The Land of Rain lay between three great nations. It bordered the Land of Earth to the north, the Land of Wind to the south, and the Land of Fire to the east.
With Hanzo gone, the Land of Rain no longer had anything that could make the great nations think twice!
As Sunagakure and Konoha massed troops along the borders, the Land of Rain, caught between them, was thrown into a panic. Those with assets began to flee... while civilians and the poor waited in despair for fate to decide their future.
Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan had won the struggle for power within Amegakure, but they had suffered heavy losses, further weakening the village.
The three of them had worn themselves out maneuvering among the village's various factions. The internal and external crises had left Yahiko, once so full of confidence, utterly exhausted.
More than half of the former Akatsuki members had died in the power struggle. The few who remained gathered to discuss how Amegakure should respond if war broke out.
The room was terrifyingly quiet. Worry and unease were written on every face. Sunagakure and Konoha had each massed thousands of troops; Amegakure was like a mantis trying to stop a cart...
"Maybe we should ask Obito for help..." Konan said, nervously wringing her hands.
"No! Obito Uchiha is no good. I suspect he knew all along that Sunagakure and Konoha would go to war, and that's why he killed Hanzo! Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence? The war broke out right after Hanzo died!" one of the Akatsuki members objected.
"But... our strength is vastly inferior to theirs. If war breaks out in the Land of Rain, countless innocent people will die!" Konan said.
"Jiraiya-sensei is commanding Konoha's forces at the front. Tomorrow, I'll