"I'd long heard that Takigakure was secluded and peaceful, perfect for recuperating.
Let's have the leader set up a branch here. It'd be a good place for me to study and maintain my puppets."
"Setting up a branch isn't that easy. Once our organization achieves its goal, we'll be settling in Amegakure."
"Would that make us Amegakure's official Jonin?
Then the leader could call himself the Amekage!"
"In terms of military strength and development, we'd certainly qualify as a great nation.
But by then, that won't matter anymore."
As the three chatted, the burble of flowing water reached their ears.
"I can sense it. The Jinchūriki's enormous chakra."
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious.
"Hidan, the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki is still an underage girl. You handle this."
"Are you sure, Kakuzu? Wouldn't sending me in be a little too cruel?"
"You're not allowed to use any dark arts that make her bleed. Haven't you learned plenty of mind-control dark arts too?"
"We're talking about a Jinchūriki here!"
"Then that just means you haven't trained enough. If you can't take her down, forget about going on missions for a while."
"Fine..."
Hidan sighed, took the scythe off his back, and retracted its blood-red blade into the iron staff.
"Wait..."
Kakuzu suddenly stopped, looking to the southwest.
"Zetsu! Come out!"
He called toward the ground, and Aloe Head slowly emerged from the earth.
"Sorry, Kakuzu..."
"What kind of intelligence work are you doing? Why are there people from Sunagakure here?"
"We just finished the sealing, and we're preparing to infiltrate Kumogakure.
We weren't paying attention to news from here. I only just learned that Sunagakure sent envoys to establish diplomatic relations with Takigakure."
Zetsu gave an awkward smile, his voice lacking confidence.
"We came too early... Go find out when they're