Amegakure.
Several figures emerged from the darkness of a dim meeting room.
"There's been quite a stir in the Land of Water lately. The whole country has been sealed off. According to the ninja who escaped, Karatachi Yagura has turned on several major clans in Kirigakure. Who knows what he's thinking?"
"Sunagakure has been making waves lately, too. According to our intelligence, their One-Tail Jinchuriki died, and Shukaku went berserk. He's now been sealed inside Rasa's son."
"Hmph. Just the weakest tailed beast."
"Don't say that. Magnet Release is still very powerful. If I had Magnet Release, all the gold in the world would be mine."
"For peace in the shinobi world, they're all our future enemies."
"..."
Nagato had yet to arrive. Those who had come early were already exchanging intelligence, but under a certain person's influence, the initially solemn atmosphere had gradually taken a different turn.
Whoosh, whoosh!
As though sensing something, everyone stopped talking and looked in the same direction. A moment later, Nagato and Konan appeared there together.
A man with an Evil Sharingan spinning in his eye stepped out of the darkness and asked Nagato in confusion, "Leader, what did you call us here for this time?"
He wore the black cloak with red clouds reserved for Akatsuki's senior members. Skeletal and ghastly-faced, he was none other than Obito Uchiha, who had been in hiding for a long time.
"Exactly, Leader. Do you know how much money I can make in a minute? Besides, my partner was too weak. His target killed him during a hunt."
A tall figure emerged from the shadows. A mask concealed his expression, but there was a hint of helplessness in his voice.
Still, no one took his words seriously. More than one or two of his partners had been