Indeed, Nagato, under the guise of Pain, was personally leading the attack, and he wasn't alone. Several of Akatsuki's elite members were joining the assault, and now even the Land of Earth was preparing to make its move.
The upcoming Jonin Exam was going to demand a lot of Konoha's attention. If these forces truly intended to cause chaos, it could be a significant threat.
But as the saying goes, with high risk comes high reward.
Previously, when they invited the other Kage to a summit, each one refused. No matter the excuses they gave, it all boiled down to one thing—they didn't think Konoha was strong enough.
It's just like when you chase after a girl. No matter what reasons she gives to reject you, the real reason is always the same: she thinks you're not good enough for her. The same logic applies here.
But now, knowing in advance that they were planning an attack, Akira believed that with proper preparation, they could not only defeat their enemies but also take advantage of the situation.
This was a perfect opportunity for Konoha to showcase its strength to the ninja world. And even better, if they could demonstrate the true terror of Akatsuki, it would rally the rest of the ninja world to unite against them in the future.
This was Akira's plan.
After explaining his strategy to Fugaku, the Uchiha patriarch agreed, nodding in approval. Akira's idea made sense.
The original purpose of holding the Jonin Exam was to showcase Konoha's strength, after all. And what better way to demonstrate their power than to fend off an attack during the exam?
In the past, when the Uchiha had just taken power, they had to constantly fend off threats from other villages, often neutralizing dangers before they even arose. But that was when Konoha was at its weakest, with only Fugaku and Akira as its sole Kage-level fighters.
Now, seven years later, Konoha was far from the vulnerable village it once was.
In addition to Fugaku and Akira, they now had Orochimaru, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Naruto Uzumaki as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and even Kakashi Hatake, who had unlocked his Mangekyo Sharingan. Konoha had gained five more Kage-level warriors.
With such an increase in strength, Akira and Fugaku weren't merely focused on surviving the crisis—they were looking to turn the tables and use the crisis to their advantage.
After discussing the finer details of their plan to counter Akatsuki and the Land of Earth's possible attack, the preparations were set in motion. As more and more ninja from various villages arrived in Konoha, the village grew busier. It wasn't uncommon to see ninja wearing different village forehead protectors wandering the streets. The Jonin Exam was fast approaching.
Unlike the Chunin Exams, the Jonin Exam was for much stronger fighters.
Aside from planning strategies, Akira also devoted some of his time to his own strength.
For most people, increasing their power in such a short time would be impossible. But for Akira, with his stash of money and his ability to run life simulations, he could accelerate his growth rapidly.
For example, this time, he used the 10 million ryo Kakuzu had brought him for a final simulation, focusing on his training in ninjutsu.
[Three days later, the Jonin Exam begins!]
[Ten days later, at the most crucial moment of the exam, Konoha is attacked!]
[Six months later, several Tailed Beasts have fallen into Akatsuki's hands, and the entire ninja world is in a state of panic, especially the villages still in possession of their Tailed Beasts.]
[One year later, the Four Kage reach out to Konoha, requesting a Five Kage Summit to discuss how to handle Akatsuki!]
[Chidori Sharp Spear, Chidori Current, and Lightning Release: Kirin are all developed by Sasuke Uchiha. You've used your Sharingan to observe them thoroughly and successfully copied them!]
[The Fourth Great Ninja War begins. You engage Uchiha Madara in Sage Mode, using the Wood Release: Wood Human Technique. This piques Madara's interest!]
[Despite possessing a pair of Rinnegan, your Three Tomoe Sharingan cannot see through Limbo: Border Jail. You are killed!]
In this simulation, Akira was killed by Uchiha Madara, who wielded a pair of Rinnegan. The result made Akira frown.
Limbo: Border Jail was a truly troublesome technique, allowing Madara to create four invisible entities, similar to clones. In the original story, only Sasuke with his overpowered abilities and Naruto in his Six Paths Mode could perceive them.
With just his Three Tomoe Sharingan, Akira couldn't see the Limbo clones, leaving him at a severe disadvantage in a fight against Madara.
Of course, as grim as the outcome was, death was always the result in these life simulations, so it wasn't entirely unexpected.
Instead of dwelling on his fate, Akira focused on the rewards from this run.
