Leaving Amegakure

"Rinnegan?"

The Sage of Six Paths?

Exclamations rose and fell. Even the two Advisor elders, who were used to all kinds of storms, could not remain calm at this moment, and their faces were filled with horror!

The Sage of Six Paths is a legendary figure who created the Ninjutsu Sect and is almost equivalent to Deity.

His eyes actually existed? And they appeared on the enemy?

The fanaticism in Orochimaru's eyes was instantly replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and apprehension. Tsunade gasped, her gaze towards the corpse on the ground filled with unprecedented vigilance.

Minato's expression also darkened completely, and a cold glint flashed in his azure eyes.

"Furthermore," Taiichi's voice, like Ice Spike, continued to pierce the tense nerves of the crowd, "As I just said, this is merely a manipulated Puppet. These eyes are not a true entity, but rather a projection of its true master's power."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Jiraiya's deathly pale face. "Their target is the Tailed Beast, there's no doubt about that. The Night of the Nine-Tails is the first step in their plan."

As soon as Taiichi finished speaking, everyone's eyes focused on Jiraiya, whose body was trembling slightly.

His expression was so unusual that even the most oblivious person would notice something was wrong.

Jiraiya felt those gazes. He slowly raised his head, his face devoid of any of his former boldness and unruliness, replaced only by deep weariness and an almost tragic heaviness.

He opened his mouth, his voice dry and hoarse, as if he had used up all his strength!

"I recognize these eyes."

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and glanced at his old friends Minato, the Third Kazekage Hokage, Tsunade, Orochimaru, as well as Taiichi and Shikaku.

"Around the end of the Second Shinobi World War, I spent three years in the Land of Land of Rain. There—I met three war orphans, three children with extraordinary talent. I taught them Ninjutsu, hoping they could find a path to peace in that war-torn country—"

Jiraiya's voice was low, filled with deep reminiscence and pain, "One of the children—named Nagato —possessed such eyes—purple— the Rinnegan."

As the last syllable faded, the vast room fell into an even deeper, deathly silence. You could hear a pin drop.

All eyes, like tangible probes, were fixed on Jiraiya. Shock, horror, disbelief—

Ultimately, it devolves into a complex and indescribable examination.

"You—the disciple I taught?"

Utatane Koharu's voice suddenly rose, sounding so incomprehensible, "That person with the Rinnegan —was someone Jiraiya trained? Why didn't you report that?"

The questioning was like a cold whip lashing out. Jiraiya's lips moved a few times, but no sound of defense could be uttered.

He taught them Ninjutsu, gave them hope, and hoped that they could establish peace in the ravaged land of the Land of Rain, also to make up for a debt he felt in his heart.

He never imagined that this power would be directed at Konoha he had sworn to protect.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag on his long-extinguished pipe, the pungent aftertaste irritating his throat. His wrinkled face was filled with unwavering solemnity and heartache.

He understood his disciple; Jiraiya's original intentions were definitely not like that. In that environment, Jiraiya went out partly to escape and partly to make amends, both of which were the result of a variety of reasons.

"Ahem." Nara Shikaku coughed lightly at the opportune moment, breaking the awkward silence.

As a strategist, he had to bring his out-of-control emotions back to reality.

"Gentlemen, assigning blame now is futile. The most urgent task is to confirm detailed intelligence about this organization and its core members."

The location of their base, as well as their specific plans and progress in collecting the Tailed Beast.

His voice was calm and steady, yet at this moment he uttered the key point. "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can formulate a strategy."

"The intelligence—I'll go get it!"

Jiraiya suddenly raised his head, his voice hoarse but resolute.

He looked around at everyone, his gaze sweeping over every familiar face, finally settling on Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato.

"The Land of Rain, Amegakure —that's a breakthrough point. Nagato — Yahiko — Konan— "

He read out the names of the three children, a bitter expression on his face. "I know them well; if I go, it will be easier to find intelligence."

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato exchanged a glance. The old Hokage's eyes held deep worry, while Minato's eyes reflected a carefully considered decision.

Finally, Minato slowly nodded. "Alright! Jiraiya- sensei, the intelligence Scout mission for Amegakure is now entirely in your hands! Be extremely cautious, safety first! What we need is intelligence, not unnecessary sacrifices."

He emphasized the word "safety," his gaze sharp.

"Understood!" Jiraiya nodded emphatically.

"Until Jiraiya -sensei brings back crucial intelligence," Minato's gaze swept across the room, his tone turning grim, "Konoha is temporarily on high alert. All departments, operate at full capacity. The village's reconstruction and the reinforcement of its Defense Barrier must be accelerated."

The meeting ended in a somber atmosphere, and everyone left to attend to their own affairs.

A glint flashed in Tsunade's eyes, and like a lioness locking onto her prey, she suddenly turned and pounced on the spot where Taiichi had just been.

