakuzu with displeasure, "What do you mean by that! We are teammates!"
"I want a teammate who can help me make money."
As Kakuzu said this, he glanced at Uehara Naraku, then turned and looked at Hidan with disdain, "Not a teammate who constantly brings trouble!"
Damn, this Hidan idiot!
Was Pain someone you could casually mock?
Many in Akatsuki were somewhat unrestrained, but Kakuzu, who had lived for more than ninety years, knew exactly who could be provoked and who could not.
Hozuki Suigetsu smiled as he looked at Ringo Ameyuri and praised, "Ameyuri, your blade is getting faster and faster!"
"After all, it's a lightning blade!"
Hoshigaki Kisame grinned, showing his full set of shark teeth.
"Not fast enough."
Ringo Ameyuri, like a rodent, slowly nibbled away at the apple in her hand, biting the apple core and swallowing it before turning to look at Hozuki Mangetsu, "If it were Senior Mangetsu, the lightning blade should be even faster!"
"Hmm..."
Hozuki Mangetsu glanced at his younger brother and shook his head, "Drawing the blade is just the basic skill of using kenjutsu, there's nothing worth boasting about."
"Tch..."
Uchiha Sasuke disdainfully looked at the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist discussing swordsmanship, except for Hoshigaki Kisame, he didn't take the others seriously.
After all, Sasuke was very proficient in kenjutsu; the Uchiha swordsmanship was far superior to these wilderness paths taken by the Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist.
Yakushi Kabuto looked at Uchiha Sasuke but said nothing, merely pushing up his glasses slowly and lowering his head.
Karin, also cloaked in a cloud black robe, stood beside Yakushi Kabuto and imitated him by coldly pushing up her glasses.
Kaguya Kimimaro and Haku, both like little shadows, merely turned to look at Deva Path of Pain, waiting for his instructions.
Deva Path of Pain looked at the members below and said coldly, "Here is the plan: Konan and I will go to Konoha to capture the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki. The rest of you will follow Uehara to The Hidden Cloud Village to capture the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki."
"Huh?"
Immediately, there was an uproar below.
Everyone looked in disbelief at Deva Path of Pain in the air, thinking that their leader might select an ordinary squad to attack Konoha.
They didn't expect Pain to only take his teammate.
This level of audacity is too much!
After all, that is the strongest ninja village in the Ninja World!
Moreover, right now Konoha has gathered the Fifth Hokage, the Fifth Mizukage, and the Fifth Kazekage, as well as high-end combat power from the three major Ninja Villages!
Isn't the leader just sending himself to his death?
The formidable formation assembled by the three major Ninja Villages, even though Deidara is audacious and skilled, even with him piloting Uehara Naraku's ancient giant dragon, there's no guarantee...
"Lord Pain."
Uehara Naraku lifted his head to look at the Deva Path of Pain and said in a deep voice, "I still suggest that we first go capture the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki, or I can go to Konoha with you all..."
During this time, Uehara Naraku had tried to persuade them many times.
After all, he very much wanted to collect the extreme changes in the chakra nature of lightning and fire power, so that he would only be missing the Yin and Yang powers.
At that time, he could completely use Uzumaki Naruto and Senju Hashirama as experiments to find ways to obtain them.
Sigh...
If Nagato insists on going to Konoha himself, does it mean Uehara Naraku has to destroy Konoha by himself once?
Uehara Naraku didn't really care...
He just wondered if the Konoha Ninjas' psychological resilience was strong enough.
"Uehara."
The Deva Path of Pain's gaze landed on Uehara, gently refuting, "Don't worry, I'm fully confident, perhaps by the time you come back after capturing the Eight-tails, we'll have already returned with the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki."
The Deva Path of Pain interrupted the persuasion Uehara Naraku was about to utter and grumbled, "If there's nothing else, you can prepare to set off!"
After saying this, the Deva Path of Pain turned into a cloud of smoke and dissipated.
Uehara Naraku furrowed his brow and turned to Konan beside him, "Sensei, there's no need to be in such a hurry, right?"
"I've already tried to persuade him."
Konan's face showed a trace of worry as she softly said, "But he's determined to do it, perhaps because he's waited too long and can't suppress it any longer!"
"I thought he would at least go with the other members."
"There's no need for that."
Konan shook her head and quietly said beside Uehara Naraku, "Apart from bringing you, Pain doesn't trust anyone else; if he takes you, someone must personally oversee the capture of the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki, and Pain is worried about Uchiha Obito's spies in the organization..."
"I understand."
Uehara Naraku nodded slowly, clasping his hands together, "I'll set off now to capture the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki and rejoin you all as soon as possible."
"Okay."
Konan nodded seriously.
After saying this, Konan left the Akatsuki base to reunite with Nagato, because for long-distance combat, the chakra sensor's signal is too weak.
Therefore, Nagato had to set off together with the Pain of Six Paths.
But this time, the two of them shouldn't need much disguise, as Nagato's legs are intact, and he possesses considerable combat power.
After Konan left.
Black Zetsu's figure stood beside Uehara Naraku, speaking ominously, "Don't worry about them, the power of the Rinnegan is more formidable than you imagine... moreover, even if any problem arises, the Eye of the Moon plan can transform the world into the one we desire."
"…"
Uehara Naraku felt a bit speechless internally.
That bastard Black Zetsu was telling the truth, but only half of the truth.
Even though he held contempt for Black Zetsu in his heart, Uehara Naraku's face managed to slightly ease its worry, "I still have to trouble Senior Zetsu to help gather intelligence for the sensei; I will go with the others to capture the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki!"
"Rest assured."
Black Zetsu chuckled darkly and nodded.
This task of capturing the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki wasn't much trouble, and unlike Nagato, Uehara Naraku did not bring all available men on the mission.
Uehara Naraku surveyed everyone present and said in a deep voice, "This time for capturing the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki, I want to take only Uchiha Sasuke with me to swiftly deal with the Eight-tailed Jinchuriki to prevent unforeseen events; the rest will temporarily stay at the base!"
"…"
Uchiha Sasuke's face immediately showed a satisfied smile.
"What?"
Deidara immediately pouted in dissatisfaction, holding a giant dragon clay in his hand, loudly opposing, "I worked so hard to mold an enormous dragon; wouldn't it be a waste of my art!"
Uehara Naraku glanced speechlessly at Deidara, massaging his forehead, "Then we'll also take you and Senior Sasori..."
Alright, they were old friends too.
Besides, Uehara Naraku got along well with Deidara and Sasori of the Red Sand.
"Hey, Uehara!"
Hidan waved his scythe, standing in front of Uehara Naraku, "If I can't offer a sacrifice to the Evil God, what's the point of staying in this organization?"
Crack!
Hidan's head was chopped off again!
Uchiha Sasuke emotionlessly spun his blade, elegantly sheathing his ninja blade, and said flatly, "If you dare be disrespectful to Senior Uehara again, I'll incinerate your body with Amaterasu..."
Even though Uchiha Sasuke mentioned the ninja world's strongest Fire Release Ninjutsu, his voice was as cold as ice and snow, sending shivers down one's spine.
Ringo Ameyuri watched Sasuke's smooth action of sheathing his ninja blade, a glint flashing in her eyes as she softly praised, "Tsk, that was a pretty stylish slash!"
"…"
Uehara Naraku patted his forehead.
Why does it feel like Sasuke has been led astray by him!