What Shinobi World Demigod, Just a Stray Dog on the Road

At the same time, inside the Akatsuki's crude underground base, the atmosphere was just as heavy.

Yahiko stood before a makeshift table cobbled together from wooden crates, his orange spiky hair especially striking under the dim light.

Gathered before him were the Akatsuki's current core members.

Besides Konan and Nagato, there were two key members whom Yahiko trusted deeply, men whose strength in the organization was second only to the three of them: Kyusuke and Daibutsu.

Kyusuke had short-to-medium black hair. What drew the eye most were his vertical pupils, like those of a feline, and the symmetrical blue markings on his cheeks, like tear tracks.

He was a war orphan from Amegakure, meticulous in thought and skilled at intelligence gathering and analysis. Won over by Yahiko, he was one of the Akatsuki's early founders.

Daibutsu, meanwhile, lived up to his name. He was exceptionally tall and powerfully built, with a gleaming bald head and a kindly face like the Maitreya Buddha in a temple, but beneath that simple, honest appearance lay considerable strength.

He had originally been a wandering ninja, and after being won over by Yahiko's ideals and personal charisma, he joined the Akatsuki and earned Yahiko's deep trust. He was especially skilled in Water Release ninjutsu.

Yahiko's gaze swept over the face of every companion present. He took a deep breath and said in as steady a tone as he could, "I called everyone here because there's an emergency."

"According to reliable intelligence, Amegakure is very likely to be forced, in the near future, into a conflict... one we won't be able to stay out of. Several extremely powerful ninja have already infiltrated the village. If a battle breaks out between them, our top priority is to do everything we can to protect Amegakure's civilians and help