Akatsuki's Plot

The sky over the Land of Rain seems to be forever shrouded in a thick layer of leaden gray clouds, and the cold rain relentlessly beats against this land.

Deep within the Akatsuki Base, the light was dim. Only a few flickering oil lamps cast distorted, leaping shadows on the walls.

A figure silently rose from the ground; it was Zetsu, the intelligence expert from the Akatsuki.

His half-black, half-white body looked particularly striking in the dim light.

At this moment, the one controlling the body was clearly the unruly White Zetsu, who had barely fully revealed its form before speaking impatiently.

"Pain, Konoha has made a big move." White Zetsu's voice was as unreliable as ever, but the information he brought back was substantial. "They've subdued a power—from the moon."

"The moon?" Pain's purple eyes, shimmering with the Rinnegan's patterns, widened slightly, his icy gaze falling on Zetsu. Even he was slightly surprised by this information.

From the shadows behind him, Obito, wearing an orange Spiral Mask, also emerged, clearly paying close attention to this information.

"Yes." Black Zetsu took over the body, his voice tinged with seriousness. "He is the younger brother of the Sage of Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, a bloodline left behind on the moon by Hamura Otsutsuki."

He paused, seemingly emphasizing the following information, "Most importantly, they are also a Byakugan clan, possessing Byakugan techniques stronger than the Hyuga, and Puppet techniques more advanced than those of the Sunagakure."

"Byakugan —a descendant of Hamura Otsutsuki— " Pain repeated in a low voice, his usually rigid tone now seeming to carry a hint of emotion.

"Damn it—" Obito cursed, almost losing his composure, but he quickly recovered, lowering his voice to Madara Uchiha's deep tone, "How come Konoha always gets all the good things?"

The significance of this powerful force from the moon joining Konoha is self-evident.

It acted like a Potent stimulant, instantly injecting the already powerful Konoha with immense strength and deterrent power.

If the publicity is done well, it will create a powerful momentum, a momentum that makes Konoha truly invincible, and it is not impossible for Konoha to regain the glory of the First Hokage's era.

However, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow and a huge variable for the Akatsuki, which is dedicated to collecting the Tailed Beast and intends to reshape the order of the Ninja World with absolute power.

Deep within Pain's Rinnegan, a cold light flickered. Obito's aura behind his mask also fluctuated noticeably, clearly deeply stimulated by this sudden "accident."

Konoha's power has grown too quickly, far beyond their expectations.

"Do you know how they subdued this force?" Obito took a few more steps, completely exposed to the light.

"Uh, I'm not entirely sure about that, but when they entered Konoha, they were protected by Taichi Matsushita, and most of their clansmen looked to be seriously injured, so they must have been beaten up by that Taichi Matsushita."

Black Zetsu said this to ease the tense atmosphere.

But as he was talking, he sensed something was wrong. A pair of Rinnegan and a Sharingan were staring at him intently.

"This—this, why are you all looking at me like that? I was just joking." Black Zetsu fell silent, then White Zetsu's voice rang out again.

"No, you're absolutely right." Obito's tone was triumphant, as if he had discovered a new world. He turned to Pain, "Konoha's Guy coveted others' inheritances, using force to oppress and bully isolated small Ninja Clan, forcing them to join Konoha. What do you think of this statement?"

A brief silence enveloped the base. Only the crackling of the oil lamp and the patter of rain outside could be clearly heard.

A moment later, Pain's voice returned to its emotionless tone. "Our strength—still needs to be gathered." He stated the cold reality, but then, his tone shifted, "However, the seeds of fear can be sown first."

This means agreeing with Obito's idea.

Pain's gaze returned to Zetsu. "Provide this information, in great detail and without missing a single detail, to the four major ninja villages Sunagakure, Cloud Village, Mist Village, and Iwagakure."

His words were like cold commands, each one carrying profound meaning.

"The key point is—" he emphasized deliberately, "To amplify Konoha's expansionist ambitions. To make them believe that Konoha's actions are not accidental, but rather another part of its strategy to annex other races and expand its influence."

It emphasizes the forced submission of the Byakugan clan, portraying Konoha as a greedy, wanton invader and destroyer that tramples on the independence of the Ninja Clan.

Clearly, Pain and Obito intended to use this intelligence as a weapon to sow seeds of suspicion and even hostility towards Konoha in the hearts of the four great ninja villages.

The smaller ninja village might be helpless in the face of this; even if they knew, they could only keep it to themselves.

