Arc VIII Chapter 12
<strong>VIII</strong>
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<strong>Arc VIII Chapter 12
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Rain haunted Amegakure once again, amon sight. The sun was a rare guest above the dark skies of Amegakure. The light never arrived, no matter how much the people of Ame craved warmth. The clouds above Ame darkened, and rain poured down on the earth without mercy. Water, water, never ending masses of water. The weather was ghastly, as usual.
Pain summoned her,and Asami found herself at the receiving end of his angry stare. Mighty Pain-sama was angry with her, and he demanded an exnation.
“...”Asami tilted her head. Pain and thesoullessstare of his Rinnegan didn''t affect her. She wouldn''t budge easily. She wasn''t hispdog.Because even thealleged omnipotenceof a god had its limits. His powerwere not unlimited.
His eyes didn''t betray any trace of emotion. Cold, hard, unforgiving, unfeeling, they bored into her.Painruled the vige throughfear rather than throughgenuine authority. He was acknowledged as the undisputed leader of the vige. He wasfeared. He was in a certain sense respected. He was even revered, but he wasn''t loved. Despite all his power, Pain''sgrip on Amegakure was weak.
Pain ruled the vige from the shadows, but hisinfluence wasmodest, at best. Hefailed to assertcontrol over Amegakure, to establish a proper administration, to ess its resources.
“...” Pain''s narrowed his eyes. He lectured her. “Asami, do you realise what you have done?”
...
...
...
Asami shook her head.“Not really.”
“...”Pain red, his divine patiencetested.“I was informed that you not only burned downthecastle, but alsokilled our client.”
Asamididn''t contest his charge. Her smile confirmed her guilt. “Indeed. It was a pleasure. Hissweet cries when the mes devoured him. Wonderful.”
“...”Pain refrained frommenting. “Answer me, why did you kill him? Do you realise the damage that you have done to our reputation?Akatsuki can''t kill client left and right.”His anger shimmered through his voice.
“...” Asami rolled her eyes. Pain exaggerated. As if they had a reputation to begin with. The entire organisation consisted of infamous traitors with less than reputable backgrounds. “I killed him because I disliked ... his presence. Thus, I decided to shorten his life.”
Pain''s frowned. Her answerdispleasedhim. “Asami, your behaviour is ... uneptable.”
His re intensified.“I warn you, I won''t tolerate such tant insubordination ever again.My orders are absolute! You are a member of Akatsuki, andyou owe me your obedience.”
Pain''sexpression darkened, and Asami gazed into the abyss. His luminescent eyes exuded a dangerous purple glow. His Chakra tickledher skin.Powerful, cold, relentless, his aura shed against hers.
“...”Asamibit her lips, her usualconfident smile faltering.It might be that shehadunderestimated Pain. This time,she had gone too far. The man was an enemy that had to be takenseriously, and took proper preparation.
Her dominancewasn''t questioned for ages, but today it was. Her superiority. Shattered in a single careless moment. Pain challenged her, and she came to realise herweakness, her inferiority. Disgusting. What a shameful disy.Her inadequacy annoyed her.Weakness was not eptable.Inferiority a sin.
“...”Asami confrontedPainin silence. Neither of them spoke as Ame''s eternal rain darkenedthe sky.
Pain didn''t budge. “Do you understand?”
“...”Asami was tempted to retort, but decided againstprovoking Pain any further. His mood was vtile. His wrath uncontroble.
Asami lowered her headand submitted, at least for now. She swallowed the bitter pill. She yed her allocated role, therole of the obedient girl.It was necessary torecognise his authority, for the time being.“I understand, Pain-sama.I will refrain from simrlythoughtless actions in the future.”
Pain merely nodded. “I am pleased to hear so. I hope that you won''t disappoint me again. You are dismissed.”
“...”Asami retreated. At least, Yuki-chan was waiting for her.
“Yuki-chan ~?Yuki-chan ~?”Asami beamed. “Where are you~? Don''t hide from your precious Nee-san~.”
Asami turned around the corner and met a scared, shivering Yuki hiding behind Tobi''s figure.
“...”Tobi shrugged his shoulders.
Asami poked thepetrified girl, but Yuki avoided her gaze, intimated by Pain''s aura. “Pain is ... scary.”
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“What are your thoughts about our most recent addition?” Pain faced Tobi, but it wasn''t Tobi he needed. He desired to speak with someone else.
Tobi was thinking. “Tobi thinks ...”
Painsuppressedhis annoyance. “You misunderstand, Tobi. I want to speak with Madara.”
“I see.” Tobi grinnedbehindhis mask, his voice turningcold.Hechuckled.“Asami ... is apeculiar girl, an interesting pieceon our board I never thought possible.A capable kunoichi, far exceeding my expectations. Perhaps even stronger than you?I didn''t miss yourlittle show of force.You were trying to intimidate her, weren''t you?”
“...”Painresponded with silence and schooled re. He disapproved of his choice of words. Not that Tobi would care.
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Tsunade stood on the balcony, far above the ground, overlooking the vast and prospering vige of Konoha. The vige was now hers to lead. It was her duty to guide Konoha through good and bad times. Tsunade clenched her fist. “Starting from today, the vige is my responsibility. I am the Fifth Hokage.”
Homura, councillor and one of Konoha''s elders, mused from behind, “I am honestly amazed that you were able to persuade her, Jiraiya. I didn''t think such was possible.”
Jiraiya broke out in loudughter. “Gyahahaha, obviously, such a handsome devil as myself can persuade any woman with his charms.”
“...” Koharu, fellow councillor, joined the discussion. “Matters of charm aside, we must inform the daimyo and lords abut the inauguration of a new Hokage. Genma, Aoba, you in the meanwhile announce the news to the vige. A new era has begun for Konoha.”
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