Rain poured relentlessly, washing away the dust from the structures of the Sky Fortress, while the barrier allowed it to pass freely.
Inside an office, Gensou stood by the window. Having returned to the village after dealing with the Three-Tails, his Rinnegan pulsed with ripples as he gazed beyond the barrier.
Through the misty rain, a flying device sped toward the ocean in the distance—one that clearly didn't belong to Jōmae Village.
"The remnants of the Sky Ninja… have the Five Great Shinobi Villages finally found them?" he asked without turning as Hanare entered the room.
Hanare, who had returned with Gensou, hadn't rested. She had already analyzed and compiled intelligence from various sources and now stood before him to report.
"Yes. It seems that Kirigakure discovered the remnants of the Sky Ninja on a remote island. They captured them and obtained their flying device technology. More importantly, they have learned about the existence of the Sky Fortress."
After subduing Shinnō and relocating the fortress, Gensou had largely left the matter of the Sky Ninja to the village leadership.
With Shinnō's cooperation, measures were taken to prevent the fortress's secrets from leaking. Most of the Sky Ninja had been absorbed into Jōmae Village, unwilling to continue their precarious existence.
However, as with any organization, there were stubborn individuals who refused to comply—especially since Shinnō, who frequently traveled, had limited control over his subordinates.
Though Jōmae Village had decisively sent ninja to eliminate these rebels, some managed to escape their grasp, using the cunning that had allowed them to evade the Five Great Villages for years.
But luck had finally run out for these remnants.
While Gensou was pursuing Orochimaru, they were discovered by Kirigakure during a large-scale search operation. Under torture, they revealed everything.
Now Kirigakure, and by extension the other Great Villages, knew what they needed to know.
It didn't take long for the Five Great Villages to conclude that Jōmae Village was likely in the sky—there was no other explanation for a village of its size remaining hidden despite exhaustive searches.
With this realization, they began producing flying devices and dispatched ninja to search the skies.
The flying device Gensou had just seen was from Kirigakure.
Although it had passed near the hidden Sky Fortress, it failed to detect its presence due to the invisibility barrier.
However, if searches continued at this rate, it was only a matter of time before Jōmae Village was exposed.
"The Five Great Villages… They may have lost much over the past sixty years, but when they truly commit to something, they're still capable of achieving results," Gensou remarked with mild amusement.
"Should we relocate the Sky Fortress?" Hanare asked.
"No," Gensou replied firmly.
While the fortress could move, it posed significant logistical challenges for the thousands of villagers living there.
The fortress lacked the capacity for large-scale farming, making it reliant on supplies secretly procured from the Land of Waves.
The Rockhead Group, which controlled the daimyo of the Land of Waves, ensured that these transactions remained discreet.
Relocating the fortress would require re-establishing a supply network, increasing the risk of exposure.
Staying put was the best option.
Besides...
"The Five Great Villages won't have time to focus on Jōmae Village for much longer," Gensou said calmly.
With the Three-Tails secured, the plan to capture the remaining tailed beasts was entering its final stage.
Soon, the Great Villages would face challenges that would demand their full attention.
Hanare, aware of the plan, asked, "Is it starting so soon?"
"Almost," Gensou replied. "Rather than waiting for them to come to us, we'll take the initiative. Notify Samui to locate the jinchūriki of the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails as quickly as possible."
"Yes," Hanare said, bowing before leaving to carry out her orders.
As she departed, Gensou turned his gaze back to the window.
Once the locations of Kumogakure's two jinchūriki were confirmed, the final phase of the plan would begin.
The Shinobi World was on the brink of unprecedented upheaval—the true curtain was about to rise.
In a hidden base, Obito sat silently, lost in thought.
The man who had once manipulated the Shinobi World from the shadows was now alone, having been abandoned after recent events.
A moment later, a plant-like figure emerged from the ground.
Zetsu's voice echoed, "I've learned from Konoha that the Three-Tails has been captured by Deidara and Kisame. It's likely being absorbed by the Gedo Statue as we speak."
"The Three-Tails…" Obito muttered. "Along with the Four, Five, Six, and Seven-Tails, that makes five tailed beasts inside the statue now."
"Don't forget the Nine-Tails chakra you captured," Zetsu reminded him.
"No," Obito said flatly. "That was a contingency measure. Someone like Gensou wouldn't be satisfied with just a fragment. The Nine-Tails jinchūriki, Uzumaki Naruto, is already on his menu."
Unbothered by the shift in how Zetsu addressed him, Obito asked, "Zetsu, are you certain about the technique involving the Gedo Statue?"
"Absolutely," Zetsu replied confidently. "As the embodiment of Madara's will, I understand the Gedo Statue far better than Pain or even Gensou."
"Good. Then we can proceed."
Obito rose to his feet.
"I'll need an opportunity to meet Gensou at the Gedo Statue."
"That won't be easy," Zetsu said, frowning.
Noticing Obito's assured demeanor, Zetsu asked, "Do you already have a plan?"
"Yes. It's time to pay the Land of Lightning a visit."
With that, Obito walked out of the base.
Watching him leave, Zetsu's eyes narrowed.
"Let's see if you can surprise me, Obito," he mused.
"Hopefully, it'll be a surprise that renders you completely useless."
(End of Chapter)
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"…it's starting."
