Chapter 178 - 73: Amegakure, The Winds of Change
Ōkubo, a seasoned Jonin, understood the gravity of this assassination mission. To ensure its absolute success, he rallied the strongest forces left in Amegakure—fifteen Jonin who had once served under Hanzō of the Salamander. Sadly, this was all that remained of Amegakure's might.
Knowing Yahiko's formidable strength, Ōkubo devised a strategy to ensure a swift and decisive victory. He divided his elite forces into four squads, planning to infiltrate the Akatsuki camp from different directions. The squads would then converge, aiming to overwhelm Yahiko with localized numerical superiority.
Under the cover of a dark, rainy night, the four squads silently advanced.
What Ōkubo didn't realize was that every move his squads made was being monitored by a single individual. That person was none other than the "second-in-command" of the Akatsuki—Nagato.
This wasn't due to foresight but thanks to his unique sensory ninjutsu—the Rain Tiger at Will Technique! By infusing his chakra into the rain, Nagato could monitor any place the raindrops touched. Because of this ability, Yahiko had ordered that the entire Akatsuki camp be covered with tents, making it easier for Nagato to detect intrusions.
Thus, when Ōkubo's squads reached the central tent of the camp, they didn't find a sleeping Yahiko. Instead, they were met by a force several times their size, a sea of black cloaks adorned with red clouds, ready for battle.
"Drop your weapons, and I shall spare your lives!"
Yahiko, holding his ninja blade, coldly ordered the Amegakure shinobi.
Ōkubo realized the plan had utterly failed. Even escape was no longer an option.
"Fight! Kill them!"
Having once fought under Hanzō of the Salamander, the Jonin still retained the last shred of Amegakure's fighting spirit.