"Senior Hanzō."
Yahiko stepped forward and greeted him.
Hanzō nodded. "I've watched Akatsuki grow over the years, and Amegakure has never tried to stop you."
"We owe you our thanks for letting Akatsuki develop, Senior Hanzō. The Land of Rain has been in turmoil for far too long. I hope that, starting today, we can end it together.
"Let us bring true peace to the Land of Rain. I believe that's what many of its people want, too. They've waited a long time for this day."
Years after the Three Great Ninja Villages had fought their war in the Land of Rain, the turmoil within its borders remained unresolved. Countless Mercenary Ninja roamed the country.
Intelligence Officers from the Three Great Ninja Villages were mixed among them. Even though the villages had stopped fighting, the Land of Rain remained in chaos.
A faint smile appeared on Hanzō's face. "The Land of Rain will have peace—once Akatsuki disappears from it."
Squads of Rain shinobi appeared all around them, surrounding the Akatsuki Ninja.
"What do you mean by this, Senior Hanzō? We came today in good faith, hoping to end the suffering years of war have brought the people of the Land of Rain.
"Peace is within reach. Are you going to throw away everything we've worked for and plunge the Land of Rain into war again? Do you want to be remembered as the one who condemned it?"
Hanzō stared at Yahiko. His words had struck a nerve. Hanzō called himself the Demigod, yet the Land of Rain remained mired in war. It was a glaring indictment of his failure.
In just a few years, Akatsuki had given the people of the Land of Rain hope. The contrast was another blow to his pride.
Akatsuki also threatened his rule. He could