In Year 68 of Konoha.
Ever since the turmoil during the joint Chunin Ninja Exams in Konoha five years ago, many people thought that a major war was approaching, but the result exceeded everyone's expectations.
These past five years were a rare period of peace, unseen since the death of Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi.
Not only did no wars break out among the ninja villages, but even the minor ninja villages did not experience any major friction.
Having witnessed the strength of the Akatsuki lurking in the shadows, how could the Five Great Shinobi Villages dare to start a massive war and consume their own village's strength? The major ninja villages did not dare to start a war, and the minor ninja villages likewise dared not, fearing they would jump too eagerly and be made an example of as a warning to others.
The past five years had not been easy for the Akatsuki because, by baring their fangs, they made it very difficult to secure a large volume of orders and missions in the ninja world as they once had, with all the major ninja villages on guard against them.
Of course...
The main reason the Akatsuki did not stir up trouble was that their leader, Nagato, had been very well-behaved over the past five years.
Even when Obito and Black Zetsu, the true masterminds behind the organization, repeatedly urged Nagato to initiate the collection of the tailed beasts, he forcefully delayed them.
The Rain Country was the main base of the Akatsuki, which was no secret among the Five Great Shinobi Villages; after all, with such a massive floating island suspended in the sky, no one would believe it if they denied being the base of the Akatsuki.
However,
because Nagato possessed a level of strength