Chapter 525

As the lamps lit up, in a poor village within the Land of Fire.

This village lay at the edge of the Land of Fire, its isolation due to dense forests forcing most residents to survive by hunting.

The village had a single establishment serving as inn, tavern, and general store, and every night it filled with drunkards.

In a corner of the inn, three men sat around a wooden table, upon which lay simple food.

"How far is it?"

Su Xiao spoke; the atmosphere among the three was strange.

Kisame sat beside Su Xiao, his sword Kiba resting at his side, ready to swing at any moment; Itachi sat at a distance from Su Xiao.

Kisame cleared his throat; he finally understood why Pain had invited Su Xiao to join. Now, with less than half a meter between them, that sharpness made him deeply uneasy—this man beside him felt like a blade poised to sever his head: razor-sharp and aggressive.

"Soon—if we push through the night, we'll arrive in no more than eight hours."

Itachi's face showed no expression, but inside he began to doubt Su Xiao; the man seemed desperate to join Akatsuki. Considering his own role as a spy, Itachi said nothing.

"You're eager to join us?"

Kisame spoke. Though a rogue ninja, he was a highly competent and loyal one. Later, when captured, enemies tried to extract information from him using sensory ninja.

Kisame's choice then was worthy of admiration: he broke free of his restraints, realized escape was impossible, then used Water Prison Technique to trap himself and summoned a shark to devour him—just to prevent any intelligence leak. Such ruthlessness and loyalty even enemies respected.

Once Kisame joined a faction and accepted it, he would never betray it.

"The Mist Village's ANBU are hunting me—otherwise, why would I go to the Land of Iron?"

"Oh? So you're joining us to escape the Mist Village's pursuit."

"Yes. I have a grudge with the current Mizukage. If I get the chance, I want to kill her—and she wants to kill me too. The Mist Village's ANBU have already crossed into the Land of Fire."

Hearing this, Kisame nodded. Others had joined Akatsuki to flee persecution; to outsiders, Akatsuki was merely a war-mongering organization.

Akatsuki was a mercenary group unaffiliated with any nation. They incited small wars, then monopolized war contracts from small countries at low prices, escalating conflicts, then shattered the ninja systems of great nations (destroying their economies) to monopolize all warfare.

They had several goals.

First: accumulate vast wealth for future preparations.

Second: ignite small-scale wars to gradually expand conflict and dismantle the current system.

Third: capture the Tailed Beasts, use them as weapons to conquer and unify the world, thereby bringing peace.

This was Akatsuki's doctrine under Nagato's rule. Nagato despised war; he knew ending it required a greater war—that only by destroying the ninja village system could true peace emerge.

Nagato's ideal was noble, but unfortunately, so long as humans exist, war will never cease.

Jealousy, hatred, discrimination, arrogance, greed—too many things can spark war.

War is cruel, yet it is an indispensable force in human civilization's progress.

Learning Su Xiao was being hunted by Mist Village ANBU, Itachi and Kisame showed no reaction; over fifty percent of Akatsuki members were hunted by ninja villages.

After a brief rest following the meal, the three continued their journey, heading for the Rain Village within the Land of Rain, at the border of the Land of Fire.

Though the Land of Rain and the Land of Water share similar names, they are far apart; the Rain Village and Mist Village are unrelated.

The Land of Rain is a small nation, perpetually drenched in rain—so the saying goes, it has never stopped.

The rain there never stops because it is a massive ninja technique barrier: anyone entering the Land of Rain and getting wet is instantly detected.

The Rain Village is now Akatsuki's headquarters, and Nagato, Akatsuki's leader, is its true ruler.

At this time, Akatsuki's morality is ambiguous; if forced to define it, this version of Akatsuki is an organization using extreme means to forge a future peace.

After Nagato's death, Akatsuki fell into Uchiha Obito's hands—then it became a true terrorist organization, acting solely for one man's will.

Thus, this version of Akatsuki differs from the later one; had it been the later Akatsuki, Su Xiao would never have joined.

The three moved through the night; their pace was so fast that the Mist Village's ANBU could only watch helplessly.

Once they entered the Land of Rain, however, no matter how many Mist ANBU came, they would die.

After eight hours of travel, dawn began to lighten.

Unlike previous mornings, today's dawn was unusually gloomy—the sky was a heavy gray, signaling they had entered the Land of Rain.

Sparse raindrops fell; as they advanced, the rain grew heavier.

Rain struck Su Xiao's body, and faint blue electricity flickered—chakra mixed in the rain was instantly consumed.

Itachi, running ahead, glanced back at Su Xiao, his brow furrowing; he clearly sensed that energy-consuming sensation.

In Itachi's perception, Su Xiao had changed—not just the previous sharpness, but now an inexplicable threat: there was a unique energy within him.

Click-click-click~

The sword Samehada on Kisame's back trembled, causing his expression to darken.

"What's happening?"

Itachi assumed Kisame sensed an enemy.

"Nothing. Samehada sensed some kind of energy. Isn't that right, Bai Ye?"

"Who knows."

Su Xiao suppressed his Qinggangying energy—it was merely an instinctive reaction.

The Rain Village's barrier rain is called "Rain Tiger Self-Existence Technique," a jutsu of Nagato's, used to detect enemies.

Su Xiao is now near the Rain Village; Nagato must have sensed him.

The Rain Village covers little ground; its buildings are tall with sharply pointed tops—a result of constant rainfall.

The spire-like roofs minimize leaks and noise, reducing maintenance costs.

Throughout the entire Rain Village, metal pipes crisscross everywhere, resembling heating ducts, though their exact purpose is unclear.

"We're here. I'll take you to the leader."

Kisame spoke; Itachi turned and walked away, his steps slow.

"Your partner doesn't look in good shape."

Su Xiao watched Itachi recede; his life force fluctuated erratically, as if his body had been chronically overtaxed.

"What do you mean?"

Kisame and Itachi had a good relationship; they shared similar experiences.

"Nothing. Aren't we going to see the leader?"

"Follow me."

…

In a metal tower dozens of meters tall within the Rain Village, the top room was pitch-black, save for faint breathing.

"Konan."

A voice called out—hoarse and weary.

The door opened, and a woman with blue hair entered.

As she opened the door, dim light spilled into the room. Inside stood a metallic machine, upon which a gaunt, pale-faced man stood, his hands connected to the machinery—this appeared to be a crude control device.

The man had dull red hair; his emaciated frame revealed every rib. Most striking were the black iron rods embedded in his back, each with connecting points trailing behind.