https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-912-Akatsuki-Declaring-War-on-the-Shinobi-World-/13021029/
Chapter 911: Akatsuki's Move!
Chapter 911: Akatsuki's Move!
On the other side, Tang Ping observed the team led by Asuma and Kakashi, who had been keeping a close eye on him. He smirked, realizing they had caught on.
This meant his plan to poach talent from Konoha had come to an end, at least for now.
Although the results far exceeded his expectations, people are naturally greedy, and with such success, he wanted more.
He hadn't anticipated such a massive outcome.
Fortunately, he had prepared extensively, and with minimal luggage to carry, he managed to cope.
Given another week, he could have recruited all the talent he desired.
After all, Konoha was in decline, while the Radiant Sun Kingdom was rising, and any intelligent person would know which side to choose.
There was one thing that couldn't be ignored.
The Radiant Sun Kingdom originated from Konoha, and Tang Ping himself was once a part of Konoha. Even the Heavenly Fortress Tower was in the Land of Fire.
Siding with the Radiant Sun Kingdom was like choosing a faction for the people of Konoha, making it psychologically easier for them.
If it were any other ninja village, would they make such an easy choice to defect?
Don't be fooled by Konoha's defeat at the hands of the Radiant Sun Kingdom. The villagers and ninja clans still held a sense of pride amidst their hatred.
They would say, "Look at them! They are our Konoha ninjas!"
They felt a mix of pride and envy.
This was the general sentiment.
And this sentiment grew stronger as Konoha weakened and the Radiant Sun Kingdom became more powerful.
The true Konoha was in the Radiant Sun Kingdom!
Indeed, this trend had already begun.
Hadn't they seen the Senju and Uchiha, the founding clans of Konoha, and even the prestigious Hyuga clan, all relocating to the Heavenly Fortress Tower?
As for whether this trend was spontaneous or driven by someone, it was a mix of both.
One could only say that both factors played a role.
Admiring strength was a common trait among ninjas, especially when the strong one came from their own village. Even if they were now enemies, they wouldn't treat them as mortal foes like foreign ninja villages.
Moreover, it was often said that the Radiant Sun Kingdom hated the Will of Fire and the Hokage Clan, but they held a favorable opinion of Konoha.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have continuously recruited Konoha ninjas, offering them opportunities to become ninjas.
Uzu, the intelligence department head of the Radiant Sun Kingdom, had never forgotten to infiltrate Konoha, and with their influence in Konoha and the public opinion they controlled, they truly had an advantage.
In the past, everyone would have undoubtedly trusted the Will of Fire.
However, with the fall of the Second Hokage and the banned book "My Struggle," the Hokage Clan's prestige plummeted.
If Konoha had remained the strongest among the five great ninja villages, no one would have paid attention to such matters.
The problem was that the Hokage Clan hadn't achieved that!
Not only had Konoha become lonelier under the Hokage system, but the village was also frequently attacked.
With no sight of the future and unable to protect the present, and with the Radiant Sun Kingdom as a comparison, it was no wonder people doubted the Will of Fire.
No comparison, no harm.
It was all the fault of the Will of Fire.
Now, people had started questioning it.
And the trend was growing stronger.
Tang Ping not only waged a monetary war but also didn't spare any efforts in propaganda.
Especially in Konoha, the Radiant Sun Kingdom's propaganda efforts were at their peak.
Through this propaganda strategy, the Radiant Sun Kingdom's reputation soared, becoming the 'Paradise' that everyone yearned for.
Of course, the success of this propaganda depended on defeating the Shinobi Alliance; otherwise, ready to paint this masterpiece.
The ability to recruit tens of thousands in such a short time was also due to previous groundwork. Otherwise, only those ninja clans who had visited earlier would follow, and such a massive recruitment wouldn't have been possible.
"Let's go!"
Tang Ping finally turned and retreated, giving up on recruiting more people.
With Konoha's clear resistance, there was no point in staying, as he wouldn't be able to recruit anyone else.
As for taking action?
Now was the time for Akatsuki to shine, and he didn't want to get in their way and take their bullets.
Hearing the command, the Radiant Sun Kingdom's team also turned and abandoned the plan to recruit more people.
Even though it ended here, Tang Ping had made a huge profit.