But the great ninja villages are different, especially the Cloud Village, which will definitely be able to empathize, because this is exactly what the Cloud Village does most often.

"You must—" Pain gave the final, death order, the light of his Rinnegan particularly menacing in the dim light, "Incite their suspicion and hostility towards Konoha! Let fear and unease spread among them."

A silent smile seemed to tug at Jue's half-black, half-white face. He nodded slightly. "Understood. Spreading panic, creating rifts—that's exactly what I excel at."

"At the same time," Pain's voice didn't pause, this time he looked at Obito, "Accelerate the recruitment of our own personnel. The plan to collect the Tailed Beast cannot afford to fail."

He knew full well that intelligence warfare was merely a stopgap measure; ultimately, absolute power would determine victory or defeat. Konoha's strengthening forced them to accumulate power even faster.

Obito nodded silently, his eyes beneath the mask growing even more unfathomable.

The joy of capturing the Four-Tails a while ago made him a little carried away, and lately he has been focusing on causing trouble in Iwagakure, putting aside the matter of expanding manpower.

The further growth of Konoha's strength has once again sounded the alarm for him.

Konoha.

--

With the Hyuga Clan's compromise, the higher-ups quickly reached a consensus.

The following day, the Hokage's Office summoned Katsuya Otsutsuki Moon Otsutsuki Clan.

To demonstrate the village's importance and strength, Minato not only invited the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, to oversee the village, but also specially summoned Taiichi.

Led by the Anbu, Katsuya Otsutsuki entered the Hokage's Office.

In stark contrast to his disheveled and dejected state upon first arriving in Konoha, he was now in high spirits. Even more remarkably, his severed arm had completely recovered and was now fully functional.

Seeing both Hokage present in the office, Katsuya's expression turned solemn. But when his gaze fell upon Taiichi, who stood quietly to the side, his seriousness immediately softened with heartfelt respect and gratitude.

His respect stemmed from his awe of Taiichi's absolute power;

The gratitude stemmed not only from his arm, but also from the fact that many of the tribe's severely injured and disabled members had recovered so quickly thanks to Taiichi's treatment.

Katsuya bowed slightly, solemnly Taiichi's request, before turning to Minato Namikaze, who was seated in the main seat. "Hokage-sama, you summoned me. What are your orders?"

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Minato cut to the chase, getting straight to the point. "Clan Head Katsuya, regarding the method by which the Ōtsutsuki Clan formally joins Konoha, I wonder if the Clan Head has any considerations?"

"This—" Katsuya's smile froze instantly, revealing a hint of hesitation.

How could he not have thought about this problem? In fact, he had gathered his clansmen to discuss it repeatedly over the past few days.

Joining Konoha as an independent clan, retaining the Otsutsuki name and a certain degree of autonomy, would naturally be a dream come true and a goal they strive for.

However, Katsuya Otsutsuki's rational mind told him that this hope was slim.

Leaving aside the Konoha Hyuga Clan, who are deeply rooted in Konoha and also possess the Byakugan, their very method of joining Konoha determined their awkward status.

They were the defeated, the prisoners, the losers who were crushed by Taichi Matsushita's unparalleled power and forced to surrender.

The respect shown by Konoha is the magnanimity of a strong person, but they must recognize reality. Otherwise, that harbinger of doom standing by the window might be more than happy to "plow" their entire clan again.

Having grasped the crux of the matter, Katsuya Otsutsuki harbored no more illusions. He quickly assumed his place, bowing deeply to Minato at a perfect ninety-degree angle, his voice filled with resigned determination. "My clan—is entirely at the Hokage-sama's disposal!"

Minato's face broke into a satisfied smile. Beside him, the Third Hokage took a leisurely puff of his pipe. Taiichi, standing by the window, gazed out, seemingly indifferent, but the barely perceptible upturn at the corner of his mouth betrayed his true feelings.

Clearly, Katsuya Otsutsuki's pragmatism pleased the three key figures present.

"The Ōtsutsuki Clan and the Hyuga Clan of Konoha are brothers of the same bloodline, sharing a common ancestor, and even their inherited Kekkei Genkai are identical."

Minato's voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable power. "The village considers that in the future, everyone will live under the same roof of Konoha. If they are divided into two independent families, it is inevitable that there will be discord due to competition or friction, which will not be conducive to unity."

Therefore, the village suggests that the entire Ōtsutsuki Clan be merged into the Hyuga Clan. What does the clan head think?

These words, spoken by the usually sunny and cheerful Minato Namikaze, carried a somewhat incongruous air of "using his power to intimidate others."

