HTP: Ch. 78

"World peace? Ridiculous! Laughable!"

Looking at the intelligence documents he had just received, Killer B scoffed.

If Akatsuki was considered a peacekeeping group, then what did that make Kumo? Utter nonsense!

Villains always find some grandiose excuse for their actions, gathering the tailed beasts was clearly for world domination.

Standing to the left of Hiruzen, Jiraiya actually tried to argue, "Maybe they've just lost their way. It's possible they're not evil by nature, just deceived by someone truly bad."

Bullshit!

Killer B was about to explode with anger. But before he could speak, Ōnoki agreed with Jiraiya.

"I feel the same way," he said with a sigh.

"I also think that might be the case," added Chiyo, whose face had been grim while reading the intel, but now looked slightly relieved after hearing Jiraiya and Ōnoki. "Perhaps there's someone manipulating them."

She pointed at Kakuzu's photo and said, "This man has the eyes of a predator, cruel and dangerous. He might be the villain behind it all."

Ōnoki nodded in agreement. "This freak is rumored to have fought the First Hokage. If that's true, he's likely the mastermind."

"Yeah, he doesn't even look like the rest of Akatsuki," said Kurotsuchi, though she was young and normally wouldn't have a say in such meetings. But being the granddaughter of the Tsuchikage, she couldn't hold back.

Ōnoki crushed the "Deidara intel" in his hands, then floated up and declared: "Also, the info is incorrect, Deidara is not a missing-nin."

Chiyo wanted to say the same, but Sasori's situation was different, so she only sighed in silence.

Ōnoki channeled chakra and accurately pulled back every copy of the "Deidara intel" from the tables, saying in a low voice, "I will personally write a letter, Deidara will return with honor."

Killer B let out a cold snort.

"I'll write a letter too!" Chiyo stood up as well. "Sasori is my grandson. If he can be redeemed, I hope everyone will give him a second chance."

Jiraiya wanted to say something similar, but held back. He decided he'd secretly write a letter after the meeting ended.

Killer B's expression grew darker. Once, twice, this was too much.

"Enough!"

He roared, slamming his long blade into the ground, the edge buried deep in the earth.

"Let me know when it's time to attack."

Fools and traitors are not worth negotiating with!

Heturned and strode away.

Mei observed the situation. This Akatsuki group… seemed a bit more complicated than expected.

---

On the outskirts of Ame, Pain stood high above, gazing at the sprawling Allied Shinobi Forces camp.

War had once again reached Ame.

The moment their intel was leaked, he had already expected this day would come.

"What should we do?" Konan beside him asked, visibly worried. "The ninjas have come to me many times asking to join the battle… but…"

But Ame ninjas couldn't compare to those from the Five Great Nations. If real war broke out, it would be a massacre. Even the sharpest blade becomes dull when burdened with attachments.

Rain fell in a constant drizzle.

After a long silence, Pain finally spoke, "Do you know why they haven't attacked yet?"

"They're afraid."

Before Konan could respond, he answered his own question, his Rinnegan eyes locking onto the enemies' main camp. "They're not afraid of Ame, or of Akatsuki, they're afraid of a god unchained."

Konan's eyes lit up.

"You mean, they won't destroy Ame so easily?"

Pain nodded slightly. "If Ame is gone, they won't be able to sleep at night."

Yes.

If he had no attachments, he could infiltrate and destroy any of the major ninja villages at will.

He held out his hand, letting the rain gather in his palm before clenching it into a fist. "My power is already enough to fulfill Yahiko's dream."

Konan nodded in agreement. Compared to the painful world vision they pursued later, she had always preferred Yahiko's original ideal. But if Nagato had made up his mind, she would follow him.

"What do we do next? Do we negotiate with Konoha?"

As she spoke, she slid a letter out from her sleeve, it was the very letter Jiraiya had secretly written.

Its content was exactly as expected: a plea for his two former students to return to the right path, accompanied by numerous generous offers from Konoha regarding Ame.

Pain took the letter, and without any emotion, commented, "Jiraiya-sensei is still so naive. That will be the death of him someday."

Turning to Konan, he said, "We fight first. Only after we fight can we talk."

Konan tilted her head, confused.

Seeing her puzzled expression, he explained, "Even if we do negotiate, it cannot be under Konoha's terms. We now possess six tailed beasts. Combined with the power of the Rinnegan, there is no village stronger than us. That means the ones standing at the top of the shinobi world… is us. We are now in a position to make the rules."

Konan's eyes lit up with sudden realization, and she said in surprise, "You've changed so much recently."

Pain nodded in agreement. "Ever since I drove those two away, I've felt much clearer in my thinking. After absorbing the tailed beasts' chakra, and my original body recovering a bit, this clarity has only gotten stronger. Konan, gather the others. War is about to begin. It's also time we had a talk with those rogue ninja."

"Understood."

Hearing this, Konan's body transformed into paper and scattered into the wind.

---

In Ame's tower, was the first non-hologram meeting of Akatsuki.

"Tsk tsk tsk… That old man actually said I wasn't a missing-nin."

Deidara held Jiraiya's surrender letter and read it aloud. "What a pity, your art still doesn't surpass the Pain's."

With a casual flick, the letter turned to ash and scattered on the wind. Unlike their previous sinister gatherings that screamed "villain group," this scene looked much more normal.

A cyberpunk-style office typical of Ame's ninja tech.

A large round table.

Konan was already there, eyes closed in meditation.

Sasori was repairing one of his puppets. Kakuzu was counting money. Hidan was mumbling some kind of ritual.

"Tch, this office has no artistic flair. The old style was better," Deidara muttered, growing slightly impatient. He turned to Sasori beside him. "What's Pain doing, gathering us like this? We're not those traitors. Why all the mystery?"

Sasori glanced sideways at Deidara. He wasn't planning to reply, but seeing Deidara's not-so-bright expression, he explained, "This time it's a war between Ame and the Five Great Nations. He needs to know where we stand."

"Doesn't matter whether it's Ame or Akatsuki," Kakuzu said with a snort, stopping his abacus. "As long as it makes money. If we're fighting Konoha, even better. I hope that so-called Grand Strategist shows up this time."