Long before this, Jiraiya had already sent intelligence on the Akatsuki to the various nations.
But that intelligence had been gathered by Jiraiya himself over the years. How could it compare to the information Houka had provided, information drawn from the original story?
Of course, Houka still knew nothing about the Akatsuki's internal strife, or the deaths of Konan and Hiruko.
Minato Namikaze studied the Fourth Raikage's expression seriously and asked, "Does Lord Raikage still believe Kumogakure can oppose the Akatsuki with the strength of one village alone?"
A leader no weaker than Houka, Zetsu with his Wood Release, Mangekyou users, Kisame Hoshigaki at Tailed Beast level, Orochimaru of the Sannin, Hiruko with his dual Kekkei Genkai...
And seven Tailed Beasts...
The Fourth Raikage was feeling somewhat weak, but his face remained impassive. "So what? The shinobi of Kumogakure do not fear death or sacrifice! Even if we fight until the last man, we will never compromise with the Akatsuki!"
"Why is the Fourth Hokage so familiar with the Akatsuki's intelligence?" Ōnoki asked. As for the Fourth Raikage's grand declarations, he could not take in a word of them. That was no way to brag!
"In fact, two months ago, Akatsuki leader Nagato gathered Zetsu, Konan, Orochimaru, Hiruko, Uchiha Shin, and Sasori of the Red Sands to attack Naruto in the Land of Wind. If Houka, Obito, Kakashi, Guy, and I hadn't been there for that battle, the Nine-Tails inside Naruto would likely have fallen into the Akatsuki's hands as well."
Minato Namikaze was simply telling the truth, but to everyone else, it sounded like blatant showing off!
Damn it!
He had just talked up the Akatsuki as if they were invincible, only to immediately pull this kind of reversal... He might as well have just boasted about how ridiculously