Outside Iwagakure, near the border with the Land of Rain, stood a low hill embedded at the base of a mountain. Its gray-black slopes looked as if they had formed naturally.
But anyone who took a closer look would notice the square patterns covering its surface, as though it were made of layers upon layers of dark gray paper.
An opening at the top of the "paper hill" let in the last rays of the evening sun. The interior wasn't completely dark, and it was just possible to see.
At the very back of the "paper hill" sat a red-haired man, gaunt and skeletal. His face was sunken, his arms thin, and the bare upper half of his body revealed two rows of ribs. He looked like a consumptive—or a starving lecher.
His feet were tucked inside a large machine. Because he couldn't move his legs properly, he had to rely on this flat, crab-like contraption to get around. Several black tubes were connected to it.
A raised, cross-shaped backrest supported the red-haired young man and kept him from toppling over due to his weakness.
A King of Hell with the character "king" carved into its forehead appeared before him.
As brilliant purple light shimmered, the King of Hell opened its mouth and extended a long purple tongue covered in hands. It dropped the four mangled "corpses" into its mouth and chewed them with a crunching sound, as if savoring a delicacy of tender meat and cartilage.
A moment later, the other "four Paths," now restored, appeared before the King of Hell.
"Konan, you should go too."
"Our opponents this time are the Perfect Jinchuriki of the One-Tail and the Puppet Master Sasori. You should be able to handle Sasori."
"Once we capture the One-Tail, we'll have three Tailed Beasts