Outside Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning, Samui held a handwritten note, silently reading it over one last time before rolling it up and placing it into the message hawk's carrier tube.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"Sister," her younger brother, Atsui, called out as he walked over, glancing at the sealed message tube. With a serious tone, he reported,
"The perimeter has been checked. Everything is secure."
Samui nodded silently, reaching into her ninja pouch and pulling out several ration pills designed for summoning beasts. She offered them to the message hawk, which skillfully took one in its beak, ready to consume it mid-flight.
Watching the bird prepare, Atsui hesitated but finally spoke,
"Sister, about Lord Bee…"
"I know," Samui interrupted.
She was well aware of what her younger brother wanted to say.
As one of Killer Bee's students, she had been deeply cared for by him. Naturally, Atsui himself had developed a close bond with the mentor they both admired.
Now, knowing they were about to betray him, it was hard not to feel guilt.
Samui felt it too, but she remained composed.
This world was full of difficult choices.
Family, friendship, love, and loyalty to one's teacher…
It was impossible to keep them all.
Trying to do so would only result in everything shattering.
"The world is cruel, and sacrifices must be made. As for our choice, we decided long ago," she stated calmly.
Unlike her measured maturity, Atsui, with his fiery temperament, couldn't hide his unease.
"But this will cost Lord Bee his life!"
If it had been anyone else, Atsui would never believe that someone as strong as Killer Bee—one of the Shinobi World's finest warriors and a perfect jinchūriki—could be in danger.
But this time, the information Samui had sent would land in his hands.
And if Killer Bee became a target of that man, Atsui couldn't imagine any chance of escape.
Samui looked at Atsui and, for the first time, addressed him by his real name.
"Hayate, do you know the most dangerous flaw, whether for ordinary people or shinobi?"
"What is it?" Atsui—whose full name was Hagoromo Hayate—asked, confused by the sudden question.
"Indecision."
With that, she raised her arm, and the message hawk spread its wings, soaring rapidly toward its destination.
"Ah…"
Atsui instinctively reached out, wanting to say something, but the hawk was already far away. He could only lower his hand in resignation.
"Hayate, don't disgrace your name," Samui said as she turned and walked away.
After a few steps, she paused briefly and added,
"I've pleaded for leniency. That's all I could do."
Atsui's eyes lit up with hope at her words.
Fueled by the ration pills, the majestic message hawk flew tirelessly, crossing mountains, plateaus, forests, and finally feeling the ocean breeze as it glided over a strait to reach an island.
Hovering for a moment, the hawk sensed something unusual. Its wings beat rapidly, and in a flash of spatial distortion, it disappeared.
Jōmae Village
Hanare watched as the hawk arrived, whistling softly to signal it. She raised her arm, and the hawk landed gracefully.
After feeding it a strip of meat, Hanare retrieved the note from its leg, quickly deciphering the coded message.
"The locations are confirmed. The operation can begin," she said, her expression shifting slightly.
"And Hagoromo Samui… so she can plead for mercy, too. For the Eight-Tails, no less."
That decision wasn't hers to make.
After filing the note and sending the hawk to rest, Hanare hurried to Gensou's office.
Moments later, Gensou reviewed the intelligence and made a swift decision.
"With the coordinates of the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails jinchūriki confirmed, it's time to begin the operation. For the Eight-Tails, I'll instruct our people to hold back somewhat."
Hanare was surprised. "Clan Leader, such requests from Samui are beyond her duties and needn't be entertained."
After all, sparing the life of a jinchūriki from an enemy village wasn't a logical choice for a ninja.
Gensou shook his head.
"Even the strictest laws must leave room for humanity. Our clan members work hard, and their efforts deserve acknowledgment. If a request can be fulfilled within reason, I see no harm in granting it.
As a leader, enjoying privileges beyond those of your clan comes with the responsibility to meet their needs in return."
The words left Hanare in awe. She couldn't help but admire Gensou. To serve such a leader was their greatest fortune.
"It's time to move."
After sending Hanare to finalize the preparations, Gensou glanced at the Zero Ring on his hand.
In an instant, his holographic projection appeared on one of the Gedo Statue's ten fingers.
One by one, Kakuzu, Hidan, Kisame, Deidara, and Sasuke joined him.
This time, Uchiha Izumi and Uchiha Gin were not summoned.
To ensure Jōmae Village's safety in their absence, the two would remain to oversee and serve as a reserve force.
Standing before his gathered forces, Gensou wasted no time and issued his orders.
"As of now, the final phase of the tailed beast capture operation begins."
"Kakuzu, Hidan—your target is the jinchūriki of the Two-Tails."
"Yes!" Kakuzu and Hidan responded.
"Sasuke, Kisame—the jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails is yours."
"Yes!" Sasuke and Kisame replied, the latter's enthusiasm undiminished despite completing his previous quota.
"Deidara—you'll remain here. A new recruit will join you shortly, and your target will be the jinchūriki of the One-Tail."
"Yes!" Deidara nodded, curious about his new partner. He had assumed it would be Sasuke, but apparently not.
Without offering any explanation, Gensou swiftly relayed the locations of the jinchūriki and the timing for the attacks.
Finally, he declared, "I will personally handle the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."
"Begin the operation!"
"Disperse!"
(End of Chapter)
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