"Stay sharp, everyone! Lord Hanzo gave specific orders that we must strictly guard against anyone entering the Hidden Rain Village. There must not be a single oversight."
A Hidden Rain Jonin was sternly cautioning the sentry ninjas responsible for defending the village gates. Only a few days ago, Hanzo had issued a death warrant; if they accidentally allowed the enemies inside, they would be face trial.
After the Jonin left, the two squads on duty—totaling six ninjas—immediately began to chatter among themselves.
"Would any enemy really dare to attack the Hidden Rain Village in broad daylight while Lord Hanzo is here?"
They found it hard to believe that anyone would be so blind as to challenge a man known as the Demigod. After all, Hanzo was the hero who had used his immense strength to lead them out of the quagmire of war!
Another ninja lowered his voice. "Do you know who the enemy is this time? They say it's an organization called Akatsuki."
"Akatsuki?" Someone scratched his nose, the name sounding familiar. "I heard of them a few years ago, but wasn't that group already wiped out?"
"I heard that Lord Hanzo joined forces with the Leaf to crush them. Now they've returned for revenge."
"For real? Lord Hanzo is so powerful, why would he need to team up with the Leaf?"
Clearly, some people weren't focused on the enemy; they only cared about how powerful their idol was. This was the reality for most young people in the Hidden Rain Village. They had grown up listening to Hanzo's heroic deeds, making it impossible not to feel admiration and awe. However, under the difficult circumstances of recent years, some people's faith in Hanzo's rule had begun to waver.
Suddenly, someone raised a question. "Do you know why Lord Hanzo hasn't stepped out to deal with the enemy yet?"
A supporter of Hanzo immediately responded, "Lord Hanzo is a man called a Demigod! Enemies like this aren't even worth his personal intervention."
"Heh, I think Lord Hanzo is just scared..." the dissenting ninja sneered. "It's because of Hanzo's cowardice that the ninjas from the Great Nations dare to keep bullying us! It's making our lives worse and worse!"
These words instantly stung the hearts of the supporters, who began to shout angrily, "What did you say?! You dare to question Lord Hanzo?"
Just as a conflict was about to break out between the two factions, the Jonin in charge of the Hidden Rain's front-line defense, Mari Ogawa, appeared at the gate.
"Silence, all of you."
Her cold gaze swept across the scene, and everyone instantly went quiet.
"What is going on here?" Mari Ogawa exuded the pressure of a superior as she calmly asked for the reason behind the commotion.
The supporters of Hanzo immediately pointed their fingers at the dissenter. "It's this guy! He actually dared to question Lord Hanzo. He said Lord Hanzo is hiding because he's afraid to fight, allowing the enemy to bring the battle right into the Hidden Rain Village."
"Oh?"
Mari Ogawa looked at the ninja who had spoken out against Hanzo. Instead of a reprimand, her eyes held a hint of... admiration?
Just as the supporters were clamoring for the punishment of the man who insulted Lord Hanzo, two black figures appeared in the distance.
"Is it the enemy?"
Mari Ogawa looked toward the two figures. They wore black cloaks with red cloud patterns, and their foreheads bore Hidden Rain headbands with a horizontal scratch through the symbol. Combined with the powerful chakra that could be felt even from a distance, it had to be them.
"They're finally here." Mari Ogawa suddenly said something quite bizarre.
"Captain Mari? Should we report the situation to Lord Hanzo?"
The ninjas looked grave. Based on those scratched-out headbands, it was almost certain these two were enemies.
Facing her subordinate's suggestion, Mari Ogawa nodded. "I will hold them back. You all quickly report this to Lord Hanzo and have the village dispatch more reinforcements."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The two squads received their orders and quickly retreated toward the interior of the village. Mari Ogawa braced herself, her hands forming signs as she rapidly mobilized the chakra within her body.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
A massive burst of chakra erupted, transforming into a ferocious water dragon that came crashing down. To everyone's shock, the water dragon's target was not the two mysterious figures in black cloaks, but the six ninjas who were running back to deliver the report.
They never expected their superior to spend so much time molding a jutsu just to use it against them. Although the Water Dragon Jutsu takes a long time to cast, its power is formidable. Furthermore, because these ninjas never dreamed their own captain would ambush them, they were wiped out with almost no defense. Only the dissenter received "special treatment" and survived without much injury.
Pain and Konan walked to the entrance of the Hidden Rain. They looked at the fallen Rain ninjas and then at Mari Ogawa, a famous Jonin of the village, with a look of surprise. Although Simu had told them that he had turned some Hidden Rain ninjas to ensure the mission went smoothly... turning a Jonin was perhaps a bit excessive.
"You are the lords of Akatsuki, I presume? The Hidden Rain Village is ready. We have been waiting for your arrival," Mari Ogawa said naturally, as if she had rehearsed this scene many times.
Pain nodded toward her. "Good work."
As he spoke, he and Konan heard a terrifying explosion erupt from within the Hidden Rain Village, followed by the chaotic sounds of fighting. Seeing Pain and Konan look puzzled again, Mari Ogawa quickly explained.
"The Hidden Rain rebel army has officially begun a fierce battle with Lord Hanzo's supporters. You two only need to kill Hanzo, and the entire Hidden Rain Village will be yours."
"I see."
Pain's tone was icy. He didn't know why things had turned out this way, but now that it had come to this, his only task was to kill Hanzo! He formed hand signs and pressed his palm against the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Amidst a burst of smoke, two more figures wearing red cloud cloaks appeared. One was stout, with black receivers pierced through his nose, cheeks, and chin. The other was a male with a ponytail, his face also adorned with black receivers. Most notably, they all shared the same eyes—the Rinnegan.
As Pain slowly opened his arms, his body, along with the two newly summoned paths, began to float slowly into the air.
"The revenge... begins now."