Meanwhile, far away in a dimly lit chamber, a quiet cough broke the silence.
Nagato, his breathing labored, asked in a hoarse voice, "What is it?"
Across from him, Uchiha Obito stood calmly. "Have you decided who will fill the vacancy Orochimaru left when he betrayed Akatsuki?"
Nagato's tired gaze lifted. "Your thoughts?"
Obito's tone was measured. "We've found a promising candidate—someone powerful enough to replace him."
"Who?"
"Hinata Hyuga."
Nagato's brows furrowed slightly. "The Byakugan Princess?"
The title carried irony. She wasn't royalty, yet her life had become more luxurious than any noble's. It was as though the entire Hyuga clan existed to keep her elevated—to let her soar while they bore her weight below.
"Why her?" Nagato asked, his voice heavy.
Obito's single eye gleamed. "She possesses chakra from a tailed beast—no, not just any tailed beast, but the Ten-Tails itself, formed by the combined essence of all nine bijuu."
Nagato froze. Then came a fit of coughing so violent it nearly shook the chair he sat in.
When he finally steadied himself, Obito continued coolly, "We approach her with diplomacy first. If she refuses, then force. Recruit her, observe her, and when the time is right—capture her and extract her chakra."
Nagato frowned. "Why not capture her immediately?"
"Because that chakra may not be complete," Obito replied. "It might be unstable, or limited in quantity. If she expends it resisting us, we'll lose an opportunity we'll never get again."
Nagato closed his eyes, considering the logic. After a long silence, he nodded slowly. "...Very well. We'll do it your way."
…
Hinata continued tailing two Akatsuki members from afar, observing their movements through her Byakugan, occasionally reading their lips to gather scraps of information.
Most of it was mundane chatter—nothing useful.
Eating snacks and jotting in her travel journal had become her favorite pastimes between bouts of brutal training.
Then, suddenly—her instincts flared.
Hinata ducked instinctively as a hand reached out from behind her. Her Byakugan activated instantly, veins bulging around her eyes.
She spun on her heel and kicked, her right leg slicing through the air with crushing force—passing cleanly through her attacker's waist.
Her eyes widened. The man's body distorted like rippling glass.
She leapt back, landing in a defensive stance, the Gentle Fist ready. "Who's there?!"
Her reaction time was terrifyingly sharp—something no ordinary twelve-year-old could possess.
"Don't misunderstand," came a calm, deep voice. "I mean no harm. I'm here to invite you—to join us."
Hinata's gaze sharpened beneath her hood. The man's cloak… those red clouds.
Akatsuki.
"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded.
But before she could move, her Byakugan detected movement—two familiar chakra signatures approaching rapidly. The very Akatsuki members she'd been tracking were returning—straight toward her.
Three enemies. All S-rank.
Her odds of victory were practically zero.
Obito noticed her hesitation and smiled faintly beneath his mask. "Don't be nervous. Akatsuki seeks peace, above all else. That's our purpose."
He paused, letting the words linger before adding darkly, "And we've taken an interest in your strength. You've been chosen to join us."
Hinata's eyes narrowed. "And if I refuse?"
"You can't," Obito replied simply. "We came prepared."
The air around them shimmered.
In the blink of an eye, space warped—and suddenly, eleven cloaked figures materialized around her, encircling the hillside.
Pain. Konan. Itachi. Kisame. Deidara. Sasori.
And the distant chakra signatures of Hidan and Kakuzu, rapidly closing in.
Even Hinata's heart skipped a beat.
For the first time in years, a cold sweat slid down her back.
To secure the chakra of the Ten-Tails' vessel, Obito and Nagato had mobilized nearly their entire organization.
This wasn't a mere recruitment.
It was a full-scale capture operation.
…
"I'm willing to join," Hinata said at last, her voice calm after a long silence.
Just as Obito had stated, she truly had no choice. In this situation, resistance was meaningless. Even if she fought with everything she had, the result would only end in defeat.
In truth, if not for their concern that an outright battle might deplete Hinata's Ten-Tails chakra, Obito and Nagato would have preferred a far quicker method—capture.
However, Hinata didn't possess the complete Ten-Tails. What resided within her was only a fragment of its chakra. That single fact made direct capture impossible. They would have to proceed with extreme caution.
It was still unclear whether Hinata's Ten-Tails chakra could recover naturally or regenerate over time. A reckless move could ruin everything. Forceful capture was out of the question—but intimidation by force was perfectly acceptable.
Obito had already devised two plans.
If coercion succeeded, and Hinata submitted to Akatsuki's authority, they would take their time—slowly drawing her in, boiling the frog without it realizing the heat.
If intimidation failed, however, then there would be no other option. Obito and Nagato would ensure she never left alive. It was a last resort neither of them wanted to take.
The Ten-Tails' chakra was simply too precious to risk.
…
Hinata was escorted under heavy guard, accompanied by several Akatsuki members to prevent any chance of escape.
Though she remained outwardly composed, her senses were always alert. She avoided unnecessary contact and kept her distance, especially from Sasori—the puppeteer whose poison was as deadly as his art.
She refused all food and water offered by Akatsuki, relying solely on her own provisions. When she slept—entering her Homeland Space to rest or build—she layered her surroundings with traps and seals. Every inch of her environment was under her control.
This constant vigilance left Obito and Nagato frustrated. Despite their best efforts, they could find no opening to exploit.
Eventually, Hinata was brought to Amegakure, the Village Hidden in the Rain.
There, she was given a customized cloak similar to the standard Akatsuki uniform, though with subtle differences in its cut and embroidery. She was allowed to roam freely within the village—so long as she didn't try to leave.
It was freedom in appearance, but house arrest in practice.
Hinata's years of experience, honed through countless life-and-death encounters across past lives, allowed her to remain calm. Panic would achieve nothing. The key was to think—to plan.
The Ten-Tails Chakra Mode could grant her incredible speed, enough to break through most fortresses. But what good would that do here? No matter how fast she ran, eventually she would have to stop—and when she did, Akatsuki would be waiting.
So she waited instead.
Sitting cross-legged in her dimly lit room, Hinata murmured, "Why are they after me? It's not just about joining Akatsuki, is it? What do they really want…? The Byakugan? Or… the Ten-Tails chakra?"
She closed her eyes, deep in thought.
After analyzing what she knew about Akatsuki—their known targets, their obsession with Naruto, and the Nine-Tails sealed within him—she came to a sobering conclusion.
It had to be about the Ten-Tails' chakra.
…
Amegakure was quiet. Too quiet.
The constant patter of rain against her window only amplified her restlessness. Hinata couldn't sit still. The realization that she had already completed her mission—investigating Akatsuki's inner workings for Tsunade—brought little comfort.
The true problem now was how to escape and deliver that information safely back to Konoha.
For the moment, she could only retreat into her Homeland Space, continuing to refine seals and practice new techniques. If she could unlock something—anything—that might help her break free, it would be worth it.
But her supplies were running dangerously low. The food and medicine she'd brought from home were nearly gone.
She sighed, rubbing her stomach lightly. "I can't keep going like this…"
Still, she refused to eat anything Akatsuki provided—not unless she could confirm it was safe.
"Better to be cautious," she muttered softly.
Finally, she decided to approach the only woman in Akatsuki who seemed remotely approachable—Konan.
---
[Translator's Note:
Daily updates will be 2-3 chapters.
If the Power Stones goal is achieved, updates will be more!!
Power Stones ↔ Chapters Exchange:
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
Monthly Ranking Bonus:
1st place in the monthly ranking = 5 bonus chapters per day, in addition to regular extra chapters!]