In fact, Mizuki Ember's return to Kirigakure, his ascension as the Fifth Mizukage, and his decree recalling all rogue ninja had affected the Akatsuki Organization more than anyone else.
Why was that?
Because at this very moment, another Akatsuki meeting was underway, and a scene of "division" was playing out.
It could be said that ever since learning of Mizuki Ember's decree, the atmosphere within Akatsuki had become incredibly tense.
Meetings that usually only ten full members could attend had, today, included many provisional members as well, all summoned by Pain, Akatsuki's public leader.
Moreover, everyone had attended in person this time. Pain had not used the Phantasm Body Technique!
Logically, some of the provisional members should have been pleased by this situation, but the atmosphere at the scene left many of them deeply uneasy.
"One, two, three, four... Oh? Who would've thought there were actually seven or eight rogue ninja from Kirigakure in our organization? What a surprise!"
Amid the tense atmosphere, an abrupt, faintly teasing voice suddenly rang out.
At a time like this, the first person to speak without reading the room was undoubtedly Deidara, whose head was filled with nothing but the Art of Explosion all day long.
Aside from Kisame Hoshigaki, Hozuki Mangetsu, and Biwa Juzo, the three more famous figures Deidara had mentioned, there were several provisional members in Akatsuki who had also defected from Kirigakure.
However, after hearing Deidara say that, every one of them looked awful.
The only ones whose expressions remained normal were probably Kisame Hoshigaki and Hozuki Mangetsu.
That was because the two of them had been sent into Akatsuki by Mizuki Ember as spies, so they naturally had no other thoughts regarding this sudden recall decree.
But the other rogue ninja from Kirigakure did not see it that way.