And there were plenty.
He had successfully copied techniques like Chidori Sharp Spear and other abilities from Sasuke, and even more exciting, he had now mastered the Wood Human Technique.
When given the option of what to take from the simulation, Akira naturally chose to acquire new ninjutsu.
A deep sense of understanding flooded Akira's mind. Though Chidori was technically a weaker version of Raikiri, the two techniques were fundamentally the same, much like the difference between a basic Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu.
With his newly gained knowledge of Chidori Sharp Spear, Akira found it easy to apply the same principles to his own Raikiri technique.
After testing out the techniques briefly, Akira was more than satisfied with the results.
However, his greatest gain wasn't from Chidori—it was the Wood Human Technique.
Unfortunately, that particular jutsu created a massive spectacle, making it inappropriate for him to try out here and now.
Still, knowing he had finally learned the technique filled Akira with joy. After all, he had been looking forward to piloting his own "Gundam" for a while now.
And what man doesn't dream of piloting a giant mech? It's the pinnacle of manly dreams!
Yes, this round had yielded substantial rewards, and Akira couldn't help but smile. And to think, these Lightning Release techniques came from milking Sasuke for ideas!
While Sasuke was off working hard, Akira had reaped the benefits.
Perhaps it was time to pay Sasuke a visit and share some of these abilities with him, just so the younger Uchiha didn't feel neglected.
After all, Akira had helped Naruto out a lot in the past. It was only fair to give Sasuke some attention, too.
Though, thinking about it... Akira had essentially copied the techniques Sasuke developed in the future, only to turn around and teach them back to him now.
Was he creating a strange feedback loop? It was almost like one of those martial arts movies where you end up chasing your own shadow, spiraling endlessly upward.
Akira shook his head, pushing away the absurd thought. Then, he made his way toward Sasuke's training ground.
Upon arriving at the training field, he saw several people hard at work. Sasuke was there, of course, but so were Hinata and Rock Lee.
It seemed they weren't just training individually but practicing as a team. With the Jonin Exam requiring three-man squads, they were likely working on coordination, pushing each other to improve while also strengthening their bond.
Sasuke's Taijutsu was solid, though his true strength lay in his mastery of Fire and Lightning Release. His skills were sharp, and his Three Tomoe Sharingan gave him exceptional reflexes and dynamic vision.
Hinata, on the other hand, fought with her family's signature Gentle Fist, moving with such grace that it looked almost like a dance. Her strikes appeared slow, yet they held an overwhelming precision, exploiting every possible opening.
Akira knew well how devastating the Gentle Fist could be—it was a powerful technique, especially with its ability to target chakra points.
And then there was Rock Lee, practicing his Strong Fist Taijutsu. In many ways, his role complemented the others. As a physical powerhouse, Lee could serve as the tank of their group, absorbing damage and keeping the enemy at bay.
Hinata, with her pinpoint accuracy, would act as crowd control, while Sasuke delivered devastating ninjutsu strikes as their DPS (damage per second). The team's balance and synergy were impressive.
Akira watched them silently from the sidelines, observing their teamwork until they finished a round of training. Only then did he step forward.
"Akira!" Hinata greeted him with a bright smile, her face flushed with exertion.
"Here, drink some water," Akira said with a smile, brushing aside her damp bangs and handing her a bottle of water he had prepared.
"Thank you," Hinata replied, taking a sip. It was just regular water, but somehow, it tasted especially sweet to her.
"You're Akira Uchiha, right? I've heard a lot about you. It's an honor to finally meet you," Rock Lee said, walking over to thank Akira.
"Thank me? What for?" Akira asked, a bit puzzled.
"Guy-sensei told me it was you who suggested he go to the ninja academy and find me. Thanks to that, I got to be his disciple."
Akira blinked. For him, that had just been a casual suggestion. But for Lee, it had changed the course of his entire life. No wonder the young ninja was so grateful.
"Ah, I see. Well, in that case, I'll humbly accept your thanks," Akira said with a grin.
Finally, he turned his attention to Sasuke.
"Sasuke, got some time? The exam's only two days away. How about I give you a few pointers?" Akira said, smiling at the younger Uchiha.
*********
Note: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 218 at patreon.com/Emik01.