It Was Him All Along

Three disasters. Three major crimes. All in one night.

The name Akatsuki was suddenly on everyone's lips across the Shinobi World.

Raikage A smashed a second desk and made "destroy Akatsuki" his highest priority.

Rasa had lost the lifeblood of his treasury and sent men to investigate through the night.

Ōnoki grew suspicious of Kumogakure and secretly sent men to keep watch.

In Kirigakure, White Zetsu and Black Zetsu cornered Obito and demanded answers.

Akatsuki had robbed three great nations in a single night. White Zetsu scratched his head and asked, "Just how much have you been doing behind my back?" Behind his mask, Obito's gaze turned colder by the second. Who was that impostor?

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was trapped by his own move. He had issued a hundred-million-ryo bounty, but Akatsuki hadn't backed down. They had only grown bolder, as if robbing nations had become a habit.

The entire Shinobi World turned its attention to Akatsuki.

And Konoha...

Konoha stayed safe and sound in the eye of the storm.

Morning, in the Hokage Office.

Shikaku Nara stood before the desk with a stack of accounts in his arms, looking as though he had seen a ghost.

"Lord Hokage... these accounts..."

He turned one page, then another. The more he read, the less sense they made.

"The village treasury recorded... several deposits last night?"

"The amounts... are staggering."

He looked up, started to speak, then swallowed his words and chose them more carefully.

"Where did this money come from?"

Just yesterday, he had been worrying about the starting capital for the Civilian Support Fund, the pay and equipment for the Five Great Forces, and the cost of expanding the Ninja Academy.

And overnight, all of it had been covered?

Uchiha En sat behind the desk