Action Begins

The perpetual drizzle of Amegakure pounded against the metal walls of the abandoned tower, producing a dull, rhythmic sound. Zetsu's strange, half-black, half-white body slowly seeped from the walls, the sound carrying its usual unpleasant, sticky quality.

"The wine is progressing well with Lord Madara; the Eight-Tails has been sealed. Next, we need to deal with Konan and retrieve the Rinnegan." White Zetsu's part was delivered in a light tone, while Black Zetsu's voice was deep and hoarse.

Neji —still Akatsuki's "Sake"—his expression beneath the human skin mask remained impassive, as if he were merely listening to a trivial mission briefing. He nodded silently, but his mind raced like a rapidly calculating machine: Obito was about to obtain the complete Rinnegan; how terrifying would his strength become? The progress of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and the Ten-Tails needed to be monitored intensively, and now was a golden opportunity.

"Senior Zetsu," Neji began, his voice somewhat somber, "The continuous missions have taken a toll on my Chakra and mental strength. I would like to request permission to temporarily return to the new headquarters for rest." The reason was perfectly reasonable; it was common for a weary member to return to their base.

On Zetsu's peculiar face, a glint seemed to flash rapidly in his Uzumaki eyes. Doubt? Perhaps. White Zetsu chuckled, "Oh dear, are you going to miss such a wonderful battle as Lord Madara cleaning house? Konan was once a comrade, you know."

Neji sneered inwardly. A spectacular battle? Just a one-sided massacre. With Obito possessing the divine technique Izanagi, even if Konan was well-prepared, her chances of winning were pitifully slim, practically zero. Staying here to watch would only be a waste of time and might cause complications due to the aftermath of the battle or Obito's subsequent scrutiny. He maintained the respect due to "Madara Uchiha": "Lord Madara's strength is extraordinary; Konan is merely a mantis trying to stop a chariot. The outcome of this battle is without suspense; it's better not to watch. I'd rather go back and see that new 'Uchiha Clan' gentleman; after all, headquarters is currently short-handed."

Shifting the topic to Sasuke was a clever way to divert attention. Zetsu was indeed somewhat distracted. Sasuke had his spores, but that was a hidden weapon, and whether it would be effective at a crucial moment was still unknown. Letting "Sake" go back, forming a subtle mutual surveillance with Sasuke, seemed like a good idea. Black Zetsu spoke hoarsely, "Alright then. Sasuke Uchiha... he doesn't have a very good temper, and his flames of revenge burn too brightly. Don't provoke him if you don't want to."

"Senior Zetsu, I understand." Neji nodded slightly and said no more. He activated the Body Flicker Technique, and his figure flashed past the edge of the tower, disappearing into the rain.

Far from the edge of Amegakure, Neji did not immediately use the Flying Thunder God. He carefully examined himself, his Senjutsu flowing silently through his meridians, seeing through every inch of his skin, the fibers of his clothing, and even the slightest traces of Chakra. Only after confirming that Zetsu's disgusting Spore Technique had not attached itself to him and that there were no signs of surveillance around him did he breathe a sigh of relief.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

Space distorted, and the familiar scent of Konoha rushed towards him. But he appeared not in the Hokage or any other potentially conspicuous place, but in the Hyuga Main House's training ground, a place where only the clan head and Main House members would gather. The sudden spatial fluctuation instantly alerted Hyuga Hiashi, but the familiarity of the Caged Bird Seal told him that Neji had returned. He told Hanabi, who was practicing Gentle Fist Hanabi, to go back to her room to rest. Looking at Neji, who was dressed in Akatsuki and whose face bore no resemblance to the Neji he remembered, his brows furrowed even more.

"Neji? Returning at this time, so hastily..." Hiashi voice, a sense of foreboding already creeping into his heart. Neji's undercover mission was top secret, and every contact meant a major change.

"The situation is urgent," Neji said succinctly. "I need to see Jiraiya immediately, or whoever is currently in charge of the village. Has Tsunade woken up?"

Hiashi shook his head. "Lady Tsunade is still unconscious. As for who's in charge... Lord Jiraiya has already taken Naruto to Kirigakure to return the Samehada Ninja Blade. Right now, Kakashi Hatake is handling the administrative affairs."

Kakashi? Neji's heart tightened. He had no doubt about Kakashi's keen insight and intelligence, but precisely because of this, if Hiashi formally invited Kakashi to the Hyuga Main House, Kakashi's keen observation skills would likely lead him to completely uncover his identity as "Sake." While this might not be a bad thing, it was always good to have an extra layer of secrecy before the plan was fully implemented. However, time was of the essence; Obito could end the battle in Amegakure at any moment, and Sasuke needed to be guided as soon as possible.

"There's no time to hesitate." Neji's eyes narrowed as he made a decision. "Using the pretext that the Main House has important matters to discuss, secretly invite Kakashi over. Be careful, it must be done discreetly."

Hiashi gave Neji a deep look, asked no further questions, and simply said, "I understand." He turned and left the training ground, his steps steady and swift.

