Naruto: The new beginning

----

"There were six enemies who fought me directly," Raikage began, his voice heavy. "They called themselves 'Pain' and claimed to be 'Gods.' Each of them had a unique ability. The five I encountered personally were…"

A proceeded to break down the abilities of the Six Paths of Pain, focusing especially on the last two: Almighty Push (Shinra Tensei) which had obliterated all of Kumogakure in a single attack. And Planetary Devastation (Chibaku Tensei) which had sealed Killer B.

The room fell into silence.

Upstairs, even the guards found their jaws dropping.

They had all seen the photographs of Kumogakure's ruins.

They had assumed it was the result of a prolonged battle an entire village reduced to rubble.

But hearing that it was a single attack?

And that the enemy possessed the same eyes as the Sage of Six Paths?

Kankurō gripped the balcony railing, his forehead beaded with sweat.

"You're joking, right? What kind of monster are we dealing with?"

He had spent so much time upgrading Sasori's puppets, refining their combat techniques only to now realize…

It was meaningless against an enemy who could flatten an entire village in an instant.

Even Shibuki, who had been largely ignored in the meeting so far, was breaking into a cold sweat.

He suddenly realized Takigakure wasn't even worth using that jutsu on.

Meanwhile, Mifune remained composed, but the samurai behind him had completely lost their usual stoicism.

For the first time, they understood just how terrifying the shinobi world truly was.

"Why didn't Pain just use that technique from the start?" Yagura finally asked, his tone sharp.

"Because I had hidden Bee away in the mountains," Raikage explained. "I forbade him from leaving the area. That bastard wanted intel on his location, so he fought to capture people alive first."

Ōnoki hummed in thought.

"So that means Almighty Push (Shinra Tensei) requires some preparation time, doesn't it?"

Raikage nodded. "Yeah. I thought about trying to interrupt it before it activated, but by the time we realized what was happening, it was too late. We weren't fast enough to prepare anti-air defences."

Minato, already considering Konoha's defences, thought to himself:

That level of power… even Four Red Yang Formation might not be enough to block it. As for Four Purple Flame Formation… it's uncertain.

Gaara, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.

"And what about Planetary Devastation (Chibaku Tensei)? It seems even a fully transformed jinchūriki couldn't escape it."

Minato responded, "Based on Raikage's description, the key is the small black sphere at the centre. Destroying it should break the technique. But the longer it stays active, the harder it is to stop."

Gaara repeated, "So we need a powerful enough attack…"

Minato nodded. "For example, Tsuchikage's Dust Release, or a Tailed Beast Bomb from a jinchūriki."

In his mind, he added: Or perhaps my own Light Wheel Gale Breaker Arrow…

Ever since he had successfully incorporated Wind Release into the Rasengan, Minato had realized its versatility.

He had started experimenting with other natural transformations as well.

It was exhilarating.

Every time he developed a new jutsu, he could give it a new name.

Unfortunately, Naruto, Kushina, and even Kimimaro had refused to let him name their techniques.

So, Minato had taken it upon himself to name his own moves instead.

With the discussion progressing, the room's atmosphere lightened slightly.

Ōnoki, in particular, looked rather smug.

After all, the two best counters they had devised, knocking the enemy out of the sky and instantly destroying the jutsu core, were things that he could do.

He almost stood up and put his hands on his hips, but he decided against it.

Wouldn't want to throw out my back again.

Raikage continued, "One more thing. These Pain fighters were all reanimated corpse puppets controlled from a distance. We never saw the real enemy."

Ōnoki frowned.

"So the real mastermind never even entered the battlefield?"

"Exactly." Raikage scowled. "Which means they can likely repair or replace them. That's why they retrieved their fallen allies before retreating."

Ōnoki exhaled through his nose.

"And given Akatsuki's usual two-man cell strategy, the real mastermind probably had a partner, right?"

Raikage clenched his fists.

"Yeah. Someone who specializes in explosive tags can disguise them as anything: stones, trees, even water. The bastard covered their tracks and helped protect Pain from sneak attacks."

Naruto, listening from above, thought of Konan.

He still had no idea how she made explosive tags look like water.

Even Obito, with his Mangekyō Sharingan, hadn't been able to detect them.

If anyone had mastered the art of explosive tags, it was her.

Now that I think about it… in the "Blue Frog Squad," the weakest one might actually be Yahiko…

Minato took over.

"From Hidan's memories, we also confirmed the existence of another member Zetsu. His origins are unknown, but he specializes in stealth and reconnaissance. The extent of his abilities is unclear."

Minato paused for a moment.

"And finally, the most crucial piece of information: Akatsuki's base is in Amegakure. As for Hanzō of the Salamander… he hasn't been seen for years, Most likely, he's already dead."

The room fell silent.

While younger shinobi like Gaara might not have known Hanzō's reputation well, the older ones certainly did.

Mifune, in particular, clenched his fists.

After all, Hanzō had once been called a 'Demi-God'.

The title might have been exaggerated… but if he had managed to survive multiple Shinobi World Wars, then his strength was undeniable.

And now?

He had likely been killed by this so-called 'God' named Pain.

Ōnoki's eyes narrowed.

"In other words… our enemy isn't just Akatsuki. It's all of Amegakure."

Yagura and Gaara nodded.

Fighting a mercenary group was one thing.

Fighting a nation, even a small one was an entirely different matter.

"So what?!" Raikage bellowed. "We know where they are, don't we?!

"What's there to discuss?!"

"Let's unite all Five Great Nations and wipe them out in one go!"

"Stealing Tailed Beasts alone is reason enough for us to declare war!"

He slammed his fist onto the table, his voice echoing through the room.

For once, no one immediately objected.

Because at their core…

They all knew he was right.

----

Don't forget to drop some Power Stones!

For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.

P@treon/iamxeno

Thank you so much for your support and for reading!