Nagato
After several hours of traversing the rugged terrain, Uchiha Itachi and his comrades finally reached the border of Kusagakure. Beyond the ceaseless downpour that marked the divide, the Land of Rain awaited.
However, just as they were about to cross, the group came to a halt. Two expressionless figures stood in their path, their presence exuding an oppressive aura.
The taller of the two, bearing the Rinnegan's telltale ripple-patterned eyes, shifted his gaze toward the assembled members of Akatsuki before settling on Itachi. In a calm yet commanding tone, he asked, "How did the investigation of Kusagakure go?"
Stepping forward, Itachi recounted the events in detail.
What was supposed to be a straightforward reconnaissance mission had taken an unexpected turn. They had encountered not only remnants of Uzushiogakure but also one of Konoha's legendary Sannin. Worse still, they had been deceived by Kusagakure's leadership. The entire situation left the team unsettled, their expressions betraying their frustration.
Yet, after listening to Itachi's report, the figure known as Tendo—the Deva Path of Pain—nodded in satisfaction. "You handled the mission well. Now, it's time for the next phase. Kusagakure must be brought under our control."
Hearing this, Kakuzu and Hidan exchanged puzzled glances. Itachi and Kisame, however, looked at each other knowingly.
The assignment from Kusagakure had been a ruse. Their reconnaissance mission had merely been a pretext—an excuse for Akatsuki to justify its impending takeover of the village. Even within their ranks, the true objective had been shrouded in secrecy.
Wasn't Akatsuki's main goal the collection of Tailed Beasts? Itachi wondered. Wouldn't an outright attack on Kusagakure draw the unwanted attention of the Five Great Nations?
Yet, as a double agent for Konoha, he found a silver lining. The more Akatsuki exposed itself, the easier it would be for the major villages to take notice—potentially accelerating its downfall.
A few hours later, Pain led the group into Kusagakure.
The village was in disarray. Most shinobi and civilians were preoccupied with repairing the devastation left by Satori's rampage, oblivious to the impending danger.
With little resistance, Pain's group reached the Kusagakure Administration Building. Pushing open the grand doors to the meeting chamber, they found not a council discussing reconstruction or strategizing against Iwagakure's border incursions. Instead, the room was filled with political infighting—leaders shifting blame for the disastrous unsealing of the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
The hardline faction's elder had perished, leaving Kusagakure's leader to shoulder the burden. He stared blankly at the stormy sky beyond the window, his expression devoid of hope. Kusagakure's future was bleak—without more medical talents like Karin Uzumaki, the village was doomed to decline.
At that moment, the doors swung open, revealing the dark silhouettes of the intruders.
"Who dares trespass in the Kusagakure Administration Building?!"
A Jonin rose to confront them, but the moment his eyes met Pain's, he froze. The Rinnegan's mesmerizing ripples paralyzed him with dread.
Pain's voice was devoid of emotion as he raised a single hand. "Shinra Tensei."
…
Minutes later, the floor was littered with the unconscious bodies of Kusagakure's elite.
Some had collapsed from the overwhelming force of the technique. Others had simply fainted in sheer terror. They had never witnessed such an unnatural ability before—some even feared they had encountered a vengeful spirit.
Renji, one of the Six Paths of Pain, grabbed a fallen Jonin by the collar, his Rinnegan shimmering as he forcibly extracted the man's memories.
Pain processed the information swiftly. Among the scattered recollections, one name stood out—Uzumaki Rin.
Behind the scenes, Nagato clenched his fists.
Another Uzumaki… another tragic fate.
Memories long buried resurfaced. His mother, an Uzumaki refugee, had sought only a peaceful life in Amegakure. But Konoha shinobi had invaded their home, slaughtering both of his parents in front of him.
The cycle of war is merciless.
He had avenged their deaths, yet even now, he could not find peace. The question haunted him: Why must innocent civilians suffer at the hands of shinobi?
Tossing the Jonin aside, Pain chose not to execute the remaining Kusagakure shinobi.
His ambition was greater than mere slaughter—he sought control. After witnessing the decline of Uzushiogakure, he understood that isolationism was a death sentence. Amegakure had found peace under his rule, but it remained impoverished, unable to reap the benefits of international trade.
Yet, opening its borders invited espionage. The world still believed Hanzo the Salamander ruled Amegakure. If the truth of his demise spread, Amegakure would become a target.
Thus, Kusagakure was the perfect puppet.
By exploiting its internal discord, he could make Kusagakure an extension of Amegakure. Officially, it would handle trade and diplomacy, shielding Amegakure from external scrutiny. Even if word of Hanzo's death leaked, Akatsuki's influence would remain hidden.
At worst, the balance of power would shift—not from five Great Nations to four, but to seven.
Eventually, he would orchestrate a staged rift between Akatsuki and Amegakure, allowing Akatsuki to continue its covert operations while collecting the Tailed Beasts undisturbed.
Naruto was right, he thought. True peace cannot be rushed. It must be built slowly, step by step.
Just then, Konan appeared at his side. "Tendo, I discovered a peculiar scroll in Kusagakure's archives. You should see this."
Pain raised an eyebrow but followed her to the hidden chamber where Kusagakure stored its classified jutsu.
The vault had been ransacked. Most of the village's secret techniques and even its financial reserves had been plundered. Scowling, Pain picked up a scroll bearing the Uzumaki Clan's signature sealing formula.
Breaking the seal, he found a message from Uzumaki Menma.
Menma had anticipated Akatsuki's invasion and had taken the village's valuable jutsu, money, and even the last known Uzumaki, Karin, before their arrival.
Yet, in his note, Menma mockingly reassured Nagato that he had left Kusagakure's true wealth untouched—its land and its people.
"Do not thank me too much," the message read.
Pain fell silent, contemplating Menma's words.
Konan glanced at the scroll before sighing. "Nagato, your kin have a strange sense of humor."
Pain's expression remained unreadable as he murmured, "This is no joke."
Konan's gaze sharpened. "Nagato, stay focused. Gaining control of Kusagakure is already a major victory. Our plan is working."
Pain exhaled, a rare smirk forming on his face. "Menma is right about one thing. True wealth isn't money or jutsu—it's people. Amegakure has land, but it needs talent. No matter how rich we become, without skilled shinobi, we will never hold power."
Konan's brow twitched slightly. "Since when did you start taking life lessons from Uzumaki Menma?"
Pain chuckled softly. "Perhaps after meeting him, I finally started thinking."
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