Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 248: Akatsuki

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"Keep spying, and no one will return alive?

Hmph! Such arrogance!"

Danzo snorted coldly upon hearing the Root operative's report about Tonari's warning. His face twisted in displeasure.

For a moment, he regretted only placing the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on Tonari. While the seal prevented Tonari from speaking about Root, it did little to control his actions.

"I should've placed multiple heart seals—something that could end his life instantly."

"Danzo-sama…"

Danzo waved his hand dismissively.

"Withdraw all surveillance for now. They're no match for him. But Tonari can't stay in Konoha forever.

And the more he protects that girl… the clearer his weakness becomes."

A sinister smile crept across Danzo's lips.

"I thought you were flawless. But everyone has a weakness. And now… I've found yours."

"Understood."

The Root operative disappeared into the shadows.

Danzo leaned back, eyes glinting with malice.

"Enjoy your arrogance while it lasts, Tonari. Next time… you'll be my sharpest blade, the stepping stone to my Hokage seat."

"Hiruzen, I need elite support for my next mission."

Danzo strode into the Third Hokage's office without preamble.

Hiruzen looked up from a stack of reports, frowning.

"Your Root operatives aren't enough?"

Danzo rarely requested external assistance. After all, this mission was about diplomacy, not warfare.

Danzo remained impassive.

"An unforeseen complication. There's an unassessed enemy involved. I need someone powerful as insurance."

Hiruzen's frown deepened.

"A threat strong enough to concern Danzo? Unlikely."

Still, decades of partnership made him hesitate.

"Who do you want?" Hiruzen asked, suspicion lingering in his tone.

Danzo didn't blink.

"Tonari."

"Absolutely not!"

Hiruzen's rejection was instant and forceful.

He knew the bad blood between Danzo and Tonari. Sending them on the same mission? It was practically begging for disaster.

Danzo expected the refusal.

He sighed dramatically, voice laced with wounded pride.

"Hiruzen, do you really see me as someone who'd endanger a mission over personal grudges?

Everything I do is for the sake of Konoha."

Hiruzen fell silent.

For all Danzo's flaws, his dedication to Konoha was undeniable. Twisted as his methods were, his loyalty was absolute.

After a long pause, Hiruzen asked:

"Why? Give me a reason good enough to justify this request."

Danzo's eyes gleamed.

He'd anticipated this question and crafted a perfect answer.

"The mission leads to the Land of Rain. I'm leveraging Rain's instability to pressure Iwagakure.

But during our operations, my Root operatives encountered a mysterious organization—they were annihilated, almost to the last man.

Final reports suggest the enemy includes an Kage-level shinobi."

Hiruzen's face darkened.

Root operatives… wiped out?

Though he disapproved of Root, he couldn't deny—every fallen Root ninja was still a Konoha shinobi.

Danzo pressed his advantage.

"This mission is at its final, most delicate stage.

Failure now would mean losing everything we've built.

Whatever my issues with Tonari, I know he values the mission above personal disputes.

And frankly, no one knows the Land of Rain better than him."

Hiruzen hesitated, chewing on the information.

Danzo's logic was sound.

But still, pairing Tonari and Danzo was like mixing fire and oil.

"What about Minato?" Hiruzen suggested.

"No."

Danzo shook his head.

"Minato's abilities make him a lone operative.

And again—no one understands Rain better than Tonari."

After a long silence, Hiruzen relented.

"I've trusted Danzo for decades. I must trust him now, too."

"Fine."

Hiruzen exhaled deeply.

"But I expect success.

Failure is not an option."

He scrawled something on a scroll and handed it over.

An official Hokage mission order.

Danzo accepted the scroll, bowing slightly.

But as he turned away, a flicker of cold triumph flashed in his one visible eye.

"Everything is falling into place."

Tonari stood at the edge of the training ground, watching his young disciples Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha practice.

But suddenly, his expression darkened.

"Damn it. This again?"

"Find your own way home, kids."

Shisui and Itachi blinked in confusion.

"Sensei?"

But before either could react, Tonari vanished.

Even Shisui—renowned for his Body Flicker Technique—couldn't follow his movement.

"So fast…!" Shisui muttered, eyes gleaming with admiration.

Even Itachi, usually reserved, nodded in silent agreement.

"Compared to Sensei… even my father seems lacking."

Had Fugaku known his son's thoughts, he might have immediately revoked Tonari's teaching privileges.

Tonari appeared like a ghost, blade in reverse grip, pressing against a Root operative's throat.

The masked ninja froze, cold sweat forming on his skin.

Every nerve screamed danger.

"Speak." Tonari's voice was ice.

"Or lose your throat."

The Root ninja stiffly raised a scroll.

"Mission… from the Hokage."

Tonari snatched the scroll without loosening his grip.

With one hand, he flicked it open, scanning the contents.

His face twisted into something unreadable—part amusement, part irritation.

"Hah. Danzo, you bastard."

After a moment, Tonari sighed and stepped back.

"Get lost."

The operative hesitated, expecting an attack.

But Tonari simply turned away, pocketing the scroll.

Back at the training ground, Shisui and Itachi ran up excitedly.

"Sensei!"

Tonari ruffled their hair apologetically.

"Sorry, kids. Mission came up. I'll be away for a bit."

Shisui, ever the optimist, smiled brightly.

"It's okay, Sensei! The mission's more important."

Itachi nodded silently but firmly.

Tonari chuckled, genuinely fond of his students.

"Good kids."

"Shisui, take charge. Keep practicing with Itachi.

Do well, and when I return—three-color dango's on me."

"Yes, Sensei!" both boys chorused.

Tonari waved and vanished once more.

