Kazekage Ninja: The Rise of the Hidden Sand

Looking down at the sea of black-cloaked figures adorned with red clouds surrounding the Amegakure Tower, Nōshin Kongō's face turned pale as a sheet. Sweat poured down his forehead, his lips quivering uncontrollably. He couldn't even string together a coherent sentence.

Inside the Amegakure Tower, about a hundred or so Amegakure shinobi were scattered across the main hall in disarray. Some were lying on the ground, others slumped against the walls, emitting groans of pain that sent chills down the spine. Many had kunai embedded in their bodies, their fates uncertain. Some curled up in corners, clutching their legs and sobbing quietly, while others were bandaging their wounds with trembling hands.

No one would have thought that these hundred injured shinobi represented the entirety of the forces that the Rain Shadow could muster.

Unlike the mob that had surrounded the tower years ago, the members of the Akatsuki surrounding it this time did not scream in rage or chant slogans. They simply stood there in silence, letting the rain fall on their straw hats, the bells on them ringing softly. Though quiet, their oppressive aura was suffocating, leaving Nōshin Kongō gasping for air.

He knew that beneath this deathly silence burned a fury so intense it could reduce him to ashes.

At the forefront of the group, Yahiko silently removed his straw hat and placed it over his chest in a gesture of mourning. Following his lead, the members of the Akatsuki behind him uniformly removed their hats and bowed their heads in solemn silence.

At the same time, dozens of burly men, working in groups of four, carried several open coffins to the front of the formation. The corpses inside were peaceful in appearance, clearly having been meticulously prepared. White flowers surrounded them, and the first among them was none other than Watō Ten Kyōsuke, a core member of the Akatsuki.

Five minutes later, Yahiko wiped the sorrow from his face, his expression turning calm. He raised his hand silently, pointing at the floor-to-ceiling window where Nōshin Kongō was peeking out.

Hundreds of Akatsuki members simultaneously began to sprint, hurling large, unidentified objects toward the window with all their might.

"Crash!"

The massive floor-to-ceiling window shattered into countless pieces, sending Nōshin Kongō scurrying to avoid the flying shards.