With tens of thousands of talented ninjas, the Radiant Sun Kingdom could recover significantly.
Hundreds of meters away, Asuma also released his hand from the blade.
His hand was drenched in sweat.
It was no wonder he was so tense; it was entirely due to the opponent's formidable reputation.
Purifying Flames!
Known for a long time and with numerous displays of power, they were now considered the strongest in the Shinobi World.
Even Pain and the Shell Organization couldn't compare to this.
It wasn't that they were particularly oppressive, but rather, they had too many Shadow-ranked members, including a Jinchuuriki, under their command, indicating an even more formidable leader.
After a sigh of relief, Asama's eyes shone with anticipation as he gazed towards the direction of Konoha.
The Root Division had been affected by the previous destruction, and now they needed time for repairs. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to resist the temptation to transplant the Rinnegan.
The power of those eyes was simply too captivating.
With the Sage's Eye, no one in the Shinobi World would dare to underestimate him, not even the Hokage.
One could say that Asama's ambition was growing stronger under the influence of his dark transformation.
However, there was one thing he didn't know.
The Rinnegan wasn't just about power; it was also a source of disaster.
The Moon Eye Plan!
But it required the Rinnegan.
Without it, even with the Tailed Beast's Chakra, there was no way to control the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's absorption.
In other words, if Asama were to transplant the Rinnegan, he would undoubtedly be targeted by the Akatsuki, either to join or be eliminated.
Oh, and Konan was about to join the Akatsuki as well.
Previously, those who were 'driven out' of the Rain Country included Gui Jiao, Kakuzu, Sasuke, and others. They took refuge in the Grass Country.
The Grass Country!
Not far from the Rain Country, also located at the edge of the major countries' borders, and with the fickle nature of the Grass Country, it was indeed a good place to lay low.
Moreover, there was also a secret underground base left by Madara in this country.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to arrive at the Godless Bridge in time to save Obito, whom they had been keeping an eye on.
This temporary underground base has now become the headquarters of the Akatsuki.
And within this base stands a massive Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
In the past, Pain used Summoning Jutsu to summon it for sealing, and once the sealing was complete, the statue would return here.
Now that the Rinnegan is gone, the statue naturally can't move.
A figure slowly entered the pitch-black underground base, and all the figures standing on the statue's fingers turned their gaze towards him.
"Konan, your mission has failed!"
A hoarse voice echoed from the crimson one-eyed shadow, with an extremely unfriendly tone.
The speaker was Obito... or rather, the Byakugan Wolf Obito disguised as Uchiha Madara.
Regarding the situation in Konoha, no matter how hard they tried to conceal the news, Zetsu had already discovered the truth.
The truth was that Konan and Nagato attacked Konoha, resulting in its destruction, but the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was unharmed, while Pain was killed.
Konoha wouldn't keep this news a secret.
Doing so would be disadvantageous to them.
After all, with their village destroyed, they wouldn't have any face left if they didn't achieve something.
Obito's outburst was because Nagato had died, and he wanted to seize control of the Akatsuki.
"Pain is indeed dead, but the mission hasn't failed!"
Konan shook her head slightly, while her gaze fell on the others standing on the statue's fingers.
At this time, the Akatsuki was naturally far from its peak.
First, Sasori died in battle, then Itachi, Orochimaru... and others like Kakuzu died one after another, leaving only a few members like Konan, the Byakugan Wolf, Zetsu, and others.
Among them, Danzo wasn't present.
Everyone knew he was unreliable and secretly colluded with Konoha, and they didn't want their headquarters compromised.
Notice that?
Among the remaining members, except for Danzo and Deidara, the rest were Konan's... or rather, Asama's people.
Gui Jiao was originally arranged by Asama to join the Akatsuki, and later, the Byakugan Wolf considered him as his own man in the Akatsuki.
The same goes for Kakuzu!
In the past, he was severely injured by Uchiha Mei in the Tea Country, and then recruited by Konan.
If she personally intervened, they naturally belonged to her.
As for Sasuke, it goes without saying.
Everyone was a spy!
However, someone needed to attract attention and hatred, so the Akatsuki could continue to exist.
Hearing Konan's words, Obito was extremely curious to know what Konan could offer as a substitute for the Nine-Tails.
Soon, the answer was revealed.
(End of Chapter)
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