The Land of Rain!
Inside the Akatsuki's base.
Sasuke descended slowly from the sky. Following the route etched in his memory, he entered the base once more.
Though Sasuke had only been here once before, he still remembered it clearly. Gazing down the familiar path, he recalled how dark and damp it had felt the last time he walked it. Yet, it hadn't seemed quite as desolate as it did now.
Time had certainly left its mark; he noticed trash in a corner that looked almost petrified.
Sasuke continued forward, traversing the long corridor until he reached what seemed to be the base's only small, open-air platform.
Sasuke's gaze fell upon a figure seated at the far end of the platform. The person wore an Akatsuki cloak. A shock of red hair initially made him think of Sasori of the Red Sand. A closer look, however, revealed this wasn't Sasori at all. Sasori didn't possess such a build.
The chakra signature emanating from this individual was one Sasuke had never sensed before. While there was a faint hint of familiarity, it didn't match the signature of any Akatsuki member Sasuke knew well. Still, there was no doubt the person belonged to Akatsuki. But as for their exact identity, Sasuke couldn't quite place them.
This proved one thing: changes had indeed occurred. This person, whose identity he couldn't discern, bore alterations that must have happened after arriving in this era.
'Scientific Ninja Tools!' The thought immediately struck Sasuke.
Kara had a genius scientist like Amado, and its Inner members were incredibly powerful, largely thanks to Amado's modifications. If Akatsuki members were enhanced with Amado's modifications... what would that entail? Honestly, even Sasuke wasn't entirely sure what to expect.
Sasuke slowly walked forward, stopping when less than ten meters separated them.
He looked at the man sitting on the crate.
"Uchiha Sasuke!" the figure said. "Some say you're practically invincible! I was curious, so I chose to stay behind and see for myself just what kind of shinobi you truly are!"
Hearing the voice, Sasuke knew instantly who it was. Wasn't this... Nagato? Uzumaki Nagato—the man who should have been gravely ill, unable to even stand. Yet here he was, sitting casually on the crate as if nothing was wrong, one hand resting on a knee propped up by his foot on the same crate. He lifted his head, revealing half his face, eyes fixed intently on Sasuke.
Sasuke stared at Nagato, stunned for several seconds before finally speaking. "It seems you've acquired some power from this era, haven't you?"
His words cut straight to the heart of Nagato's renewed vitality. Nagato chuckled, "You seem to know a lot about me. It seems 'he' was right; you were once a member of Akatsuki too!"
"Though it's a pity... in my memories, you're still just a brat from Konoha, yet to join our ranks."
"Are you waiting here for me? Planning to try and eliminate me?" Sasuke asked calmly.
Nagato shook his head. "No."
"I never intended to kill someone who's supposedly nigh-invincible."
"I simply wanted to see what kind of person possesses such strength."
Nagato scrutinized Sasuke from head to toe, sensing the potent chakra radiating from him. Upon closer focus, he confirmed Sasuke's chakra signature was indeed intense and formidable—far beyond the level an ordinary person could ever achieve. However, this alone didn't strike Nagato as particularly special. A powerful chakra signature didn't necessarily equate to true combat strength.
Nagato looked at Sasuke, a sudden smile spreading across his face. It was a smile that also served as a dangerous signal.
"One question," Sasuke suddenly interjected, interrupting Nagato just as he seemed ready to make a move.
"Did everyone from Akatsuki come to this era?"
Hearing this, Nagato chuckled again. "What do you think?"
"It seems so," Sasuke concluded. The chaos had indeed caused significant repercussions, bringing every member of Akatsuki to this time. If the entire Akatsuki was here... and Sasuke didn't even know precisely who that included now. After all, Akatsuki's roster had seen considerable changes over time; it wasn't always the same fixed group.
"Has Kara already contacted you, Nagato?" Sasuke asked his second question.
Seeing Sasuke actually mention Kara by name was intriguing. Logically, Sasuke shouldn't know that name. Yet he did, which meant he was clearly aware of Kara's existence and affairs. But how?
"So," Nagato probed, "what is it you're trying to confirm?"
Sasuke considered for a moment. "Akatsuki... has joined forces with Kara, haven't they?"
Nagato offered no verbal reply to this question, but sometimes, silence is the clearest answer...
Just as Sasuke had feared most, it had happened. An alliance between Kara and Akatsuki... he couldn't fathom what that would ultimately look like. The changes evident in the Nagato before him were just one example of the butterfly effect. What level of power would a Nagato enhanced with Scientific Ninja Tools possess? Sasuke found himself somewhat curious.
But first, there was one more thing he needed to confirm. "If Akatsuki has chosen to ally with Kara, then your objective is still the Tailed Beasts, correct?"
"Of course," Nagato affirmed, meeting Sasuke's gaze. "Even though in this era, with the advancement of technology, shinobi power might not seem as dominant as it once was... the importance of the Tailed Beasts hasn't diminished. Their power remains as coveted as ever."
So, Akatsuki's goal remained the Tailed Beasts. And since Kara had allied with them, Kara would undoubtedly assist in capturing them. As things stood, people had already been assigned to capture the eight newly appeared Tailed Beasts. If Akatsuki hadn't initiated their hunt yet, then there was still a chance—a hope—to capture all the Tailed Beasts and bring them back to Konoha before Akatsuki could begin. At that point, if Akatsuki wanted to capture the Tailed Beasts, they would have no choice but to come to Konoha. Facing a lineup of Indra, Ashura, Hashirama, Madara, himself, and Naruto... even an Akatsuki boosted by Scientific Ninja Tools wouldn't stand a chance, would they?
The thought brought Sasuke a measure of relief.
"Aren't you also quite interested in the Tailed Beasts' power?" Nagato countered. "You even captured the strongest one, the Nine-Tails, right off the bat! Doesn't Konoha already possess nine Tailed Beasts? It seems you're still not satisfied."
Sasuke didn't intend to explain anything regarding Nagato's accusation. While Naruto indeed wanted to return all the Tailed Beasts to their original time, Sasuke had his own plans. If his Ten-Tails could successfully evolve into the God Tree, then these nine Tailed Beasts would serve as the perfect catalyst. They could rapidly mature the God Tree, allowing it to bear its fruit. So, in truth, Sasuke was after the Tailed Beasts himself.
Nagato, still looking at Sasuke, slowly began to rise to his feet.
"Alright," Nagato declared, standing fully now. "I think I've seen enough."
"Aside from a somewhat unique chakra signature, I can't really discern much just by looking."
"So... I suppose the next step is... direct engagement!"
"After all, that's the only way to truly gauge your strength...."
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