Outside, the rain was pouring down, water cascading from the eaves in a steady stream.
A thin layer of water had pooled in the courtyard, reflecting the dim light.
Inside the guest hall, Makoto sat calmly, slowly sipping the tea that Konan had served him.
Hakumen stood silently by his side.
A cold wind swept in, making Yahiko narrow his eyes slightly, his expression thoughtful.
"I wonder, what does the Hokage mean by this?"
Standing beside Yahiko, Konan also spoke, her tone unwavering.
"Hakuryu is our comrade. There's no way he would do such a thing."
Makoto merely smiled and said, "The truth will soon be clear."
Yahiko's heart sank slightly.
He realized that the Hokage had come not just with suspicions, but with accusations—and since he had come in person, this matter would not be easily resolved.
The rain outside continued to fall in thick sheets.
Both Konan and Yahiko had their own thoughts, feeling a growing sense of unease.
Not long after, Nagato arrived, bringing another person with him.
Upon entering the hall, Nagato first nodded respectfully to Yahiko, then turned to Makoto and bowed slightly. "Lord Hokage."
However, Makoto's gaze remained fixed on the man standing beside Nagato—Hakuryu.
To be honest, there wasn't a single trace of Orochimaru in this man.
Even if he had stood right in front of Makoto earlier, Makoto would never have recognized him as Orochimaru.
This level of disguise was flawless.
After a moment of contemplation, Yahiko spoke. "Hakuryu, the Hokage has some questions for you."
Nagato, sensing something was off, furrowed his brows slightly.
Konan, standing nearby, quietly pulled him aside.
Hakuryu bowed respectfully toward Makoto. "I wonder what Lord Hokage wishes to ask."
Makoto simply stared at Hakuryu for a few seconds before suddenly speaking. "Hakumen."
Hakumen's expression shifted slightly before he immediately understood the command.
In an instant, he vanished from the guest hall.
Yahiko's face changed with surprise. "Lord Hokage, what is—"
Makoto interrupted calmly. "No need to be impatient, Mr. Yahiko."
Less than a minute later, Hakumen returned—dragging another person with him.
Shockingly, it was also Hakuryu!
Before anyone could react, Hakumen swiftly struck the original Hakuryu with a sharp chop.
In an instant, the figure vanished into a puff of white smoke.
Yahiko's expression darkened.
"Hakuryu, were you trying to escape?"
Hakumen threw the real Hakuryu onto the ground.
The latter instinctively tried to use his Hiding in Scale Powder Technique to slip away, but he quickly realized that the floor was covered with a chakra barrier—set in place specifically to prevent his escape.
Realizing that fleeing was impossible, Hakuryu remained silent.
It was clear that the Hokage had come for him.
Yahiko's voice was laced with anger. "Hakuryu, why did you attack Konoha's ninja?"
The Hokage had suddenly visited Amegakure, bringing a list of accusations against Hakuryu—attacking Konoha ninjas, causing chaos at the Fire Daimyo's residence.
Initially, Yahiko had refused to believe it.
Nagato was equally shocked and couldn't help but ask, "Hakuryu, is this true?!"
All this time, Hakuryu had proven himself to be highly capable and strong, earning Nagato's deep trust.
He had even secured a core position within Amegakure's leadership.
Hakuryu let out a long sigh, ignoring Yahiko and Nagato.
Instead, he grinned at Makoto. "I didn't expect you to find out. Was it Anko who told you?"
Seeing that grin on his face, Makoto finally sensed something familiar about him.
Makoto asked, "Did you kill the Daimyo?"
As soon as those words were spoken, the three members of Amegakure visibly paled.
Hakuryu, however, admitted it outright with a cold smirk. "That's right! But what, do you actually care about something like that?"
Makoto's expression remained indifferent.
He simply said, "Mr. Yahiko, may I leave this man to my custody?"
Yahiko's expression shifted several times before he forced a smile. "Of course. I never expected something like this to happen. It was my failure in leadership."
Makoto's gaze remained locked on Hakuryu.
