Looking at the ragged Rain Ninja ahead, the Five Kage exchanged glances, strange expressions crossing their faces.
Weren't the Rain Ninja supposed to be the Assault Unit's enemies? Why were they acting so pitiful and saying they had suffered under the Akatsuki for years?
Weren't Nagato and Konan of the Akatsuki supposed to be Amegakure's guardian god and angel?
The Five Kage dared not act rashly. They exchanged a look, sending the reconnaissance squad into the Tower while they approached the Rain Ninja and looked at the Amegakure jonin at their head.
The jonin's injuries did not seem faked. They appeared to have just fought a fierce battle, and traces of the Fusion Beast's chakra still lingered on them.
Had they been imprisoned here? Or were these people merely bait as well?
Yet there were plenty of younger ninja behind these jonin. Had Amegakure truly become so depraved?
Soon, some of the reconnaissance ninja returned first, bringing an exact count of the Rain Ninja inside the Tower. There were over a thousand, nearly Amegakure's entire ninja population.
Then another group of reconnaissance ninja returned and quietly reported their findings to the Five Kage.
The Five Kage frowned. According to the reports, this Tower was more accurately described as a prison, with security measures everywhere inside. Could Amegakure really be under the Akatsuki's coercion, just as it appeared?
After a moment's thought, the Third Hokage, Fourth Raikage, and the others turned to the Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.
Among them, Ōnoki was undoubtedly the most familiar with the Akatsuki and Amegakure, having once maintained dubious ties with the former. Perhaps he could make something of the situation.
Ōnoki looked up toward the horizon, speechless, and felt his aching back grow a little worse. "Previously, the Akatsuki always contacted Iwagakure unilaterally. We never took the