Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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Hatake Sakumo shared his insights, and the room fell into a heavy silence.

"If shinobi gain immense power by seeking Muzan's aid, many desperate individuals will likely flock to him, creating a force that could threaten the balance of the entire shinobi world," Sakumo warned.

Namikaze Minato frowned. If this continued unchecked and Muzan gathered more followers, defending Konoha wouldn't suffice—they might even have to make concessions to him.

"As it stands, Muzan is protected by only two powerful individuals. This is our best chance to bring him down," Sakumo urged.

"Jiraiya-sensei, Sakumo-san," Minato began firmly, "please act swiftly. We must bring Muzan to justice before it's too late."

The room fell into helpless silence, except for Danzo. Seated in the corner, his eyes gleamed with opportunity. Since Minato's rise to Hokage, Danzo's influence had waned significantly, and Root had been disbanded, its members reintegrated into Konoha's forces.

But Danzo saw Muzan as a chance to regain power. There were no permanent allies or enemies in the shinobi world—only eternal interests.

"If I ally with Muzan," Danzo thought, "we could destroy Konoha together. Afterward, I'll rise as the Fifth Hokage, and his crimes will be pardoned. A perfect trade-off."

The only problem was Muzan's unknown whereabouts. Once the meeting concluded, Danzo planned to send scouts to the Land of Waves to gather intelligence.

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Meanwhile, Muzan had resolved the territorial disputes in the Land of Waves. Now, his focus shifted to population growth. Attracting people to the isolated, impoverished region would take time. Until technological advancements reached the island, Muzan relied on adopting war orphans to bolster his ranks.

"Lord Muzan," Hyuga Hizashi reported, bowing respectfully, "a group has entered the Land of Waves. Judging by their attire, they appear to be from Amegakure."

Hizashi, tasked with surveillance using his Byakugan, remained ever-vigilant. Despite Amegakure's status outside the Five Great Nations, its shinobi were powerful and warranted caution.

"If Hanzo of the Salamander catches wind of this, it could lead to unnecessary conflict..." Hizashi began.

Muzan raised a hand to silence him. "Hanzo is long dead," Muzan said coldly. "The grass over his grave must be half a meter tall by now."

"What? Hanzo, the Demigod of the Shinobi World... dead?" Hizashi asked, shocked.

"The Hidden Rain is now under the control of a new organization. Its leader is far stronger than Hanzo ever was. Their presence here doesn't bode well."

Muzan's mind flashed back to his encounter with Sasori of the Red Sand. Though he hadn't gone all out in the fight, Sasori had managed to escape, leaving a lingering frustration.

"Deploy the Demon Army," Muzan ordered. "Ensure they don't disrupt my work."

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Muzan's research continued in his lab. His ultimate goal: to overcome his weakness to sunlight by stabilizing the natural energy within his body.

So far, only Muzan could fully absorb natural energy. Even his Twelve Kizuki struggled with severe side effects.

Activating Sage Mode, Muzan extended his arm into the sunlight. White smoke rose from his skin, but as he absorbed more natural energy, the burning sensation lessened.

He observed his cells closely, extracting small samples for analysis. Without a constant influx of natural energy, his cells rapidly deteriorated, forcing him to work swiftly.

"The cold force within my cells dominates when deprived of natural energy," Muzan muttered. "This is the root of my weakness to sunlight."

The discovery was significant. His body harbored an excess of cold energy, rendering him vulnerable to sunlight. Natural energy, like sunlight, could restore balance, but the process was incomplete.

"Now that I've identified the cause, I can refine the solution," Muzan declared.

Just as he resumed his work, Hizashi entered the lab, bowing low.

"Lord Muzan, the Demon Army has been defeated by an Amegakure shinobi. The enemy is formidable. I recommend deploying one of the Twelve Kizuki."

Muzan's gaze darkened. The Demon Army wasn't easily bested. Hizashi's role as a support shinobi made him invaluable, but he lacked the offensive strength to lead.

Muzan's thoughts turned to the Akatsuki. "If the Rain Shinobi are this strong, they must be part of that organization. Such boldness suggests they have a plan."

Rising from his chair, Muzan made his decision. "I'll handle this myself."

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The Rain Ninja stood in awe of the transformed Land of Waves. Once a desolate, poverty-stricken region, it now boasted advanced infrastructure. Villages had given way to well-built towns, and massive ships transported goods across the sea.

"This can't be the same Land of Waves we knew," one Rain shinobi muttered. "Could this all be the work of that mysterious figure?"

Unbeknownst to them, Muzan was already on his way, ready to confront the new threat encroaching on his domain.

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Sasori traveled to the Land of Craftsmen to investigate Muzan's activities and quickly discovered that Muzan hadn't made much effort to conceal his whereabouts. After all, it was a formal discussion of cooperation between two nations. Attempting to hide the truth would only have raised suspicions of deception.

Muzan hadn't anticipated encountering Sasori of the Red Sand, a development that complicated his plans.