Kakashi arrived faster than expected. When he opened the door to the secret room and saw "Sake" standing inside, a flash of extreme surprise crossed his exposed right eye, which then transformed into a complex expression of knowing understanding. He closed the door behind him, leaned against it, and spoke in a somewhat languid tone, as if he had just encountered an ordinary acquaintance:

"Sake, are you here to get Danzo's latest schedule?" The question was direct, skipping all pleasantries and probing. This demonstrated both tacit understanding and efficiency.

Neji's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Kakashi might have guessed something, or at least, Jiraiya had given Kakashi the specially made Flying Thunder God Kunai he left behind Jiraiya he left. "That's right." Neji's answer was equally concise, confirming Kakashi's guess.

Kakashi pulled a scroll from his pocket, not handing it over directly, but holding it in his hand as if chatting casually, and said, "Lord Jiraiya left, Elder Danzo's activities have become noticeably more frequent. Advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura have 'agreed' that he, as the Sixth Hokage, could travel to the Land of Iron to convene the Five Kage Summit, provided he has the support of at least two major ninja villages." He deliberately emphasized the word "agreed."

Neji instantly understood. This wasn't Danzo's willful act, but rather a tacit "arrangement" by the Konoha High Command. Given the two advisors' experience and understanding of Danzo, they couldn't possibly be unaware of the risks and Danzo's ambitions. This could only be... "Is this Lord Jiraiya's plan?" Neji had already guessed most of it, but still needed confirmation.

Kakashi's gaze seemed to pierce through the disguise, landing on Neji. "Lord Jiraiya doesn't want the village to be destroyed again," he stated calmly, his tone carrying a heavy sense of helplessness, yet also a resolute determination. "The festering sores within need to be removed by the right person at the right time."

Sacrificing Danzo in exchange for temporary unity within Konoha, and using this as bait to lure out or eliminate external threats (such as the vengeful Sasuke Uchiha). A ruthless political calculation; this was a deal already made, and also the option with the least cost. Neji silently accepted the scroll, gaining a deeper understanding of the seemingly unrestrained Lord Jiraiya.

"I understand." Neji put the scroll away and said no more. He activated the Flying Thunder God Technique again and disappeared from the training ground.

Kakashi stared at the empty space ahead, a glint in his single eye, and whispered, "Be careful, the sake."

The Akatsuki New Headquarters is hidden deep underground in a massive cavern. The air is damp and cold, and the only source of light is the pale green glow emanating from the rock walls, as well as the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path standing silently in the deepest part, radiating an ominous yet powerful life energy.

Neji appeared at the cave entrance and, relying on his memory of Zetsu leading him there once, walked in with ease. Kisame was dead, Obito and Zetsu were in Amegakure, and apart from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, only the four members of Taka, Sasuke, remained here.

While at the cave entrance, he had already used the restriction to tell Jugo, Suigetsu, and Karin to pretend they didn't know him. At the same time, he used the restriction to tell Karin Danzo's itinerary and the personnel he was assigned, and asked Karin to relay the message to Sasuke.

Neji didn't actively approach Sasuke and the others. Instead, he went directly to the deepest part of the cave—the location of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. He looked at the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, feigning attraction to its grandeur and mysterious power, and slowly approached, reaching out as if to touch its wood-like surface, uttering a low, almost admiring hiss. Just as his fingertips were about to touch it, a wisp of Chakra, condensed to its extreme and as tiny as a speck of dust, accompanied by an extremely complex spatial coordinate rune, silently imprinted itself deep within an extremely hidden fold of the Mazo's surface. Unless someone examined it inch by inch with a magnifying glass and was proficient in Space-Time Ninjutsu, it would be impossible to detect.

Soon after, Karin "suddenly" seemed to remember some important information and eagerly told Sasuke. In Sasuke's crimson Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the flames of revenge were instantly ignited. He didn't inquire about the source of the information—on the path of revenge, any information about the enemy was invaluable; he didn't care about the source, only the result.

"Let's go, to the Land of Iron." Sasuke's voice was icy cold, without any hesitation. Jugo, Suigetsu, Karin immediately followed, and the four of them quickly left the headquarters.

Sensing that their Chakra signals had completely disappeared into the distance, Neji immediately contacted Zetsu through Akatsuki's ring.

"Senior Zetsu, Sasuke Uchiha and the others just left headquarters. They seem to have a clear objective and acted in a hurry. Should I secretly follow and observe them?" Neji's request was perfectly timed, demonstrating his sense of responsibility while clearing himself of any suspicion that "staying at headquarters might mean facing the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path alone."

Zetsu seemed to hesitate for a moment (judging from the Chakra fluctuations transmitted through the ring). White Zetsu's voice rang out. "Well, it's good to let them go out and stretch their legs. Sake, it's a bit boring for you to stay at headquarters alone... Hmm, Lord Madara shouldn't mind you going out for a 'refreshing stroll'." Black Zetsu added, "Follow them, observe, and don't intervene unless necessary. Your main task is to ensure that they... and that their actions don't affect our Eye of the Moon Plan." This "affect" was quite meaningful.

Neji was secretly pleased; the plan was going smoothly. "Received, Zetsu-senpai. I will keep my distance and only observe." Disconnecting the communication, he didn't delay any longer and moved to chase after the direction Sasuke and the others had left in. In the empty and cold headquarters, only the silent, heart-like pulse of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path remained, along with a tiny, extremely small Flying Thunder God Mark, deeply hidden.