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  Konan chose Yūkaku-jō as the location for Akatsuki's bran the Land of Fire.

  Known as the "Flower Town," it was the try's most notorious pleasure district, a pce frequented by famous kunoichi throughout the Shinobi world.

  A on saying in the Land of Fire went, "Tanzaku in the south, Yūkaku in the north—one fambling, the other for—pleasures of the flesh."

  Yūkaku-jō was a maze of red-light districts, a tangled web of power.

  Nearly every iial figure in the Land of Fire had some kind of business here, and rumors even implicated the Daimyo himself.

  This meant that despite g any real specialty, Yūkaku-jō had developed its—unique characteristito a pilr industry, driving the growth of lodging, food, and other reted businesses.

  Its GDP sistently ranked high, below only Konoha and the Daimyo's capital, making it the third-rgest city in the Land of Fire.

  Its proximity to Konoha meant that many advanced ideas had been introduced, and goods were plentiful. However, it also meant that the truly "big" business was ducted in the shadows.

  Travelers from distant nds, wealthy merts, powerful nobles, and Missing-nin all found their way here.

  This fluence of people from all walks of life made Yūkaku-jō an ideal location fathering intelligence.

  By establishing a base here, creating an underground branch for Akatsuki, and opening a destine club, Konan could build retionships with corrupt Shinobi, nobles, and merts, entig them to work for the anization.

  Then, through viral-like expansion of their underground operations, they could extend Akatsuki's influehroughout the Land of Fire, steadily siphoning its wealth.

  And if they could gain leverage over someone like the head of the Chakra Metal Mining Bureau, they'd secure a stable supply of raw materials for produg Shinobi tools.

  It was a solid pn, a strong foundation for Akatsuki to inflict pain upon the Shinobi world.

  But Konan, tasked with carrying it out, felt the weight of the responsibility.

  The "public opinion survey" using the Edo Tensei had eased her sce. At least i people wouldn't die because of the pn.

  And then there was Yūkaku-jō's proximity to Konoha.

  If the anization's activities were discovered, Konoha's Shinobi could quickly reach Yūkaku-jō and implement termeasures, like a lockdown.

  Furthermore, while Yūkaku-jō was a melting pot, it was also where Konoha's Anbu "fished," hoping to catch those plotting against the vilge.

  If, hypothetically, Gojo Kaigetsu were to say something in the m, by noon it might be posted on the Hokage Tower's mission board, and by evening, the ever-loyal Uchiha Shinobi would apprehend the culprits.

  Here, it was easiest to start from scratch, to establish a base and an intelligework, to bee a—pilr of the underworld. But it was also the easiest pce for Konoha to—uproot them.

  Danger and opportunity coexisted.

  After finishing her day's work, Konan finally had time to rex. She sat on her bed and formed hand seals.

  Nagato could use Jutsu: Rain Tiger at Will, infusing his chakra into rain to monitor all of Amegakure from the shadows.

  Konan cked su—overpowered teique. But with her Paper Ninjutsu, she could achieve a simir effect.

  This of paper emerged from her sleeves, fluttering in the air before splitting into even smaller pieces and drifting out the window.

  These paper fragments could gather and merge in another location, f a e. Or they could act as her eyes and ears, a jutsu fathering intelligence.

  It was an incredibly useful teique.

  And in a chaotic pce like Yūkaku-jō, it erfect.

  These paper butterflies would silently monitor the underground club athering leverage. Then, through a bination of threats and iives, she could easily bring them under her trol.

  From cooperation to—assimition!

  Having pleted these tasks, Konarieved a sealing scroll aed a simple outfit to ge into. She would attempt to infiltrate Konoha.

  As for the Byakugan's dete at the vilge gates, with her Paper Ninjutsu asu's guidance, she could bypass it.

  Onside, she'd try to tact the increasingly promi Uzumaki , to gauge their—loyalty.

  If they weren't aligned with Konoha, if they were merely—biding their time…

  She'd tell them that a kami of the Uzumaki had been born!

  The Uzumaki would rise under Nagato's leadership. And she, Konan, after handling matters in Yūkaku-jō, would lead them out of Konoha to join Amegakure.

  This was the ideal oute. It might evehe—void in Nagato's heart, extinguish the fmes of hatred within him.

  Konan's body dissolved into paper butterflies, scattering in the wind.

  ....

  Imagihis se:

  Nagato, floating above a crowd of Uzumaki, deg:

  "To all Uzumaki, I am Nagato Uzumaki. Through the power of the Sage of Six Paths, I speak to all Uzumaki! Uzushiogakure—has begun to act. My goal is to protect the Uzumaki who have given me life and raised me!"

