Konan: "A billion Explosive Tags, delivered to your doorstep!"

In that peaceful, tranquil village, the villagers lived by the rhythm of sunrise and sunset, working in harmony with one another like something out of a pastoral painting.

But on this day, that calm was mercilessly shattered. An unprecedented air of terror descended over the entire village.

Suddenly, a piercing scream split the sky, shattering the countryside's tranquility and jolting everyone like a clap of thunder from a clear sky. The villagers poured out of their homes, only to see a ruthless man—Kakuzu—indiscriminately slaughtering people. He moved like the Grim Reaper, and every step he took brought another innocent life to an end.

The villagers were utterly terrified. The familiar faces they saw every day were now filled with fear and despair. They scattered in every direction, trying to flee the sudden calamity.

Kakuzu wore a black cloak, bloodlust gleaming in his eyes. His voice was cold and cruel. "Then let's do what the new guy suggested. Give them a demonstration first, then make them join the Akatsuki obediently. I've never liked that brat who doesn't know his place."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air around them seemed to grow heavier. The suffocating presence of death hung over them.

Ever since joining the Akatsuki, Kakuzu had grown accustomed to manipulating the games of money and power, sometimes counting money until his hands cramped.

But now, in this tiny village, he felt more frustrated and helpless than ever. The feeling of being unable to control everything made the anger inside him spread like wildfire, and he desperately needed somewhere to vent it.

The villagers had never witnessed such a brutal massacre. Their world had always revolved around spring planting and autumn harvests, helping one another through life. How could they have imagined a scene like this living hell? Their laughter and cheerful songs had given way to shrill screams, and their once-warm homes had become a blood-soaked battlefield in an instant.

After Konan nodded, she tacitly approved of the attack. Most Akatsuki members had joined after a fight broke out.

Deep in Itachi Uchiha's eyes, the Mangekyō Sharingan quietly opened. Those mysterious, powerful eyes instantly gleamed with a captivating light.

With a low, resolute utterance—"Amaterasu"—black flames from the depths of hell burst from his eyes and shot toward the enemies before him: Hidan, and nearby Uchiha Hanabi, Gojo Rin, and Gojo Satoru.

Faced with the sudden attack, Uchiha Hanabi, Gojo Rin, and Gojo Satoru reacted swiftly. Drawing on their solid combat experience and keen sense of danger, all three leaped away at nearly the same moment, evading the black flames that could devour everything.

But for Hidan, lost in his fanatical faith, this was a painful experience he'd never anticipated.

He burst into smug laughter, mockingly watching the black flames come at him and comparing them to "black watermelons."

But the moment the flames touched Hidan, his laughter turned to screams of agony. "Aaaaaah! What the hell is this?!"

His twisted face was filled with shock and pain. This wasn't an ordinary fire—it was a source of agony that could burn his soul.

Watching from nearby, Kakuzu knew that Hidan was immortal and that ordinary methods wouldn't work against him.

He promptly left Konan and hurried toward Hidan.

As Hidan writhed in pain, Kakuzu's expression remained cold, and his words held no sympathy. "Since you claim to be immortal, I'll test it myself. Let's see what happens when I cut your body apart."

Kakuzu pulled a sharp katana from the weapon rack at a nearby villager's home. Its blade gleamed with a chilling light, radiating a murderous aura. Without hesitation, he swung it with tremendous force, cleanly and mercilessly severing Hidan's head, then cutting off his limbs one by one.

Although Hidan's body was in pieces, he didn't die right away. He could still let out a pained groan. "You bastard..."

It all happened incredibly quickly, leaving the scene tense and oppressive.

The pieces of Hidan's shattered body rolled across the ground, kicking up dust. Despite suffering such grievous injuries, he remained stubbornly alive.

Though Hidan's body had been cut into several pieces and his head had rolled off to the side, his unique immortality kept his mind clear, and he continued to taunt Kakuzu.

His voice was hoarse because his throat had been severed, but he was still as arrogant as ever. "You know I'm immortal, and you can't kill me. So what are you going to do about it? I'll just keep—"

Before he could finish, a more forceful voice cut him off.

