Not long after Hinata returned to Amegakure, she noticed Akatsuki members arriving back one after another.
At first, she was startled — thinking her identity had been discovered. But after observing their demeanor, she realized that wasn't the case.
Strange… weren't they all out searching for me? Why are they back so suddenly?
Puzzled, Hinata decided to test the situation and went to find Konan under the pretext of asking about a mission notice — one that, ironically, was a search order for herself.
Meeting Konan, however, was no easy feat. As the official leader of Amegakure, Konan was constantly occupied with affairs of the village. Hinata submitted her request four separate times and waited an entire week before finally being granted an audience.
When she presented the mission notice, Konan barely glanced at it before saying flatly, "This task is invalid. You don't need to waste your time on it."
Hinata frowned. "Why?"
"It's none of your concern."
"How can it not be? I've seen her before," Hinata pressed, feigning frustration. "I was thinking I could collect the bounty — now suddenly it's gone? What happened?"
Konan froze for a moment, her sharp gaze lifting toward Hinata. She recalled Nagato's words from his return, then lightly tapped her fingers on the desk.
"Even so," Konan said finally, "I regret to inform you that this mission has been cancelled. All bounties for Hinata Hyuga — both in the village and on the black market — have been officially withdrawn."
Hinata's heart tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. "I see… understood."
After offering a polite bow, she took her leave.
Back in her room, she sat quietly by the window, staring at the sheets of rain pouring endlessly outside.
They stopped hunting me… and even removed my bounty?
It made no sense.
The Ten-Tails was too important. Akatsuki had once issued a global wanted notice and an enormous bounty just to capture her. To suddenly cancel it — without explanation — was beyond reason.
There had to be a hidden motive.
…
For the next two days, Hinata maintained her quiet, solitary routine — training, meditating, and occasionally glancing at the rain that never ceased.
Still, the same thought gnawed at her whenever she allowed herself a moment's rest:
If Akatsuki isn't after me anymore… does that mean I can go home?
The question grew louder in her mind with each passing day.
…
Then, one rainy afternoon, a paper crane fluttered through her open window. Its delicate wings glistened with moisture as it landed lightly on her desk.
Unfolding it, Hinata saw a simple message written in elegant script:
"Come to the main tower. – Konan."
Hinata blinked in confusion but quickly composed herself. After tidying her appearance and ensuring not a trace of the Ten-Tails' chakra leaked from her, she made her way to the tall building Konan had mentioned.
…
Inside the lobby, several Akatsuki members were gathered — some standing, some lounging idly: Deidara, Kisame, Itachi, Hidan, Pain, and Konan, who stood silently beside Pain's main body.
"Get ready," Konan said calmly.
Hinata tilted her head. "Ready? For what?"
Before she could get an answer, Itachi flicked a few shuriken toward her.
Reflexively, Hinata twisted her body and dodged with ease. But before she could ask why, Itachi rushed forward, drawing his katana in a clean arc.
Steel clashed.
Hinata parried and countered while shouting, "What are you doing?!"
The situation made no sense — her identity hadn't been exposed, and no one else was attacking.
Konan's soft voice came from behind Pain. "Fight him with everything you've got."
Itachi's eyes sharpened. "Use all your techniques," he said simply, his katana slicing through the air at increasingly sharp angles.
Understanding flickered across Hinata's mind. This was a test.
She met Itachi's strike with her twin blades, forcing him back a few paces. Then, before he could recover, she drew all seven of her swords.
Her body moved like a storm — two blades clutched by her elbows, two by her armpits, one between her teeth, another pressed against her neck, and the last held by her knee. Both hands came together in a slicing motion as she lunged forward.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks erupted as steel met steel.
Itachi reacted instantly, his three-tomoe Sharingan spinning to life. His enhanced perception allowed him to read the angles of Hinata's strikes, intercepting what he could and deflecting what he couldn't.
When dodging wasn't possible, he absorbed the blow and minimized the damage.
But Hinata's speed and strength were overwhelming. With her attack routes overlapping and escape paths sealed, even Itachi began to falter.