  "This Shinobi world—it longs for the Uzumaki to perish. Years of hatred—it's not just directed at Uzushiogakure. Before they kill every st Uzumaki, they will not stop. I ot accept that. My power will crush all obstacles, until every st Shinobi is—eliminated."

  "First…"

  "We will destroy Konoha, the vilge that betrayed us!"

  ....

  Konan could already envision it.

  If she could make the Uzumaki in Konoha imagine such a se, perhaps they would uand what true freedom was! And upon uanding, they would follow her to Nagato's side.

  The Uzumaki would bee the light in Nagato's heart.

  "If I could, I wouldn't want a war," Konan murmured.

  "But this is both Nagato and Yahiko's dream. And if I don't viote my own morals, I will help them achieve it."

  Whoosh—

  Konan's body pletely dissolved into a flurry of paper butterflies, vanishing from Yūkaku-jō.

  ....

  Amegakure — Akatsuki Hideout.

  Bck Zetsu's body slowly emerged from the ground.

  The once desote hideout was now—livelier.

  The members Bck Zetsu had painstakingly recruited had finally arrived.

  Two men.

  One, dark blue chakra armor, exuding a cold aura.

  The other, wearing a red headband, with a long, white beard, looked like a harmless old man. No one would suspect him of being a member of the terrifying Akatsuki.

  "So, this is your 'anization'?" the chakra-armored man asked, his voice filled with disdain. He surveyed the hideout.

  "And this old man—is he also a new recruit? Don't make me ugh."

  "Heh, since Fūka-sama has reached our base, you must be—prepared. Why the—insults?" Bck Zetsu said, a headache brewing.

  These new recruits were—different. They weren't missing-nin, driven by desperation.

  They were powerful figures from within their own vilges.

  The man in chakra armor, Fūka Shūgetsu, was the younger brother of the Land of Snow's Daimyo—a prind ae Jonin.

  Besides his strength, Fūka Shūgetsu was a talented—stist. He'd developed the chakra armor himself. Even Bck Zetsu, who'd witnessed tless jutsu, was impressed.

  This armor—if properly developed, could revolutiohe Shinobi world.

  It could amplify a Shinobi's power and be adapted for use with—puppets or even Pain's Asura Path.

  It would signifitly enhahe Akatsuki's strength.

  Bck Zetsu's offer had been simple:

  Succeed, and he'd help Fūka Shūgetsu bee Daimyo. He'd also help him locate the Land of Snow's legendary treasure.

  Fūka Shūgetsu, ambitious as he was, hadn't agreed immediately. He'd chosen to iigate the Akatsuki first.

  As for the old man…

  Bck Zetsu looked at him with a mix of curiosity and—apprehension.

  This was Shinnō, the former leader of the Sky Shinobi Vilge, Though officially disbahe Sky Shinobi had tio operate in the shadows.

  But they were—secretive. Even Bck Zetsu couldn't locate their headquarters.

  And Shinnō, had—suppressed his power, disguised himself as an ordinary atant, w in the Land of Fire.

  The Sky Shinobi Vilge's rise had been—fortuitous.

  Before the Five Great Vilges, a meteorite had crashed heir territory. They'd used it to develop advaeology, creating powerful ons.

  But their ambition had led to their downfall. They'd challenged Konoha and been crushed.

  To Bck Zetsu, the Sky Shinobi were a valuable asset. Their teology, bined with the Akatsuki's power, would be—formidable.

  Nagato, with his imperfect Rinnegan, couldn't defeat the Five Kage.

  The Six Paths of Pain, though individually powerful, were—vulnerable.

  And the Asura Path—it was the easiest to upgrade.

  It was a fusion of teology Bck Zetsu had collected over the turies.

  He could fidently decre that Pain's Asura Path was the pinnacle of Shinobi teology, sed only to the Sky Shinobi's.

  He'd used a signifit portion of the Akatsuki's funds to upgrade it.

  And Shinnō himself—he owerful Shinobi.

  At least Kage-level, with a unique power Bck Zetsu couldn't quite prehend. A mutated chakra? It reminded him of—himself.

  Had his mother—created others?

  No. He was Kaguya's purest will, her darkness inate.

  He'd been persuaded to join with a simple question: "Shinnō-sama, you wouldn't want Konoha to discover the Sky Shinobi, would you? Do you want your vilge to rise again?"

  And so, Shinnō, a simple red headband, his demeanor calm and collected, had arrived. But his words were—chilling.

  "Though I don't know how you learned about the Sky Shinobi—perhaps—if I eliminate everyone here, the secret will be safe."

  "So, this is yanization?" the chakra-armored Fūka Shūgetsu asked.

  "If you , Shinnō-sama, be my guest," Bck Zetsu said casually. "But—our leader has a temper."

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