Without moving, he exerted an invisible yet immense force that twisted Hakuryu's arms behind his back, forcing him onto his knees.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Makoto spoke calmly. "Mr. Yahiko, there's no need to blame yourself. I have full confidence in your leadership. But no matter how capable a leader is, it's difficult to prevent all treachery. Konoha and Amegakure are close neighbors and allies—our relationship won't be affected by someone like this."
Yahiko chuckled. "It's good that Lord Hokage understands. But… since Hakuryu killed the Fire Country's Daimyo, if word gets out…"
If it became public that a Ame ninja had assassinated the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, even if the Hokage was willing to forgive, would the rest of the Fire Country do the same?
"Rest assured, Amegakure is a friend of Konoha."
Only then did Yahiko breathe a sigh of relief, but he soon heard the Hokage change the subject.
"Three years ago, Konoha issued two wanted notices. Does Mr. Yahiko still remember them?"
Wanted notices… three years ago…
Not only Yahiko but also Nagato and Konan seemed to have realized something.
Jiraiya-sensei!
"These two individuals are high-priority criminals of Konoha. We've been searching for them without success. If your village has any information, we would appreciate being informed."
Yahiko could only nod in agreement. "Of course, of course."
Makoto then stood up from his seat. "Now that my business is finished, I should take my leave."
Yahiko made a few polite attempts to have him stay, saying that Amegakure had planned to properly host the Hokage.
"There are still many matters in the village that require my attention."
"In that case, I won't delay Lord Hokage any further."
With Hakuryu in tow, Makoto and Hakumen walked out of the reception hall.
Then, without hesitation, they soared into the sky, vanishing into the rain.
After they left, Yahiko sat back down with a complicated expression.
The Hokage had been here for no more than thirty minutes, yet he had taken the man away.
Although it was their own person who had committed the crime, the way it all played out left Yahiko feeling deeply unsettled.
In the end, it all came down to their weakness—Amegakure's weakness!
Konan hesitated before speaking. "Yahiko..."
Yahiko simply waved his hand in mild frustration. "I'm fine."
Then he looked at Nagato and said, "Nagato, go investigate Hakuryu's past and background thoroughly."
"…Alright."
Nagato was still deeply shaken by the revelation that Hakuryu had assassinated the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.
Someone he had trusted all this time—what was he really plotting?
In the end, Nagato realized he barely knew anything about him.
The feeling of being deceived was unsettling, and for a while, Nagato felt completely lost.
After leaving, he wandered aimlessly through the streets.
The rain continued to pour as he eventually found himself at Hakuryu's residence.
Without hesitation, he pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The room was simply furnished, with a neatly made bed and tidy furniture.
Nagato's gaze was drawn to a pile of discarded syringes in the trash bin.
He picked one up and examined it closely, but he didn't recognize the name of the drug.
Then, he noticed a small palm-sized scroll resting on the table.
After a brief moment of thought, he picked it up and fully unrolled it.
In that instant, the entire scroll glowed with a sudden brilliance, and something seemed to surge out from within, rushing straight toward Nagato's face!
At such close range, there was no time to react.
Like a gust of wind, it struck him head-on, making his crimson hair billow wildly, revealing a pair of striking Rinnegan eyes.
Nagato's entire body froze in place, unable to move.
............
On Makoto's side, he was flying toward Konoha with Hakumen and Hakuryu.
However, the immobilized Hakuryu suddenly began to change.
His entire body trembled slightly, and something seemed to be writhing beneath his skin.
Sensing the anomaly, Makoto immediately stopped mid-air, his gaze fixed on Hakuryu's transformation.
Gradually, the movement beneath Hakuryu's skin was no longer just internal.
Large patches of his flesh began to swell grotesquely.
A look of agony crossed his face as his entire body rapidly bloated.
Watching this unfold, Makoto recalled the gruesome state of Orochimaru's corpse when he had supposedly "died" before.
Beside him, Hakumen couldn't help but speak. "Lord Hokage, this…"
Makoto's gaze darkened as he observed Hakuryu's distorted body gradually lose all signs of life.
"He escaped."
Shedding his tail to survive, huh?
Orochimaru, after splitting yourself over and over like this… are you even still yourself?
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