Danzo stood at the entrance, flanked by elite Root operatives—over thirty of his finest agents.

Upon Tonari's arrival, one ninja stepped forward, wordlessly handing him a white cat-faced mask.

Tonari took the mask without protest.

It was the same mask he'd worn during his early Root days.

He slid it on effortlessly—as though he'd never left.

Satisfied, Danzo signaled for the group to move out.

No explanations. No debriefing.

Typical Danzo.

Tonari quietly followed at the rear.

"Leading this mission personally? He's really pulling out all the stops."

The Root operatives were no ordinary shinobi.

Even the weakest among them matched an average jōnin.

And the strongest? Easily elite jōnin, bordering on Kage-level.

"Danzo's serious this time."

But why?

Akatsuki? The Land of Rain? Or something more?

The team moved like shadows, crossing the Land of Fire without rest.

Soon, they reached the Rain Country border, skirting past Orochimaru's Konoha forces without contact.

The moment Tonari crossed into the Land of Rain, memories flooded back.

The endless drizzle. The humid air. The muddy terrain.

Everything felt… familiar.

"Of course Danzo picked me.

No one knows this place better."

But familiarity wasn't the only reason for Tonari's unease.

He wasn't here for the Rain Country itself.

He was here because of Akatsuki—or more specifically, the Rinnegan.

For years, Tonari had quietly monitored Akatsuki's rise.

And now, they'd grown powerful enough to force even Danzo's hand.

"Three orphans, Jiraiya's students, building an army for peace…

Who would've guessed they'd come this far?"

But peace breeds enemies.

Akatsuki's rapid growth had drawn the attention of:

Danzo,

Hanzo the Salamander, and

Kirigakure, under their twisted Mizukage.

Danzo hadn't shared mission specifics, but Tonari had already deduced the truth.

"This isn't just reconnaissance.

We're here to kill Akatsuki's leaders."

The mission's direct path to Amegakure confirmed it.

They weren't here to negotiate—they were here to eradicate.

After hours of travel, the group reached the outskirts of Amegakure.

Two Ame-nin guards spotted them immediately.

"Halt! Identify yourselves!"

The Root agents froze, hands drifting toward weapons.

But Danzo calmly lowered his hood, revealing his bandaged face.

Without a word, he flicked a scroll toward the guards.

One Ame-nin caught it, visibly tense, while the other maintained vigilant watch.

After reading the scroll, the guard's posture relaxed.

"So, they're not enemies? At least… not officially."

"Proceed."

The guards stepped aside, allowing the Root forces to enter Amegakure unchallenged.

Tonari trailed at the rear, senses sharp.

"Too easy. Hanzo's already expecting us."

Following Danzo, they ascended Amegakure's central tower—the Salamander's Roost.

The spiral staircase was slick with rain, but the operatives moved silently.

At the tower's peak, they entered a spacious chamber.

There, seated upon a metal throne, was the Demi-God of Shinobi himself:

Hanzo the Salamander.

Hanzo, clad in his signature respirator, gazed impassively at the newcomers.

"Still clinging to that mask…" Tonari noted silently.

"Danzo."

Hanzo's voice was distorted by the respirator.

"You're late."

Danzo bowed slightly, wearing his trademark insincere smile.

"Apologies, Hanzo. Unforeseen complications."

Hanzo waved it off dismissively.

"Never mind.

Your tip was useful. Without it, I'd have overlooked Akatsuki's threat."

Hanzo stood, gaze sweeping across the operatives.

"Since you're here, let's move out."

With a snap of his fingers, fifty elite Ame-nin materialized around the chamber.

"Fifty? Against Akatsuki? Overkill." Tonari mused.

The rain intensified as the group departed.

Their target?

Akatsuki's leaders—Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato.

Danzo and Hanzo had struck a deal:

Danzo would eliminate Akatsuki.

Hanzo would support Danzo's Hokage ambitions.

Mutual gain. Zero trust.

For Hanzo, a Danzo-led Konoha promised potential Rain Country expansion.

"A future vassal today… might be the master tomorrow."

As they marched toward the ambush site, Tonari's thoughts darkened.

"Why am I really here?

Danzo never needed me for this slaughter."

Through the downpour, they arrived at a rocky basin—perfect for an ambush.

From the highest ridge, they overlooked the valley below.

Hanzo gestured at the battlefield.

"Danzo, per our deal—capturing the hostage is your job."

Danzo nodded.

"The hostage? Konan. Of course."

Tonari remained silent, eyes narrowing beneath his mask.

"This isn't about Akatsuki. It's about the Rinnegan.

Danzo wants Nagato alive."

Hidden ninjas melted into the shadows.

The trap was set.

Minutes later, figures emerged in the valley.

At the front stood a young man with spiky orange hair, gripping a sword.

Yahiko, Akatsuki's charismatic leader.

Behind him:

Nagato, red-haired and grim, his Rinnegan gleaming.

Konan, blue-haired, paper flower resting in her hair.

Tonari's target?

Konan.

"Three kids… against an army."

"This won't be a battle—it's an execution."

But Tonari's gut churned with unease.

"Something's… off."

As Yahiko glanced around the empty basin, Konan frowned.

"We're early. The meeting time hasn't arrived."

"Then we wait." Yahiko stood firm.

"But stay alert. This feels wrong."

Barely a minute later, shadowy figures appeared atop the cliffs.

Hanzo. Danzo. Fifty elite nin.

Yahiko's eyes narrowed.

"Konan. Nagato. Formation."

From his perch, Hanzo studied the Akatsuki leader.

"Yahiko… Quite the leader indeed.

But leadership won't save you today."

The ambush was set.

The trap was sprung.

Blood would flow before the rain stopped.

To be continued…

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