Kakuzu showed no reaction to Hidan's provocation. He merely replied coldly, "You're too loud. Shut up."

He bent down and swiftly drew threadlike Chakra Threads from his body, precisely stitching Hidan's mouth shut.

At the same time, he glanced toward Konan, who was in danger farther away, silently planning his next move.

Kakuzu showed little emotion as he dealt with Hidan, treating everything before him with near indifference, as though it were simply part of his daily work.

He told Hidan, "Once I've dealt with that little girl, I'll slowly put you back together."

His words revealed an unwavering resolve and absolute confidence in his own strength.

Hidan could no longer taunt Kakuzu with words, but the hatred and resentment in his eyes were plain to see.

"Mmff, mmff, mmff..." Hidan's eyes widened, his face full of shock and indignation. He struggled to speak, but with Kakuzu's Chakra Threads sealing his mouth, all he could manage was a muffled whimper.

His eyes blazed with anger and helplessness at Kakuzu's actions. Even in such dire straits, his stubborn pride and wicked grin still gleamed in his gaze, as if silently telling everyone: Even with my body in pieces, my spirit will never submit! Long live Lord Jashin!

Not far away, Uchiha Hanabi watched the scene. Surprise flashed in her eyes before she furrowed her brow and remarked with a hint of amusement and regret, "Well, I didn't expect Kakuzu to actually cut Hidan's body apart. That's really satisfying."

Kakuzu had learned the hard way how Hidan's immortality worked, and he had plenty of firsthand experience.

After all, Hidan had pierced his heart twice with his bizarre ritual and curse, bringing him to the brink of death.

By touching his opponent's blood and performing that mysterious ritual, Hidan could ignore any defense and kill his target without fail. Kakuzu had suffered greatly from this ability, so he knew that conventional fighting methods were useless against Hidan. The only effective way to stop him from performing the deadly ritual was to cut his body apart so he couldn't come into contact with Kakuzu's blood.

Thus, Kakuzu had chosen the most direct and effective solution. Without hesitation, he cut Hidan's body to pieces, leaving him unable to perform the ritual even with his immortality.

"Uchiha Hanabi, Uchiha blood runs through your veins, and you wield the mighty power of the Mangekyō Sharingan. The Akatsuki sincerely invites you to join us. Your two companions are welcome to join as well. If you agree, anywhere in the Land of Rain can be your home. We'll guarantee your safety and freedom." As she spoke, a Paper Clone created with Konan's Paper Release Secret Technique floated lightly over to Hanabi.

Hanabi looked at Konan's Paper Clone hovering in the air, already knowing how the script would go.

According to the plan she and her teammates had carefully worked out in advance, all she had to do was reveal the power of her Mangekyō Sharingan at the right moment. Gojo Rin would play the team's healer with her superb Medical Ninjutsu, while Gojo Satoru would activate his Six Eyes at a key moment later on—though that would cost a certain number of system points.

Hanabi smiled calmly, her voice carrying a hint of challenge and confidence. "You want me to join the Akatsuki? Fine. Let's see what you're made of. Why don't you show me your strength first?"

Hanabi patted her not particularly ample chest, looking completely at ease, as if she didn't consider the threat before her worth worrying about.

Konan wasn't angered by Hanabi's provocation. Instead, she smiled faintly, her expression especially cold in the sunlight. "If you want to settle this through strength, then we'll do as you wish and let our power decide."

As soon as she spoke, Konan's form shifted rapidly. Snow-white sheets of paper swirled around her like dancing sprites, gradually gathering into an imposing fighting formation.

Hanabi wasn't about to back down. She closed her eyes, then slowly opened them, revealing her Mangekyō Sharingan.

Uchiha Hanabi and her companions, Gojo Rin and Gojo Satoru, were using what seemed to be a mere B-rank Shadow Clone Technique. In their hands, however, this ordinary-looking jutsu produced extraordinary results.

