Deep within a cavern untouched by light, cold droplets condensed on the damp rock walls. Their dripping echoed through the empty space, lending it an even more mysterious air.
There were no physical figures inside the cave, only several colored silhouettes of varying hues, flickering like cheap holographic projections as they hovered in midair.
Some were tall and others short, their outlines just clear enough to distinguish men from women, but their faces remained blurred. Like the picture on an old television with poor reception, they looked distorted and unreal.
This was the Akatsuki's unique long-distance communication Ninjutsu-the Magic Lantern Body Technique.
The members' consciousnesses were projected here, while their actual bodies were scattered throughout the Shinobi World.
At that moment, every silhouette faced the same direction. There stood the tallest projection, motionless, its pupils marked by concentric rings. He was the Akatsuki's leader-Pain.
Beside him stood the only woman present, Konan.
Deidara (note: Itachi brought Deidara into the Akatsuki when he was twelve; he died at twenty), Kakuzu, Zetsu, and the others formed a circle with the two of them.
Pain's cold, hollow voice echoed through the cavern, carrying an unquestionable authority.
"I called this meeting because the Shinobi World has undergone drastic changes beyond our expectations."
He paused briefly, as though giving the members time to absorb the information, then stated the central reason for gathering them:
"Konoha has initiated a war."
At those words, several colored silhouettes visibly fluctuated, revealing their owners' unease.
"Oh?"
Kakuzu's voice was low, filled with keen interest.
"Now that is... unusual."
Kakuzu, an "old relic" who had survived since the end of the Warring States Period, possessed a historical perspective few could hope to match.
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying both recollection and certainty. "As far as I remember, ever since