"I can do anything Itachi can't!"
Deidara could hardly wait to go to Konoha and put on an art performance.
"You..."
Sasori hesitated.
Never mind.
That kid had never been very bright.
"What are you muttering about, Sasori?"
"Itachi! You can't handle Naruto Uzumaki, can you? You're scared of the fact that he became Hokage at thirteen, aren't you?"
Deidara held a paper crane that was actually made of clay and could explode at any moment.
"If you want to blow up the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, you'll at least have to get past Jiraiya of the Sannin."
Kisame Hoshigaki couldn't help laughing.
He stroked Samehada and said, "I really do want to fight that guy again! Samehada still can't forget that delicious chakra!"
"His Chakra Enhanced Strength is a match for mine, too!"
Kisame's eyes widened. He looked like he missed Naruto especially badly.
"Itachi."
"How strong do you think the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is?"
Deva Path Pain only wanted to wipe everything out.
If they started the plan now, it would only make things more dangerous.
"Konoha suffered some damage after Orochimaru's attack."
"But it also led to Jiraiya and Tsunade returning, and Naruto Uzumaki, as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, once defeated Orochimaru."
"Judging by his strength now, he should be at least as strong as all three Sannin together."
"But when our plan begins, everything will be wiped out!"
Itachi's tone was as calm as ever.
But his words also showed that although Konoha seemed to be in ruins, it had found powerful people to shore up its defenses.
"What's so special about the Sannin?"
"Can't they be blown up?"
The more Deidara saw how cautious Itachi was, the more he wanted to rush to Konoha and prove himself.
"Quiet."
"When the time comes, I'll deal with it myself."
Deva Path Pain was confident he could capture every Tailed Beast.
In Nagato's eyes, the Jinchuriki couldn't be that strong, either.
Few in the world could withstand Chibaku Tensei.
"Everything is proceeding according to our plan!"
Konan concealed her shoes beneath her Akatsuki cloak and vanished in an instant.
The endless rain of Amegakure wore away at the hearts of everyone who passed through the village.
Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki left the meeting.
They walked along the road as the others departed.
"Mr. Itachi, do you think I can defeat Naruto Uzumaki?"
Kisame Hoshigaki had always trusted Itachi Uchiha's judgment.
"Neither of you has shown your true strength."
Itachi stood in the pouring rain.
He couldn't help coughing a few times.
The rain grew heavier.
It was nothing like Konoha's sunny weather. It made people feel worse and worse, body and soul.
Rainwater dripped from Itachi's pale, thin hand and gathered into a tiny pond in his palm.
The reflection in his palm showed the endless, sunless clouds over Amegakure.
Kisame Hoshigaki watched the little pond, too.
He saw ripples spreading wherever the raindrops struck.
The same question arose in both their hearts.
Would they ever be able to return to their villages?
"Mr. Itachi, it rained a lot in the village I can never go back to, too. Trees often covered the rooftops there. It was nothing like Amegakure, the Steel City."
Kisame Hoshigaki smiled.
In his memories, Kirigakure was always shrouded in an invisible Bloody Mist.
"Konoha has four seasons—wind, snow, thunder, and rain. And bloodstains that never wash away."
Itachi wondered to himself:
Why did the intelligence say Danzo supported Naruto becoming Hokage?
Had Shimura Danzo really been controlling everything all along?
Konoha would eventually become the next Kirigakure, too.
His thoughts were in disarray.
So he turned his palm over.
The rainwater flowed back to the earth.
Along with the heavy clouds hidden deep in Itachi's heart.
Wind.
Rain.
The Ninja World was once again swept by a great storm.
Land of Water.
The people of Kirigakure were still settling into their newfound peace.
After Karatachi Yagura was freed from the genjutsu,
the village had yet to recover from its fear, and a new Water Mizukage had yet to be appointed.
Mei Terumi heard Elder Genji discussing Konoha's Acting Hokage.
"How could that old Danzo support anyone else when he wants to become Hokage himself? Especially some snot-nosed kid!"
Ao, one of the advisors, thought the same.
"Could it be like what happened with the Fourth Mizukage? Genjutsu!"
Everyone in Kirigakure had been through the same thing, so they hated it even more.
Land of Wind.
Sunagakure.
After they found the Fourth Kazekage's body in the desert,
the already impoverished village found it even harder to survive.
"Who should become the Fifth Kazekage?"
The council of elders fell silent.
"Why can't it be you, Grandma Chiyo?"
The Feudal Lord pointed at Grandma Chiyo, believing that Sunagakure had very few people left who could shoulder the burden.
"It's a shame. There were plenty of people in the village before, but a few more died recently while trying to get money."
The Feudal Lord sounded a little sad.
"If only we could turn all the sand into gold. What a shame about the Fourth Kazekage."
Hearing the Feudal Lord's words,
Grandma Chiyo gritted her teeth. When she thought of Naruto Uzumaki becoming Hokage, she couldn't help thinking of Gaara.
"Oh, right, Grandma Chiyo. Should we accept this letter Naruto Uzumaki sent?"
"He says he wants some Konoha Academy of Sciences to come dig for some oil in our Land of Wind. What's that? This is ridiculous. What right does a child have to throw his weight around with us?"
The Feudal Lord tossed the letter aside.
He muttered, "Konoha is all show and no substance now!"
Land of Earth.
Iwagakure.
Onoki the Fence-Sitter was supporting his aching back as he dealt with official business.
The news lately had been one shock after another.
Especially the death of his contemporary Hiruzen Sarutobi and the appointment of a new Acting Hokage.
It all left him feeling as if the times had changed in the blink of an eye.
"What is all this stuff in the intelligence reports?"
"Konoha Academy of Sciences? I can understand a Medical Ninja Department, but some things need to be kept under wraps. This kid has no sense!"
"Konoha is doomed!"
Land of Lightning.
Kumogakure.
The Raikage was listening to Killer B rap, growing more and more impatient.
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has become the new Acting Hokage. Looks like he's a formidable opponent! I wonder how much stronger he is than your Eight-Tails!"
The Fourth Raikage had absolute faith in the strength of his good friend, the Killer Bee, Killer B.
A Perfect Jinchuriki was the strongest weapon a human could be!
"Yo! Naruto Uzumaki, bro, is a Jinchuriki too! Then Gyuki and I will be the strongest duo and fight back! Oh, yeah!"
Killer B didn't pay any attention to the new Hokage. After spinning around a few times, he made his way to the village to put on a concert for his disciples.
"Gyuki! Yo! Is the Nine-Tails half as strong as us? GO!"
Killer B kept rapping.
Gyuki had once been extremely violent, but after getting along with the Raikages of previous generations,
he had finally become easygoing.
"If it's the real Nine-Tails, it'll be stronger than the two of us combined!"
Gyuki was an honest Tailed Beast.
"Nanì!"
Killer B had once considered joining forces with all the Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki.
Now, even he felt his heart stir.
Across the Ninja World,
once the intelligence had spread, everyone had a different opinion of Naruto.
Konoha.
Naruto learned that Sunagakure wouldn't let them drill for oil.
"They're getting arrogant!"
"Get me a scroll to send to Gaara."
"Tell him I want to drill for oil!"
After Naruto finished writing the scroll,
he strode along like a big shot, with Shimura Danzo and Shikaku Nara on either side of him.
"Naruto Uzumaki!"
Neji Hyuga blocked the road.