Through careful inquiry, Sasori pinpointed Muzan's location. Muzan had left a trail, disposing of vast quantities of kunai, shuriken, and other weapons, which had garnered infamy throughout the ninja world.

Even Konan, Akatsuki's financial overseer, had heard of these dealings but hadn't suspected Muzan was the one orchestrating events in the Land of Waves. This revelation prompted a group of Amegakure ninjas to set out for the mist-shrouded island. To fulfill Akatsuki's mission of achieving peace, they required significant funds, forcing them to accept increasingly risky missions.

"There are also reports of strange 'demon' troops operating in the area. Could this mean Kirigakure is involved? If the Bloody Mist's forces have expanded to the Land of Waves, that could spell trouble for Akatsuki," Konan thought.

While Muzan's methods were overt and bold, Akatsuki had remained discreet, quietly expanding their influence. Operating as a mercenary group, they accepted contracts from various nations. Their ultimate plan to collect the tailed beasts was still in its preparatory stages, but once launched, any alliances with the Five Great Nations would crumble, cutting off Akatsuki's funding sources.

For now, Akatsuki needed a benefactor—a temporary ally to sustain their operations.

As Konan pondered, her group of Amegakure shinobi suddenly drew their weapons, startled by a shadow approaching through the heavy mist. Without the help of a Byakugan, it was impossible to see clearly, but the oppressive aura was unmistakable. The presence sent chills through the group, the sheer pressure overwhelming. What kind of monster could this be?

"Long time no see, Miss Konan," a voice echoed from the mist.

Emerging into view, Muzan walked calmly toward them. He wasn't wearing his usual black cloak and had activated Sage Mode, allowing him to withstand the area's environmental effects with ease.

"It's you!" Konan's eyes narrowed. She recognized the figure immediately—Muzan, the arms dealer they had collaborated with during the Third Shinobi World War. She had assumed he was long dead. His sudden reappearance left her wary yet intrigued.

"I didn't expect you to be the mastermind behind the Land of Waves," Konan said evenly. "Our previous partnership ended abruptly. What happened?"

"The interruption wasn't my choice," Muzan replied. "I recently defected from Konoha and was branded an S-Class rogue ninja. Contacting you during that time was impossible."

"So, you're the infamous Konoha defector," Konan murmured. She thought briefly of Orochimaru, another recent addition to Akatsuki. Sensing an opportunity, she shared the news. "Orochimaru has joined us."

Konan's confidence in Akatsuki's strength was unshaken. As a group of S-Class rogue ninjas led by Nagato, wielder of the Rinnegan, they had few equals. Even someone as formidable as Muzan wouldn't pose a threat to their base.

Their conversation naturally shifted toward a potential alliance.

"We can revive our original partnership. The Land of Waves' strength is evident. If troublesome matters arise, Akatsuki can handle them," Konan proposed.

Muzan raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but also cautious. "I'm aware of Akatsuki's reputation. We can work together, but there's something you must understand. Sasori and I have unfinished business. I expect Akatsuki not to interfere."

Konan considered this and nodded. "Akatsuki operates on strength. If Sasori falls to you, there will be no retaliation. That's the way of things."

In an organization like Akatsuki, might dictated respect. As long as Muzan proved himself, no one would object.

The renewed arms deal between Muzan and Akatsuki was mutually beneficial. Muzan had no shortage of demand for his weapons, the Land of Waves had become a hub for advanced weaponry, and all visitors could see that.

However, Konan raised a critical point. "The route from Amegakure to the Land of Waves passes through the Land of Fire. You'll need to be prepared for conflict with Konoha."

Muzan, once free to transport weapons through land routes, now faced significant obstacles as a rogue ninja. If ANBU intercepted large shipments of explosive tags, they would undoubtedly confiscate them.

Konan frowned, recognizing the risk. Amegakure's average shinobi weren't strong enough to ensure safe passage, and Akatsuki's top members were preoccupied with their own agendas.

Seeing her hesitation, Muzan offered a solution. "If it's an escort you need, I can handle it. The Land of Waves' forces are more formidable than you realize. Unless someone like Jiraiya intervenes, no one can stop us. Leave the logistics to our troops."

His confidence was evident, but Muzan also understood that this partnership was delicate. Akatsuki was powerful, but so was he. For now, their alliance seemed advantageous to both.

As their discussions continued, Konan couldn't help but notice the stark contrast in the Land of Waves. The region exuded a sense of peace and prosperity, a rare sight in the ninja world.

"What a peculiar place," she muttered.

Meanwhile, Konoha had not been idle. Following Muzan's attack on the daimyo and his battle with Jiraiya, ANBU operatives began investigating his connections to Pakura, Haku, and the burgeoning power in the Land of Waves.

By the time they uncovered the truth, however, it was too late. The Land of Waves had become the center of operations for the Twelve Kizuki. With Muzan's growing influence and his alliance with Akatsuki, even Konoha had to tread carefully.

Unseen by the world, the Land of Waves was quietly transforming into a nexus of power, wealth, and an impending storm.

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