In the Land of Rain, there has always been a considerable number of Rain Ninjas resisting Hanzo of the Salamander.
Some people believe that Hanzo's policy of isolation hinders development, obstructs normal exchanges with the outside world, which is detrimental to the development of the Land of Rain.
Another group thinks Hanzo is too weak.
The Third Ninja World War was a great opportunity, and the Land of Rain should have taken action to seize the neighboring countries' territories, but Hanzo didn't move.
Hanzo is such a coward ninja. Ever since he secluded himself in Amegakure, both the hardliners and the moderates have expressed dissatisfaction with him. The only ones remaining by Hanzo's side are the fence-sitters.
For the ninjas outside Amegakure, the Akatsuki has a mature and rational approach. Yahiko is responsible for dealing with the moderates, while the remaining hardliners are left to Byakuya.
Therefore, even when Byakuya was imprisoned in Amegakure's jail, he still had subordinates coming to visit him. This visitor was none other than Amegakure's black market merchant, Jonin Shigure.
When Shigure sneaked in to see Byakuya, he was startled because Byakuya had walked out of his cell and greeted him warmly.
This scene made Shigure doubt whether Byakuya was truly a prisoner. What prisoner can freely come and go? And was Byakuya's voluntary capture not some kind of conspiracy? Everything seemed peculiar.
After greeting Shigure, Byakuya returned to his cell, sat on the cold floor, and said expressionlessly, "Shigure, how are things outside? Is Hanzo preparing to kill me?"
Shigure shook his head and replied, "I don't know Lord Hanzo's thoughts, but if this is a misunderstanding, Lord Byakuya, it would be best for you to explain things clearly to him. The Akatsuki and Amegakure are both ninja organizations of the Land of Rain; there's no need for internal strife."
Byakuya glanced at Shigure before saying, "There's no need for internal strife, but don't you think Hanzo of the Salamander has grown old? Old enough to be unwilling to think? If he thinks carefully, he should know who really killed the envoy. But he's scared, not of the mastermind, but of the younger, more promising Akatsuki, so he unhesitatingly issued a warrant for my arrest to threaten the Akatsuki. He didn't expect that I wouldn't run but would choose to surrender."
After listening to Byakuya, Shigure fell silent. He looked at his mysterious and powerful superior and couldn't help but say, "Is there really no way for the Akatsuki and Amegakure to coexist peacefully?"
"That depends on what Hanzo thinks."
After speaking, Byakuya moved to the corner of the cell, hiding his body in the shadows.
Shigure sighed softly as he witnessed this scene and left quietly. During his time under Byakuya, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki is an organization dedicated to achieving peace, and its members are passionate young people.
In this respect, it is exactly like Amegakure twenty years ago. However, over time, Lord Hanzo has gradually lost his drive, and Amegakure has become what it is today. Thus, Shigure did not want to see a conflict erupt between the Akatsuki and Amegakure.
After leaving the prison, Shigure headed to Hanzo of the Salamander's office.
He wanted to prevent this conflict from happening, to persuade Hanzo to release Byakuya and avoid the worst-case scenario.
Hiding in the shadows, Byakuya watched this unfold silently. He did not believe Shigure could stop the conflict.
After reviewing the information sent back by his clone, Byakuya nodded affirmatively. Danzo really is a good ally. I mean, without Danzo, the conflict would not have been so easily sparked. Byakuya was sure to spank Danzo's ass to show his appreciation in the future.
Inside the Amegakure tower, Hanzo the Salamander was restless.
After Byakuya was imprisoned, Hanzo re-investigated the crime scene. The evidence left at the scene suggests many doubts about Byakuya's involvement in the envoy's assassination.
Byakuya is likely not the real culprit; someone else is. But now he is in a difficult position.
As a demigod, he cannot afford to make any mistakes. Any error would tarnish the illustrious image he has built, which would be detrimental to his continued rule over the Land of Rain.
However, since this morning, he has been receiving bad news related to the Akatsuki. His order to arrest Byakuya has not intimidated the Akatsuki. Instead, it has united them. They have formed a ninja force of over a hundred members, hidden within the Land of Rain.
This makes him question whether his deterrent power is waning.
Worse news followed. After the Akatsuki assembled their forces, chaos ensued throughout the Land of Rain. The chaos was not due to the Akatsuki attacking villages and towns.
Rather, it was because the Akatsuki temporarily abandoned the management of these areas, leading to most places in the Land of Rain, except for a few major strongholds like Amegakure, losing their ninja guardians.
In other words, the peace and tranquility that the Land of Rain has experienced for the past six months were actually created by the Akatsuki.
It had little to do with him, the demigod.
Realizing this, Hanzo of the Salamander fell into deep thought. This is both a good and bad thing for him. On one hand, he doesn't have to worry about the Akatsuki lacking successors. On the other hand, he has to start facing the threat posed by the Akatsuki.
At this moment, Hanzo had a strange idea: what if he released Byakuya now and promised to let the Akatsuki join Amegakure? Could he then retire and simply enjoy life?
But the next moment, Hanzo shook his head, dismissing his own idea.
If he handed over power to the Akatsuki, how could he ensure his own safety? When he became too old to move, he would surely face retribution from these young people. He still wanted to hold his position in Amegakure for another twenty years.
As Hanzo wavered, a Rain Ninja teleported in front of him, half-kneeling, "Lord Hanzo, there is a ninja outside the village claiming to be an old friend of yours. They seem to be from Konoha."
A Konoha ninja? Could it be Danzo? Hanzo frowned.
He had few contacts among Konoha's higher-ups, and the only one who could be considered an old friend was Danzo. The others, like the Third Hokage and the Hokage's other advisors, he had hardly met.
But why would Danzo come now? Weren't Iwagakure and Konoha about to negotiate peace? Despite his doubts, Hanzo decided to meet Danzo, the "Hokage in the shadows," to find out why he was seeking him.
On his way to the village outskirts, Hanzo couldn't shake a sense of foreboding. He felt that Danzo's visit must be related to the Akatsuki.
===
BONUS CHAPTER!
500 PS = 5 Bonus Chapters!
1000 PS = 10 Bonus Chapters!