The reason was that Six Paths Power, imparted almost without reservation by Six Paths Sasuke, had enhanced their Shadow Clone Technique. Six Paths Power was a supreme energy that originated with the Sage of Six Paths, giving the technique strength and stealth far beyond what should have been possible.

By a stroke of luck, Uchiha Ruri had drawn a skill today that could further strengthen their Shadow Clones. With this skill, the Chakra of every Shadow Clone made by Hanabi and her companions could be completely concealed. Even highly perceptive ninja and the Sharingan couldn't easily detect them.

Hanabi didn't hesitate any longer. She unleashed the vast reserves of Chakra within her. In an instant, a heavy, overwhelming presence surged out of her, and the enormous skeletal frame of Susanoo's second form appeared amid flashes of lightning and peals of thunder.

Faced with the astonishing power Hanabi displayed, Konan showed no sign of panic. Instead, her expression grew even calmer and more focused. She simply raised her right hand, and countless snow-white sheets of paper fluttered around her like petals, gathering in every direction.

Under Konan's control, those seemingly soft and harmless sheets of paper seemed to come alive. They quickly assembled into a gigantic paper mountain that bore down on Susanoo.

But hidden within this seemingly simple paper mountain was a trap Konan had carefully prepared. Every sheet of paper concealed countless Explosive Tags, lying dormant inside as they waited for the perfect moment to detonate.

The Explosive Tags unleashed tremendous force. Blazing fire erupted around Susanoo in an instant, like brilliant fireworks blooming in the night—brief and violent. The deafening explosions shook the ground, filling the air with the smell of smoke and the metallic tang of searing heat.

As the smoke slowly cleared, Konan peered through the haze and fixed her eyes on Hanabi's immovable Susanoo.

The explosion just now would have killed any ordinary ninja, but Uchiha Hanabi deliberately fell to the ground, successfully maintaining Susanoo's half-broken form so it remained standing after the blast.

After the fierce battle, Konan held a scroll containing one billion Explosive Tags and casually set it down beside Hanabi. Its weight and the destructive power it contained seemed to remind everyone nearby that, if Konan wished, she could turn this peaceful village to ash in an instant.

"..."

A billion?

Holy shit!

Hanabi was stunned. In the original story, Obito had specifically invited her out to sea and disguised six hundred billion Explosive Tags. With a billion, Yugakure would probably be wiped off the map.

Despite the intimidation, Hanabi was astonished by Konan's methods, but she didn't show the slightest sign of backing down.

After sensing her ocular power running low, she wisely chose to withdraw Susanoo for the time being, using it as a bargaining chip. In a soft, feigned complaint, she said, "Oh dear, it seems my eye power really can't keep this up. Big Sis Konan, I'll join the Akatsuki, so please don't set off the Explosive Tags here. Look how innocent these villagers are! Besides, I still want to go enjoy a nice soak in the village bathhouse."

Konan was clearly caught off guard. Confusion and surprise flickered across her face at Hanabi's sudden change of heart.

But she quickly regained her composure. After a moment's pause, she smiled and accepted the affectionate form of address. "Oh? Big Sis Konan? Since you put it that way, I'm happy to accept the name. If you've decided to join the Akatsuki, then the villagers here have nothing to worry about. The Akatsuki may have a bad reputation, but at heart, we seek a greater peace. Just as you said about that couplet lying filthy on the ground, its outside may be soiled, but its wish for world peace actually aligns with our ideals."

As she spoke, Konan pointed to a sheet of white paper on the ground, the remains of a couplet trampled until it was torn and ruined. The words "world peace" could still just barely be made out.

The scene was deeply ironic, yet it also subtly revealed a little-known side of the Akatsuki. Their methods of pursuing peace might be extreme, but in a way, they were just like the villagers who longed for a peaceful life: each in their own way, they were searching for the world's ultimate answer.

"I've always admired Big Sis Konan of the Akatsuki. She's beautiful and has a sweet voice." Hanabi brushed the dust off herself. "My two friends have decided to join the Akatsuki too, so we can work toward peace!"