That Nara... | Naruto Fanficiton

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"The hidden leaf, the stone, the sand, the mist. The Akatsuki's membership is composed of rogue shinobi from your villages. That's not all either. From our investigations, we know that amongst you and the earlier kage, there are those who have even used the Akatsuki," Lord A started.

Well, it's hard to argue against that. Though, other than the sand, who has used the Akatsuki? I know the leaf hasn't-- no wait-- does the Uchiha massacre count as using the Akatsuki, I know that Itachi worked with that masked man, I believe he's part of the Akatsuki. But A is no angel, I remember him sending some of his ninja to the leaf to kidnap Hinata Hyuga to steal the byakugan. That event lead to one of the strongest adults in the Hyuga clan to be killed in place of the head because they couldn't afford to lose the head of the clan. It may not have been under the pretences of using the Akatsuki, but still, he can't go around scrutinising others when he still hasn't owned up to that.

"The kage used them?" Gaara asked, genuinely surprised.

Your father used Orochimaru, how do you think he ended up dying? But then again, was he still in the organisation back then? That was a while ago, how many years? Four now? No five. That's crazy.

"And that's why I don't trust any of you," A stated, "I have no interest in any discourse. But the reason I have summoned you all to this summit is to ultimately question your loyalties."

Well, isn't that just friendly?

"What do you mean, that they 'used the Akatsuki'?" Gaara asked, you could tell by the way he was pressing the topic that he was extremely curious and also probably quite mortified that people had even attempted to do such a thing.

"You are the Kazekage and yet you don't know anything. Just ask your village elders back home," A replied, "you of the sand have previously used the Akatsuki in battle."

So, is that when they attacked the leaf five years ago or..?

"Currently all five great nations are equally stable. They're moving from military extension to disarmament. As strained relations between nations is as the threat of war diminishes," Onoki said, "hidden villages, considered as military power by their nation merely become costly hindrances and yet at the same time completely eliminating such villages poses its own risks as well. What if war suddenly breaks out? Relying on ninja with no battle experience would be problematic, you'd lose the battle without question."

"The kage would realise that one way to avoid that risk is to use mercenary soldiers. Namely soldiers from the Akatsuki," Gaara concluded.

Well then, I guess I'm not surprised.

Why do humans have to be this way? Can't we just have peace? Is it so hard to ask that they just shut up, put their weapons down and get along? Yeah. It probably is. To be honest, I wouldn't be able to stop myself if someone gave me the choice to fight or not, I would fight, that's all I've known. Though I suppose my reason to fight has changed, before I fought just because I didn't know what to live for, I only knew death, but now, I fight to get home so I can be with my daughter.

"It takes effort and money to cultivate accomplished ninja within one's own hidden village," Onoki continued, "the Akatsuki makes war its livelihood and is made up of experienced professionals. Furthermore, they can be hired quite cheaply. Best of all... Their soldiers have always presented superior results."

Yeah because they destroy everything in their path, old man! But the way he's speaking leads me to believe that he has used the Akatsuki in this way. How typical.

"Don't be pompous, Tsuchikage," A glared at the tiny old man who just hummed out a laugh in return, "the sand once used the Akatsuki to try to destroy the hidden leaf."