They walked through the Land of Grass.
Zou Hyuga gave the enthusiastic Shinnō a slightly helpless look and responded with a roughly matching show of enthusiasm.
After some roundabout probing revealed Zou's current identity, Shinnō had become unusually friendly.
Shinnō had joined Akatsuki for only two reasons: to find enough chakra to create the Zero-Tails, and to obtain the money to rebuild the Sky Ninja Village.
The strength and wealth Zou Hyuga had displayed happened to satisfy both requirements.
Zou Hyuga wanted something from Shinnō as well. Whether it was forbidden Medical Ninjutsu or the Sky Ninja's weapons technology, he urgently wanted to get his hands on it.
And so, each putting on an act for the other, Zou Hyuga and Shinnō traveled through the Land of Hot Water and covered most of the road to Amegakure.
To avoid drawing suspicion, the Akatsuki members did not pass through Kusagakure. Instead, they skirted it and headed straight for the Land of Rain.
The air grew increasingly damp. Donning their bamboo hats, they entered the Land of Rain.
They had received an order to assemble from their leader, Pain.
Before long, they met Pain's Deva Path and Konan on the outskirts of Amegakure. Their faces remained utterly expressionless.
Only when her gaze swept over the group and landed on Zou Hyuga did a flicker of something different cross Konan's eyes.
Zou Hyuga noticed her look and could not help feeling a little nervous. Has my identity been exposed, or is it something else?
The moment passed, and Konan and Pain led them into Amegakure.
They also brought the group a piece of intelligence: the One-Tail, Shukaku, would soon revive in the desert, and the organization would be making a major move soon.
Only upon hearing this did Zou Hyuga suddenly realize that