She wanted to seize this "lifeline" and get rid of the mountain of paperwork at the hospital that could crush a person!

However, she came up empty-handed.

The seats were already empty, with only a trace of residual heat remaining.

"You brat!!!"

Tsunade's furious roar instantly echoed through the Hokage Tower corridor, filled with overwhelming resentment at being "abandoned" and despair at the prospect of facing a mountain of documents. "You actually used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape?! You just wait!!!"

Enraged, she kicked the innocent solid wood flower stand next to her, the expensive mahogany stand groaning in pain.

"Tsunade!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice quietly sounded behind her.

He slammed his pipe against the smooth wall with a dull thud.

"Konoha Hospital is a very important department, and one that only you can manage well. Don't slack off. Go back and get your work done now. If I find you skipping work hours again—"

The old Hokage's eyes were sharp as knives; the meaning behind them was self-evident.

Tsunade's pent-up anger deflated instantly, like a punctured balloon.

Since the Third Kazekage Hokage Position, his authority over Tsunade has only grown stronger.

Now, all she could do was slump her shoulders, resignedly dragging her heavy steps, turning back every few steps to glare fiercely at the direction Taiichi had disappeared, her heart filled with resentment. "Taichi Matsushita! You heartless bastard!"

The cold rain relentlessly washed over the outer walls of the Central Tower in Amegakure, emitting a monotonous and oppressive hum.

The Council Hall at the top of the tower was dimmer than usual, and the massive pipes, like the veins of a silent behemoth, seemed to pulsate with a heavier, more muffled sound.

Pain's figure appeared like a frozen statue in the dim light.

Konan stood quietly beside him, the white paper flowers looking listless in the damp air, and a gloomy cloud over her beautiful face.

Space distorted silently as Obito Uchiha, both wearing Spiral Mask, stepped out of the vortex-shaped exit.

"Pain," Obito, mimicking Madara Uchiha's deep voice, "It seems the operation isn't going well."

Pain slowly turned around, offering no pretense or excuse; his cold voice echoed in the empty hall:

--

"Mission failed. Taichi Matsushita's strength far exceeded expectations. The Asura Path and Animal Path have been destroyed."

Dead silence. Only the monotonous sound of raindrops striking metal.

Konan's pupils contracted slightly. Hearing Pain admit defeat shocked her. That man—was he really that strong?

Obito's lips twitched silently beneath his mask, and a complex emotion flashed in his single eye—shock, apprehension at the "as expected" reaction, and even a secret smug satisfaction at seeing Pain suffer a setback.

But he quickly suppressed these thoughts, his voice remaining low and steady. "Even you can't take him down, and you're going to risk the Asura Path and Animal Path?"

"His mastery of Space-Time Ninjutsu is extremely high, and his combat intuition and Taijutsu are also top-notch." Pain's voice was completely calm, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself, "I, the Asura Path, and the Animal Path alone are not enough to suppress him."

"Madara, your judgment is correct. Taichi Matsushita must be restrained. The Tailed Beast Capture Plan must also be brought forward."

Obito and Zetsu both fell silent.

The fact that the arrogant and self-proclaimed "god" Pain could so readily admit defeat and affirm their advice speaks volumes about Taichi Matsushita's terror, more than any battle report.

"Hmph, now you know how troublesome that brat is?" Obito coldly, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm, but more so a solemn sense of shared misfortune.

"But that's not the point right now, is it? Pain, you summoned us in such an emergency, it's probably not just to admit defeat and agree with us."

Pain's gaze swept over Obito, his unhurried tone conveying a worrying truth. "Your identity has been exposed."

"Identity?" Obito slightly taken aback.

"The Rinnegan." Pain's voice was as cold as ice. "Taichi Matsushita not only destroyed the Animal Path Puppet, but also brought its remains back to Konoha. Those eyes— the Konoha High Command must already know about them."

Konan's face instantly turned ashen.

Pain continued, each word like a cold iron nail. " In Konoha, someone knows I possess the Rinnegan."

He didn't mention Jiraiya's name, but all three of them knew exactly what was going on.

"As long as Taichi Matsushita reports the characteristics of the attackers to Konoha, especially their distinctive eyes— Konoha will soon pinpoint Amegakure and Akatsuki."

He paused, a purple light flashing in his Rinnegan, and made a decision. "Amegakure is no longer safe. The only option now is to evacuate immediately."

"Evacuate?!" Obito's brows furrowed beneath his mask, his voice tinged with anger. "A base we've built up over so many years, are you just going to abandon it like that?"

"This is the only option." Pain's tone left no room for argument. "Staying in Rain Village means waiting for Konoha, or even other ninja villages that have caught wind of our presence, to unite and annihilate us. Amegakure cannot afford such a risk."