A deep gash appeared on his arm. He winced but remained composed. "Kisame," he called. "Another blade."
Kisame smirked and tossed one over. Itachi caught it midair and, wielding dual swords now, regained control of the fight.
"Wait, isn't she supposed to use five swords?" Hidan blurted out, eyes wide. "Why does she have seven?!"
"Idiot," Deidara scoffed. "That's nine! You didn't see the hand chop?"
Kisame chuckled darkly. "No, it's ten. She even uses her feet as swords."
Konan sighed quietly, glancing at Pain. "She was using five when I last saw her."
Pain didn't respond. His expression remained unreadable.
…
Hinata's swordsmanship was fierce — built upon speed, strength, and explosive power.
Itachi's style, in contrast, focused on precision and technique, enhanced by his Sharingan's perfect insight. He could imitate her movements, but his physical endurance was inferior. He could keep up temporarily — not indefinitely.
Pain's voice broke through the rhythmic clang of steel. "To achieve this level without chakra… you were right, Konan. She's truly gifted."
Konan nodded slightly, understanding what Nagato implied. She turned and left the hall briefly, returning moments later with an Akatsuki cloak — small in size, clearly made for Hinata.
It had been prepared long ago, back when Obito and Nagato had planned to manipulate her by pretending to invite her into Akatsuki. Now, with Hinata's return under a different guise, the cloak had finally found its purpose.
"Stop," Pain commanded.
At once, Hinata and Itachi froze mid-motion and stepped back.
Pain gestured toward her. "Zetsu. From now on, you'll partner with her. Your first mission — help her retrieve the ring."
"Understood," murmured Zetsu, his dual-toned voice blending agreement from both halves.
When Pain and the other members dispersed, only Konan and Zetsu remained with Hinata.
Konan approached and, with a small blade, made a single clean cut across Hinata's headband — marking her officially as a rogue ninja.
Black and White Zetsu circled her like a curious predator.
"Hmph. Interesting," White Zetsu said cheerfully.
"Suspicious," muttered Black Zetsu under its breath. There was something about Hinata that unsettled him — something he couldn't yet identify.
Konan ignored them. "Once you retrieve that ring, you'll become a full member of Akatsuki. You'll receive proper benefits — a salary, financial compensation, and perhaps…" she allowed herself a small smile, "a better sword."
As she turned to leave, Hinata quickly caught her sleeve.
"Konan-neechan," she whispered, half-pouting, "can't I team up with you instead? I really don't want to work with that… two-toned weirdo."
Konan looked back at her with faint amusement. "You'll get used to it."
And with that, she walked away.
Hinata and Zetsu stared at each other in awkward silence for several seconds.
"So," Hinata finally asked, "about that ring — how exactly do I get it?"
White Zetsu replied first. "We'll find the target's hideout and let you know when it's time. You can handle it however you like."
Hinata crossed her arms. "And who's the target?"
Black Zetsu's voice rumbled softly. "Orochimaru."
Hinata blinked. "Orochimaru?"
Before she could process the shock, Zetsu's body sank into the floor, leaving only ripples in the puddles where it stood moments ago.
Hinata exhaled quietly, eyes narrowing.
Orochimaru…
…
Sheathing her sword, Hinata gazed at the Akatsuki cloak in her hands, a faint frown forming on her lips.
Part of her wanted to return home immediately — especially now that the organization had stopped pursuing her — but that plan would have to wait.
Joining Akatsuki came with its own advantages. Orochimaru was rumored to have made new developments in Sound-based techniques, and his presence could indirectly help her fulfill a certain promise — the one she made to Sakura, concerning Sasuke.
"Let's wait a little longer," Hinata murmured.
Having made up her mind, she folded away her hesitation, donned the black cloak patterned with red clouds, and went to find Konan to inquire further about the privileges and benefits within Akatsuki.
…
Zetsu was incredibly efficient. Within three days, it had already located Orochimaru's current hideout.
Fully prepared, Hinata stopped by Kakuzu's base to collect operational funds before leaving Amegakure alongside Zetsu.