The next day, inside a room at the Akatsuki base.
Akatsuki's leader Yahiko and Konan stood beside a bed. Both of them were wrapped in bandages stained with blood, clearly having just gone through a fierce battle.
But neither of them had the mind to care about their own injuries.
Their gazes were fixed anxiously on Nagato, who lay unconscious on the bed.
Earlier, while trying to rescue several wounded Iwagakure shinobi, they had encountered an unexpected attack. Those very Iwagakure ninja had suddenly turned on them, and the two of them had nearly failed to return alive.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Nagato had erupted with power and summoned a strange creature through the Summoning Technique, allowing them to escape danger.
But Nagato had collapsed immediately afterward and had remained unconscious ever since.
"Damn it…"
Yahiko cursed under his breath, his face filled with regret.
At this moment, besides worrying about Nagato's condition, what filled him even more was anger and guilt.
Anger at his own lack of strength.
Guilt for failing to protect his companions.
If he had been more cautious… if he had been stronger…
Perhaps things would not have turned out like this.
"Yahiko, don't blame yourself. Nagato probably just exhausted his strength. He'll be fine."
Konan understood Yahiko's personality very well. She knew that he must be blaming himself intensely right now.
Although she herself was equally worried, she still tried to comfort him.
Yahiko said nothing.
The guilt in his heart was not something that could be resolved with just a few words.
After thinking for a moment, Konan decided to change the subject.
"Yahiko… why do you think those Iwagakure shinobi attacked us?"
Although she was shifting the topic, she truly was puzzled by the situation.
The Akatsuki had been operating on the battlefield for quite some time now, often rescuing survivors—whether they were from Iwagakure or Konoha.
While they were frequently refused or treated with suspicion, neither side had ever attacked them before.
But this time, those Iwagakure shinobi had not only attacked them—
they had clearly intended to kill them.
And thinking back on it now, those ninja did not look like survivors of a recent battle at all.
Instead, it seemed more like they had been lying in ambush specifically for them.
Yahiko understood what Konan was implying.
But he did not want to interpret other people's actions with malicious intent.
"Maybe," Yahiko said, "those Iwagakure shinobi were preparing to ambush Konoha ninja. Our interference disrupted their plan, so they attacked us."
Konan fell silent.
Her thinking was not as naively idealistic as Yahiko's.
But no matter what, if it was Yahiko's belief, she would support him without hesitation.
Some things were better understood without being spoken aloud.
After a moment, Konan spoke again.
"Yahiko, don't you think the conflicts between Konoha and Iwagakure have become much more intense lately?"
"Do you think that means something?"
Yahiko frowned slightly.
"Perhaps a new factor has entered this war."
"We should find that factor… and then deal with the root of the problem."
Although Yahiko was naive, he was not foolish.
He could sense that the situation on the battlefield was deteriorating.
If that new factor was not identified and dealt with quickly, a full-scale war between Konoha and Iwagakure would likely become unavoidable.
Konan shook her head with a bitter smile.
"With our current capabilities, it would be very difficult for us to obtain intelligence of that level."
"Maybe we can't," Yahiko said firmly. "But Lord Hanzo might."
"We can ask Lord Hanzo for help."
Yahiko's parents had died during the Second Great Ninja War.
At the time, Hanzo of the Salamander had declared war against the three great nations—the Lands of Fire, Earth, and Wind—and the Land of Rain had nearly been torn apart by the conflict.
Because of that, Yahiko had hated Hanzo for a long time.
He blamed him as the one who had started the war.
But as Yahiko grew older and came to better understand the situation of the Land of Rain, he gradually understood Hanzo's decision.
His hatred eventually faded away.
Hanzo might not have brought peace to the Land of Rain…
but at least he had allowed the nation to make its voice heard.
Now, Yahiko deeply respected the man who had protected the Land of Rain for decades.
Konan hesitated slightly.
"But… would Lord Hanzo even agree to meet us?"
"He definitely will!"
Yahiko spoke with absolute confidence.
"Because Lord Hanzo is someone who pursues peace as well."
Konan did not reply.
Instead, she silently prayed that Yahiko would not be disappointed in this matter.
"Yahiko! Konan! Quick—quick—!"
Just as the room fell into silence, someone suddenly burst in excitedly, holding something in his hand.
"Jūsuke, calm down. What happened?"
Yahiko asked, trying to soothe the newcomer.
"Just now, a Rain shinobi came!" Jūsuke said excitedly as he shoved an envelope into Yahiko's hands.
"He said Lord Hanzo heard about our organization and wants to meet you!"
"This is the letter he sent!"
Yahiko's body trembled.
The sudden news left him momentarily stunned.
Just moments ago, they had been discussing whether they should request an audience with Hanzo.
Yet before they could even act, Hanzo had already reached out to them first.
Konan reminded him,
"Yahiko, read the letter first."
"Oh—right! The letter!"
Yahiko snapped back to his senses and hurriedly opened it.
The contents were simple.
First, Hanzo praised the ideals and actions of the Akatsuki.
Then he acknowledged the organization's active presence on the battlefield.
Finally, he invited Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan to visit him and discuss the future development of the Akatsuki.
"I knew it… I knew it…"
Yahiko read the letter over and over again, his body trembling with excitement.
After all—
Hanzo of the Salamander was known as the "Demigod of the Shinobi World."
Receiving recognition from such a legendary figure was an enormous affirmation for Yahiko.
At this moment, Yahiko felt more certain than ever that the path he had chosen was the right one.
Konan also read the letter.
While she was happy for Yahiko, she still spoke with concern.
"Yahiko, the letter invites the three of us… but Nagato is still…"
Yahiko finally came back to his senses and looked at Nagato lying on the bed, hesitating.
He was considering whether to bring the unconscious Nagato to Amegakure.
After all, Amegakure was a fully established shinobi village and had its own ninja hospital.
Perhaps they could help wake Nagato.
But Nagato's body was… special.
He possessed a secret that could never be exposed.
Those were the eyes of the Sage of Six Paths—
the legendary Rinnegan.
If something went wrong…
Yahiko might be naive, but when it came to the life of his closest friend, he could no longer afford to be.
"Mmm…"
Just then, a faint groan came from the bed.
Nagato slowly opened his eyes.
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