If it were the seasoned Third Hokage, he would surely have a grand philosophy with "Will of Fire" as the guiding principle, "village interests" as the central focus, and "family harmony" as the conclusion.

Katsuya Otsutsuki's face visibly darkened. Although he had been mentally prepared, the sadness and loss of his clan's name about to disappear was still unavoidable when the moment came.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions, and repeated the words that represented complete compromise, "It's all up to the Hokage-sama."

This is the compromise that the weak must make in the face of absolute power.

In comparison, Konoha's "appeasement" was quite decent.

If they were in Kumogakure, they would likely face the loss of their scriptures, the torture of their secret techniques, and the fate of their entire clan being reduced to breeding tools. In just one generation, the name "Otsutsuki" would be completely obliterated, leaving only the label of "Cloud Village Byakugan Branch Family".

Minato, who was well-versed in the art of managing subordinates, naturally understood the principle of giving a carrot and stick.

His expression softened, and he added sincerely, "I am deeply gratified that Chief Katsuya is so understanding and considerate of the bigger picture. Please rest assured, Chief, the village will not allow your clan to become a direct vassal of the Hyuga."

We have reached an agreement with the Hyuga Clan, who will modify the "Caged Bird Curse Mark," changing its core function from controlling life and death to a simple protective seal.

Furthermore, the clan head can personally select several virtuous and talented clan members to directly enter the Hyuga Main Family, and you yourself can become an elder with a voice.

This promise was like timely rain, extinguishing the last vestiges of resentment and worry in Katsuya's heart.

Konoha had shown sufficient sincerity, Hyuga had also extended an olive branch of goodwill. With things having come to this point, he had no more reservations. He stood solemnly at attention and swore with the utmost reverence. "Thank you, Hokage-sama, for your kindness and care for my clan! From this day forward, my Ōtsutsuki Clan will go through fire and water for the prosperity and stability of Konoha!"

At this point, both sides finally reached an agreement. Katsuya Otsutsuki respectfully bowed and took his leave.

Seeing that things had come to a close, Taiichi prepared to leave. He had many clones, each with their own important tasks, and being able to spare even one clone to attend this meeting was already the limit.

However, as soon as he took a step, he felt two burning gazes fixed on him. Looking up, he saw Minato behind the desk and the Third Hokage beside him, looking at him with a mixture of expectation and inquiry.

Taiichi paused, a slight alarm bell ringing in his mind. "Uh... Minato, and the Third Kazekage Hokage, what are you doing—"

--Is there anything else?

"Ahem," Minato cleared his throat, leaned forward slightly, and placed his hands crossed on the table, his tone tinged with a helpless smile, "Taiichi, don't rush off. Lady Tsunade's matter—have you really not seen any progress on your end?"

The Third Hokage took another puff of his pipe, his voice filled with concern through the swirling smoke. "Yes, Taiichi. Shizune is helpless, and Orochimaru is being vague. You've been spending all your time with her lately, treating those wounded Otsutsuki, and you're the most observant one. Tsunade has suddenly changed; she doesn't gamble or drink anymore, and she's unusually diligent—this is definitely not normal. We're all very worried."

Taiichi turned around, sighed helplessly, and his shoulders seemed to slump slightly. He walked back to the center of the office, his gaze sweeping over the two Hokage.

The sunlight streaming through the window was perfect, highlighting the slightly somber atmosphere inside the office.

"To be honest, I'm just as confused as she is." Taiichi shrugged, his tone genuinely bewildered. "These past few days, I've practically had my eyes glued to her. Aside from working even harder and losing weight from exhaustion, I've been meticulous in every other aspect."

Her daily routine was frighteningly regular, her emotions were frighteningly stable, and she was gentle and patient with patients—while these qualities were admirable, when applied to Lady Tsunade, they seemed to possess an eerie quality.

"Have you given her a physical examination?" Minato pressed.

"It's perfectly normal." Taiichi nodded solemnly. "At least there's nothing wrong with his body. As for his mental state, that's not something you can understand just by looking at him."

The office fell silent for a moment, everyone lost in their own thoughts.

In fact, Taiichi had some suspicions during this period, but without any concrete evidence, he couldn't make any rash conclusions.

"Why don't you two just call Teacher Tsunade over here, so everyone can talk things out face-to-face? There's no need for this endless guessing game."

Taiichi suddenly spoke up and made this suggestion. The two Hokage exchanged a glance and finally nodded to each other.

"Alright, then go and fetch Tsunade."

1