Naruto: Help Madara rejuvenate and launch a counterattack on Konoha

Liao Wu watched Xiao walk further and further away from the cave until he gradually disappeared into the rain.

Candy appeared on Liao Wu's shoulder and handed him a lollipop: "Is it worth it? They're all going to die anyway."

Liao Wu unwrapped the lollipop and put it in his mouth, savoring its subtle sweetness: "Candy, people will eventually die, so why live at all?"

Candy shook her head: "I don't know!"

Liao Wu replied, "Perhaps ninjas are a group of people who pursue death! They will die eventually, so they might as well make their deaths spectacular."

"Like moths to a flame, they choose death over life!"

"Let's go, follow them, and collect their bodies!"

Liao Wu held the paper flower Xiao Nan had given him tightly in his hand, smiling somewhat foolishly: "Xiao Nan is so thoughtful. The carnation symbolizes warm blessings and tender love."

Candy remarked, "Carnations also symbolize—selfless maternal love!"

"(ಠ∩ಠ)." Liao Wu turned his head and looked at the candy with a gloomy expression.

"Candy, I'll electrocute you!"

Candy quickly jumped off Liao Wu's shoulder and ran away.

Liao Wu chased after them, and as he left, he took one last look back at Xiao's base, knowing he might never return.

……

The meeting place between Hanzo and Akatsuki was in the hills 50 miles behind Amegakure.

The hills are not high, with gentle undulations. There are almost no plants on the slopes, only a few scattered clumps of withered yellow grass roots.

At the foot of the hills was a large open space, filled with water in its potholes, reflecting the leaden-gray sky.

There were no trees, no grass, not even a single bird in sight; only the sound of rain.

Yahiko led the Akatsuki members to gather below the hill, waiting for Hanzo and the Amegakure members.

Why does Yahiko trust Hanzo so much?

Because they had already reached an agreement, before Liao Wu arrived, Hanzo had issued a commission to Yahiko's Akatsuki organization to act as envoys of the Land of Rain to quell the war between the major powers.

At that time, Hanzo told Yahiko about his vision for peace, and Yahiko also respected the elder very much. The two even shook hands.

The main purpose of this trip was to obtain the envoy's token issued by Hanzo, so that I could travel to the great power as an envoy of the Land of Rain to convey my desire for peace.

Yahiko's impression of Hanzo was still that of the leader who single-handedly resisted the invasion of a major power for more than 10 years and protected the independence and peace of the Rain Country.

He didn't realize that people grow old, and in old age, their former ambitions will turn into a lust for power and a wariness of heresy.

The Akatsuki members waited for Hanzo in the rain, many of them tucking their hands into their sleeves and gripping their shuriken tightly.

People were not entirely unprepared.

Since Liao Wu had given them such a reminder, they couldn't possibly pretend they hadn't heard it.

A crisp sound of splashing water came from the hills above, followed by the appearance of an old man with long golden hair and a dark blue short cloak, wearing a special breathing mask.

The old man had a serious expression and an aura of authority that commanded respect without anger.

This man is the leader of Amegakure, a demigod—Hanzo the Salamander.

"Lord Hanzo!"

The members of the Akatsuki all bowed in unison, many of them even showing expressions of admiration.

Regardless of the circumstances, Hanzo was a great leader of the Land of Rain.

Even war orphans whose families were destroyed by war would involuntarily straighten their chests when they thought of Hanzo's title of "demigod" and his power.

Don't they know that the Second Shinobi World War was caused by Hanzo's expansion into a major country?

Most likely, they don't know, because Hanzo and Amegakure control public opinion in the Land of Rain, and they only desperately spread the message that it was an invasion by a major power and that we were the victims.

Yahiko smiled and looked up at Hanzo: "Lord Hanzo, all of us from Akatsuki have arrived. Today, we will follow Lord Hanzo's command and go to the five great nations to mediate the war."

Hanzo nodded. "It's good that they're all here. Now that they're all here, it'll be easier to kill them."

