A's ambition

After the Five Kage Summit ended.

The Fourth Raikage, A, worried about Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails' jinchūriki who had been attacked by Black Zetsu in Kumogakure. His heart seethed with anger at the Akatsuki's provocation.

And a trace of unease that was difficult to detect.

After they had shared intelligence at the Five Kage Summit, his own stronghold had been infiltrated. The name Akatsuki lodged in his heart like a wooden splinter.

He soon hurried back to Kumogakure.

Inside the Raikage's Office.

A's tall, burly frame cast an enormous shadow. Volatile lightning release chakra darted uncontrollably over his bronze skin, crackling and hissing.

His gaze locked on the corner of the room,

Because there, Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails' jinchūriki, was curled up in the corner.

She hugged her knees, her head buried deep between them.

Her beautiful, short beige-brown hair was disheveled, and her petite body trembled faintly despite herself.

The room was deathly silent, as though all that sat there was an empty shell.

"Yugito!" A's booming voice rang out like thunder. He was about to step forward to comfort her when an equally burly, muscular arm blocked his way.

"Big brother, you've never known how to comfort people." The young Killer B stood in front of A and shook his head, speaking in his peculiar cadence.

"What she needs now is quiet, yo. She's been through something terrible, yo."

A's brows knitted tightly. He suppressed his anger, turned his gaze toward Killer B, and asked in a low voice.

"What exactly happened? Tell me everything you know."

"A guy wearing strange clothes suddenly appeared." Killer B's expression turned unusually serious. He took a torn scrap of cloth from inside his clothes.

He held it out to A. "That guy was strange. He slipped into the village without a sound, yo. Powerful earth release, red eyes, and he used genjutsu to control Yugito, yo."

"Good thing you kept telling me to practice Tailed Beast Bombs with Gyuki, big brother."

"I got there in time and blasted him away with a Tailed Beast Bomb, yo."

Hearing Killer B's description, A sank into thought...

Red eyes... able to control tailed beasts with genjutsu.

Could it be the Sharingan!

He took the scrap of cloth.

A bone-chilling wave of killing intent erupted from him. Even the glass in the surrounding windows trembled faintly, rattling against their frames.

"The Akatsuki...!"

A forced the words through gritted teeth, one syllable at a time. Terrifying chakra erupted like a volcano, instantly cracking the floor beneath his feet.

He slammed a fist into the wall beside him, and web-like cracks instantly spread across its entire surface.

"They've already sunk their claws into my Kumogakure!" A's furious roar echoed through the room, his voice savage.

"They nearly destroyed our village's jinchūriki! This is a provocation against Kumogakure!"

A was utterly enraged. When it had only been Sunagakure and Iwagakure suffering, he had attended the Five Kage Summit intending to watch the show, even taking some pleasure in their misfortune.

But only when the disaster Ōnoki had described truly fell upon him did he feel the suffocating threat posed by the Akatsuki.

The arrogance of throwing the shinobi villages to the ground and trampling their dignity.

He even thought of the possibility that Konoha stood behind the Akatsuki.

A's fury rose another notch.

"Pass on my orders!" A turned and roared at the Kumogakure guards who had rushed to the door at the commotion.

"The entire village is to enter the highest state of alert immediately. Seal every entrance and exit! Recall every elite jōnin outside the village, right now! Immediately!"

A raised his muscular right hand and jabbed a finger into a guard's chest.

"Defend the village to the death! Protect both jinchūriki. Execute anyone suspicious on the spot, without interrogation!"

"Yes!" The guards shuddered at the Raikage's imposing presence. As expected of the Raikage. Even his anger is terrifying, they thought, scrambling away to relay his orders.

A paced back and forth across the room like a bloodthirsty beast studying its opponent.

He recalled the ridiculous alliance agreement he had signed in Konoha not long ago, and a contemptuous sneer curled his lips.

"A joint operation? Who would believe any of you would sincerely help?" he muttered mockingly, his words dripping with disdain.

"You've had your own tailed beasts taken away. Every one of you is a beaten dog with a broken spine. I doubt you have the strength left to send any decent fighting force to support us."

"What can Ōnoki do besides shout at me? Sunagakure doesn't even have a proper Kage. An Acting Kazekage? Laughable."

"As for that brat from Kirigakure, a brat is still a brat. Hmph."

A glanced at Yugito, who was trembling in fear of him, and could not help lowering his voice.

"Besides, the wars between the villages have only just ended. Which village isn't short on manpower and resources? Send reinforcements?"

"More likely, they'd use the chance to harm our jinchūriki because they can't stand that we still have ours. A pack of hypocrites!"

He stopped pacing, his eyes gleaming with swelling ambition and desire. Combined with the lightning coursing over his body, the sight was rather frightening.

"A pack of fools spouting fantasies. If the Akatsuki weren't hanging over everyone's heads like a malignant tumor, and I could afford to leave the village and take that gamble, I'd have already flattened your villages after you lost your tailed beasts. I'd have taken your resources and land to nourish Kumogakure."

Just then, a Kumogakure shinobi rushed in, his expression panicked yet tinged with delight. Dropping to one knee, he hurriedly reported to A.

"Lord Raikage, urgent intelligence from Konoha."

A shot him an impatient glance. "Speak."

"Last night, Konoha's Nine-Tails was released for unknown reasons and wreaked havoc in the village!"

"What?!" A's eyes widened instantly, his breathing quickening instinctively. He grabbed the shinobi by the collar and hoisted him up.

"Explain!"

Startled by A's sudden movement, the shinobi swallowed with difficulty and continued.

"When the Nine-Tails used a Tailed Beast Bomb and was about to deliver a devastating blow to Konoha, that Pero from the Akatsuki appeared. He... he knocked the Nine-Tails unconscious with just one punch."

"He took the tailed beast right in front of the Fourth Hokage."

"Now, Konoha... doesn't... have a tailed beast either."

"...?"

The office suddenly fell deathly silent. A released his grip, and the shinobi collapsed to the floor.

A few seconds passed.

"Heh... heh... hahahahahaha!"

A suddenly threw his head back and laughed, filled with delight at their misfortune.

He spread his arms, embracing this unexpected good news. The lightning around him grew even more violent with his surging emotions.

"Well done! Very well done, Akatsuki!"

He praised them aloud, but a vicious glint flashed in his eyes.

"Without the Nine-Tails, Konoha is nothing but a toothless tiger. Once I've dealt with the Akatsuki, let's see how you maintain that hollow title of the greatest shinobi village."

Of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, only his Kumogakure still retained both its tailed beasts intact, while Iwagakure had one left.

The Akatsuki had shattered the balance between the shinobi villages. He could almost see himself dominating the villages with his two tailed beasts.

"Once I have all the Akatsuki's tailed beasts in my hands..." A's gaze grew intensely fervent.

"I'll surpass the god of Hokage and stand above the heavens!"

The moment he heard the news, his ambition erupted without restraint.

"Pass on my orders." A's voice suddenly turned icy.

"Form hunting squads. Use every means available to gather intelligence on the Akatsuki. I want to know every one of their members and every weakness they have!"

"They dared invade Kumogakure. They'll pay the price."

He paused, then turned to Killer B. "Hurry back and keep training. Develop the Eight-Tails' power as much as possible in the shortest time you can."

All of Kumogakure swiftly mobilized at A's will. A fierce storm aimed at the Akatsuki was brewing.

In Amegakure, Pero propped his cheek on one hand. His ears twitched slightly, as though he were listening to something.

A mocking smile curled his lips.