Meanwhile.
Outside Amegakure, beneath a sky thick with storm clouds and rumbling thunder, a bedraggled figure arrived at the gates through the curtain of rain.
"Squish..."
His feet sank into the muddy, waterlogged ground, yet beneath his black bangs, his eyes stared resolutely toward the village gates ahead.
Several people in black-and-white uniforms stationed at Amegakure's entrance immediately noticed him and exchanged glances.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"...
The next moment, those figures vanished from the watchtower and instantly surrounded the bedraggled newcomer.
A black-haired woman with a cold expression stepped forward. Her face tightened slightly as she demanded in a low voice.
"Who are you? Why have you come to Rain Palace!?"
After Amegakure was the first to pledge allegiance to the Hollow Spirit Empire, the former system of one country, one hidden village had long since ceased to exist.
What now stood on this land was Rain Palace, under the Hollow Spirit Empire. The Land of Rivers, where Akatsuki had once been based, had also vanished entirely, replaced by River Palace!
In a sense, Las Noches was more like the Hollow Spirit Empire's capital, holding authority over the empire's affairs.
And those now guarding Rain Palace were no longer shinobi, but Hollow members who had originally grown under Kazumi's command within the Hollow Spirit Empire.
After all, most of the shinobi who had once belonged to Amegakure had become new members of the Hollow Spirit Empire and were undergoing Hollow transformation.
Whether in ideology or combat, they were being trained under several commanding officers, learning how to become Hollows worthy of the name!
This was also why the Hollow Spirit Empire had appeared so peaceful lately.
After all, this first group of imperial members would become the focus of attention throughout the Ninja World. If their changes failed to attract