Kuzo shook his head, a little helpless.
Now wasn't the time to keep lingering here.
As much as he enjoyed fishing for easy wins, someone had just broken into their home—so naturally, he couldn't just ignore it.
Thinking this, he raised his hand and glanced at the jade ring on his little finger.
The voice he heard earlier from Pain—no doubt—was transmitted through this.
This ring wasn't just a symbol of being a formal member of Akatsuki.
It wasn't just for appearance either.
It was a specialized ninja communication tool.
As long as someone wore the ring, Pain, as the leader, could reach out to them instantly and speak directly into their minds.
In theory, Kuzo could also use it to communicate back.
But since his current ability to extract chakra was still rough around the edges, he rarely bothered to use it himself.
...
After stepping out of the restaurant,
Kuzo opened an oiled paper umbrella and strolled forward through the streets.
Light rain fell steadily around him, shrouding the village in a hazy veil.
This was no ordinary weather.
It was the result of one of Pain's signature techniques.
By infusing his chakra into the falling rain, Pain could sense anyone the raindrops touched. Intruders had nowhere to hide under such surveillance.
A very convenient technique.
However—
Kuzo had something even more convenient.
A slight smile tugged at his lips as he walked leisurely through the rain.
"Let's take a look," he muttered softly to himself, "at what kind of ninja force is bold enough to come knocking."
With just a thought—
**Whoosh.**
His spiritual pressure surged.
Kuzo instantly expanded his **Reiatsu Perception**, unleashing it across the entire Rain Shinobi Village.
Invisible and thin, his Reiatsu radiated outward, blanketing every inch of the village in a matter of seconds.
Ever since his Reiatsu had reached Level 5, its range and clarity had grown immensely.
A small place like Rain Shinobi Village was now laughably easy to scan.
And sure enough—
Within seconds, he sensed several unfamiliar and suspicious auras.
"Found them," Kuzo said with a grin.
Then, without a word more—
Flash.
A Shunpo.
Even with the umbrella still in hand, he vanished into the night rain.
...
...
At the same time,
The Shinobi from Sunagakure had successfully infiltrated the village through the lake.
As their boots touched solid ground, a wave of relief swept through the group.
"Phew..."
"That was close."
"But we made it in."
"Heh. Is this what passes for security in Rain Shinobi these days?"
"Just like the intel said—if Hanzo really is dead, it explains a lot."
"In that case, we're already halfway to victory."
Several Sand Shinobi began to whisper among themselves, feeling a faint sense of triumph.
But in that very moment—
A voice echoed behind them. Calm. Amused.
"Oh? Halfway there already?"
"Seems like Sand Shinobi's definition of success is a bit... optimistic."
"...?!"
Huh!?
**Who said that?!**
Their bodies froze.
A shiver ran down their spines.
They spun around in alarm—every single one of them—eyes wide and hearts pounding.
And what they saw—
Amidst the light rain, hovering just above the lake's surface,
Was a boy in a dark cloak, golden eyes glowing faintly beneath his hood.
He held an umbrella in one hand and wore a gentle smile—yet his presence was anything but gentle.
"Sorry, Sand Shinobi," he said softly.
"But after nightfall..."
"Rain Shinobi Village doesn't entertain visitors."
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