Hanzo looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Where's Yakushiro? Where's that skilled medical ninja from your Akatsuki?"

"..."

The Akatsuki members suddenly paused, and judging from Hanzo's tone, they seemed to care more about Ryogoku.

This is not surprising, after all, medical ninjutsu at the level of the "Ryūe Saint Hand" can greatly increase the strength of Amegakure, and it may even become the sixth great ninja village.

Yahiko broke the silence of Akatsuki: "Excuse me, Lord Hanzo, Yakukanra is a spy infiltrating Akatsuki. His true identity is Uchiha Ryoubu, a rogue ninja from Konoha."

"He gained superb medical ninjutsu by devouring human lives, which was inconsistent with our Akatsuki's ideals, so we drove him away."

Hanzo was taken aback, not expecting this outcome.

"Uchiha Ryouu? Wait, I seem to have heard that name before. He's the Uchiha who possessed the art of immortality and defected from Konoha!"

"You—you actually drove away all my people and my magic!"

Hanzo's voice grew louder and louder, until it became a heart-wrenching roar.

Who is most eager for immortality and most wants to regain their youth?

Those elderly people who hold high positions of power.

In the face of life, everyone is equal, but resources are not.

Those who control most of the resources will inevitably want more, and Hanzo was one of them.

He was old, hadn't fought in a long time, his body was starting to decay, and his ninja stats had dropped significantly.

If it weren't for the news that Liao Wu had died from a self-destruction, Hanzo would have already taken Amegakure to steal his forbidden technique.

The members of Akatsuki looked somewhat solemn. Judging from Hanzo's appearance, he seemed to have come to snatch someone away, not to form a cooperation with Akatsuki.

Nagato gripped his kunai tightly, while Konan also gathered chakra, preparing for battle.

Yahiko wiped the sweat from his forehead. Hanzo's hysterical and furious state was different from the wise elder Yahiko had imagined.

"Lord Hanzo, let's continue discussing the matter of mediating the war in the ninja world."

"Discipline your mother's head!"

Hanzo shouted, and immediately dozens of dark figures appeared around him, wearing breathing masks and rainproof coats; they were all elite members of the Amegakure ANBU.

They looked like predatory tigers eyeing the Akatsuki, treating them like cattle and sheep.

Oh no! Uchiha Ryou was telling the truth!

This is a trap!

The members of the Akatsuki all wore unpleasant expressions.

Yahiko quickly stepped forward and questioned Hanzo, "Lord Hanzo, what do you mean by this? Don't you want to mediate the war in the ninja world?"

Hanzo ignored the naive Yahiko.

What kind of ninja war is he trying to mediate? Hanzo isn't a peace-loving person.

He would love for the five great powers to fight as fiercely as possible, so as to weaken their power and give smaller countries time to breathe.

Hanzo gradually calmed down. Akatsuki's medicine shrine had been driven away, not killed. He still had a chance.

Hanzo issued an order to his close ANBU: "From now on, seal off the entire Land of Rain until you find Yakukanra—Uchiha Ryoubu."

"yes!"

Upon receiving the order, the Amegakure ANBU (Anbu) instantly departed and returned to Amegakure to issue a martial law.

Hanzo stepped forward and looked down at Yahiko, saying, "Yahiko, you are too naive and too easily swayed. You cannot be allowed to live."

"Danzo, your hands are freezing!"

buzzing-

A chirping sound of insects rang out in the rain, and suddenly a large cloud of insects covered the entire Akatsuki organization.

The insect cloud transformed into a giant hand and lunged towards Nagato's location.

Nagato raised his hand and unleashed a Shinra Tensei, scattering the insect cloud. The insect cloud immediately shifted its target to Konan.

Just as the insect cloud was about to sweep Konan away, Yahiko rushed over and pushed Konan away.

"Yahiko!!"

Xiao Nan pounced on him.

Nagato rushed forward desperately, but it was too late. Yahiko was caught by the swarm of insects and dragged to the hillside next to Hanzo.