The white half-face of the monster let out a strange "hee-hee" laugh, "Oh dear, this is truly a case of losing both the wife and the army. But Pain was right, an exposed lair is a target. It's just that, as for the pot—"

He drew out his words in a sarcastic tone, glancing meaningfully at Obito.

Obito's face darkened beneath the mask, and he naturally White Zetsu's meaning.

When Pain released the Nine-Tails in Konoha, he and Zetsu were openly dressed in Akatsuki uniforms! Now that Pain's identity has been exposed, they themselves must bear at least half the responsibility.

This instantly eroded most of his confidence in rebutting.

"Snort!"

Obito could only let out a heavy snort, which was taken as acquiescence to Pain's decision.

"What happens after the evacuation? The organization needs a temporary base."

"We're looking for a new secret base." Pain had a plan. "Once this storm passes, perhaps—we'll still have a chance to come back."

His gaze fell upon the hazy outline of the village through the rain outside the window. There lay the fruits of his labor, and the remnants of Yahiko's dream; to abandon it would be like tearing his heart out.

But he had to make a choice. "During this vacuum, we need a Puppet."

"Puppet?" Konan asked softly.

"Support a figurehead leader for Amegakure," Pain explained, his voice cold and pragmatic, "A Rainkage who can handle investigations from Konoha or other forces."

Let him stand in the spotlight to draw attention and buy us time to relocate and lie low. The person—you choose, Konan —must be easy to control and able to temporarily stabilize the situation.

Konan nodded heavily. This was undoubtedly a desperate measure to survive, but it was also the safest option at the moment.

Amegakure, the fortress they had painstakingly built and regarded as the starting point for future peace, had now become a burden that they had to temporarily abandon.

The atmosphere in the Council Hall was extremely tense. The exposure and forced abandonment of the base was a severe blow to the foundation of the Akatsuki organization.

Pain's decisive decision to concede defeat and retreat further highlighted the immense threat posed by Taichi Matsushita and the ferocity of Konoha's impending counterattack.

"Alright, that's enough bad news." Obito broke the heavy silence, trying to steer the conversation in a slightly more positive direction. "Regarding capturing the Tailed Beast ahead of schedule, I have some good progress."

Pain and Konan's eyes immediately focused on him.

"The Four-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure, Rōshi." Obito's voice carried a hint of control. "That stubborn old man, yesterday at the Iwagakure high-level meeting, once again had a fierce argument with that old stubborn Ōnoki over ideological differences."

He paused deliberately, seemingly appreciating the audience's reaction.

"This time, it wasn't just a verbal argument. The two actually came to blows in the Tsuchikage's office!" A smug glint flashed in Obito's single eye. "Although they were eventually stopped by others, the conflict had become completely public and irreversible."

Zetsu's black half-open mouth revealed a deep, joyful voice. "Ōnoki has ordered Rōshi's imprisonment on the grounds of threatening the Tsuchikage and disrupting village unity."

Heh heh, with Rōshi's unyielding temper and strength, how could he possibly willingly be imprisoned? This conflict is like pouring oil on a dry pile of firewood—"

"Just one more spark," Obito continued, a cruel smile curving his lips beneath his mask. "For example—let Rōshi unexpectedly learn that Ōnoki intends to completely strip him of his Jinchuriki status, and even secretly eliminate this destabilizing factor."

Therefore, it's only a matter of time before this powerful Four-Tails Jinchuriki Iwagakure and becomes ownerless.

This is indeed a welcome piece of good news, especially after suffering such a huge loss.

Pain's Rinnegan even glowed slightly.

"Excellent, this is indeed good news. The Four-Tails Jinchuriki has escaped Iwagakure, which makes our capture much easier." He looked at Obito and Zetsu, "You two must pay even closer attention to this matter and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

"Understood." Obito nodded.

"Then, the organization's focus will be on two things." Pain's voice regained its cold, commanding tone. "First, led by Konan, complete the evacuation of Amegakure as quickly as possible, establish a temporary base, and select candidates for Puppet."

Secondly, under the leadership of Madara and Zetsu, they orchestrated the defection of Rōshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki, and prepared to capture him after he left Iwagakure!

His gaze swept over the three. "The threat from Konoha is imminent; we have no time to waste. Let's act."

The order was given, Obito and Zetsu were once again swallowed by the spatial vortex and disappeared without a trace.

Only Pain and Konan remained in the Council Hall, along with the incessant cold rain outside the window.

Konan watched Pain's silent retreating figure and softly asked, "Nagato, are we... really going to abandon this place?"

Pain (Nagato) didn't turn around; only his cold voice echoed in the rain, "A temporary retreat is for the sake of ultimate 'peace.' Konan, go and prepare. The age of the gods—will not end with a single setback."