My Akatsuki Academia: Heroes Rising

Chapter Seven - The Coming Storm

In the days following the Joint Training Exercises, the Akatsuki continue doing their part to combat the rise in Villain activities. But as they do so, a dark cloud seems to hang over the entire country. One day, Nagato calls on a meeting. In the entire Akatsuki compound, all members of the Akatsuki were in attendance. 

Nagato: You're all here. Good. Now we can begin.

Kisame: Now this is a special occasion! It's been a good while since we had a get together like this. 

Nagato: As many of you are well aware of, Villain activity has been on a steady rise. Despite our best efforts, we've yet to make any real progress.

Konan: The League of Villains have been keeping to the shadows ever since All Might's retirement. 

Deidara: Well that's no surprise. They've had a lot of heat come down on them since All For One got taken down. With Wrath and the Shie Hassaikai out of business, the League's probably waiting for the right time to make their move. 

As Deidara said this, Itachi stepped forward. 

Itachi: The UA staff had a meeting. From what my Dad told me, the Hero Public Safety Commission has requested that the Hero Work Studies resume immediately. 

Kisame: Must be nice having a Dad in the UA staff. Talk about first hand information. Heh.

Tobi: They're restarting the Hero Work Studies this soon? Whoa! 

Zetsu: This is no doubt a reaction to the attack on Deika City as well as Wrath's attack on UA. 

Deidara: The League must be involved. It's obvious. They're beating around the bush here. Hhm.

Sasori: It looks like the "oversaturation" of Heroes that they talked about back in the Provisional License Exams is no longer an issue. How interesting. 

Nagato: Kakuzu. Have you contacts in the underworld said anything about the League? 

Kakuzu: Nothing about the League, but there's been talks about the Meta Liberation Army. 

Konan: An underground Villain organization that follows the philosophy that the free usage of Quirks is a basic human right and emphasizes liberation over regulation. 

Hidan: These Meta Liberation guys have the right idea. Lord Jashin above all else praises the idea of absolute freedom! The freedom to kill in his name!

Itachi: There's something else that needs to be mentioned. According to my Dad, the Commission must have intelligence that another crisis might be in the pipeline. 

Nagato: If the Commission is being vague in not making this information that they have more public, them telling us to restart the Work Studies feels like a mandate instead of a suggestion from the Commission. 

Itachi: They're preparing for war. Whenever any entity mobilizes their forces in such a manner, all out war is not that far off. Wrath's attack on UA showed the Commission that Heroes are needed now more than ever.

Nagato: Which means they want all possible Heroes ready for whatever is coming. 

Kisame: I doubt they'll be so open about mobilizing students like us for war. That would just be bad publicity. 

Itachi: Which is why the students are only to be admitted into agencies with good track records.

Deidara: Shouldn't be too hard to them to let us continue working with the Akatsuki. They've got a pretty damn track record. Hhm.

At this point, it became clear to the entire Akatsuki that something had been set in motion. While Wrath and his disciples were defeated and imprisoned, the threat still lingered. 

Nagato: We still have a lot of work ahead of us. Kakuzu, you and Hidan continue your work in the underworld. If you retrieve any information on the League, the Meta Liberation Army or anything else of the sorts, report it back to us.

Kakuzu: Understood. Come on, Hidan.

Hidan: Lord Jashin give me strength....

As Kakuzu and Hidan left the compound, Nagato and Konan turned to Itachi and Kisame along with Deidara, Sasori, Zetsu and Tobi. 

Nagato: For now, the rest of you will continue your obligations at UA. When the Hero Work Studies resume, you'll all be placed into the Akatsuki. We'll pull any strings should the need arise, but that shouldn't be necessary. 

Kisame: Good to know. 

Tobi: Oh boy oh boy oh boy! This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to get out in the field with you all! 

Deidara: Shut up, Tobi! You're giving me a headache! 

Sasori: These past few days have been interesting. The players have changed, but the game remains the same. 

Itachi: Let's just hope that we're all prepared for what's coming. 

White Zetsu: Oh I'm sure we'll be prepared. 

Black Zetsu: If now, we'll just have to deal with it. 

Deidara: Ever the freaking optimist. 

Nagato: Then the meeting is over. You can all leave. 

With that, Itachi and the others left the Akatsuki Compound. As Nagato and Konan were left alone, the two leaders of the Akatsuki take a moment to reflect on all that has happened since Wrath's attack on UA.

Nagato: So much has changed since the Akatsuki was first formed. I wish Yahiko were here to see this. 

Konan: Yahiko would be proud to see us have come so far in our dream. 

Nagato: We still have a long ways to go, Konan. 

With that, Nagato and Konan prepared themselves and the Akatsuki for what was to come. But what the Akatsuki didn't know was that the coming storm would soon descend upon them and shake the very foundations of Hero Society even more so than Wrath's invasion ever could.