Amegakure... Many would say it is an impenetrable fortress, which only the bravest would dare to infiltrate, only for them to meet a quick death. Seven years after the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, the village started to open to the outside world. Commerce started to flourish and Ame specialties such as Rainy Cupcakes or silk as soft as the water brought in a lot of money from the Five Great Nations. The leader of the village remained Konan, the only kunoichi in Akatsuki who survived her battle with Tobi, the impostor who claimed was Madara Uchiha.

Konan sat in her office, in the tallest tower in the village, waiting for news from the ANBU squad she dispatched to the Mountain's Graveyard. Their orders were clear: recover the body of Nagato, the former leader of the village and her longtime friend. Konan was informed about the revival of Nagato by Kabuto and found out that the deceased shinobi's body was held in Tobi's former hideout in the Mountain's Graveyard.

A young kunoichi knocked at the door and entered quietly in the room.

"Tell me, Suri, what happened?"

"Lady Angel, Team Ameshi returned from their mission." Konan's amber eyes brightened. "And? What happened with the body of Nagato?"

"The body has been recovered but it is in an advanced stated of decomposition. Team Ameshi works with our medical-nin to restore it."

"I see. Team Ameshi should have come to report to me immediately!"

"Sorry, Lady Angel, but the corpse was badly decomposed and we didn't want you to be disturbed by the sight of it."

Konan smiled. She was well-loved in the village and the people didn't want her to get bothered by anything.

"But are you certainly sure that he is really Nagato?"

"Yes, milady! The DNA sample you provided to Team Ameshi matched with the DNA we recovered from the corpse. It is really Lord Nagato."

Konan was glad that her friend returned home, but was quite saddened by the fact that he was in such a sorry state. When Nagato's body was in Amegakure, he was perfectly preserved, as well as Yahiko's. Yahiko, her love… Konan felt a tear running down her cheek.

"Thank you for informing me, Suri. You may go. When Team Ameshi will finish the restoration of the body, announce me."

"Of course, Lady Angel."

Suri bowed and left the room. Konan sat in her chair, remembering… She fell asleep, finally brought down by the exhaustion. She didn't sleep much for a few weeks while she waited an answer from Team Ameshi.

After a few hours, Konan was woken up by a tall, white haired shinobi. "Lady Angel, I am sorry to disrupt your sleep. We have a problem in Zukai village."

"What happened, Reiji?"

"Someone attacked the village. There are many casualties but nothing has been plundered. So we excluded that the massacre was perpetrated by a band of thieves."

"Kami… Are there any survivors?"

"A girl was recovered. She was conscious but she died later of blood loss."

"Did the girl tell you anything about the attackers?"

"No, only that they controlled the trees in the village. They made the trees attack the people!"

Konan frowned… "It cannot be… That's Wood Release!"

"Yes, surely it is."

Konan knew that Wood Release was unseen outside those with Hashirama Senju's DNA. So, the criminals are from the Hidden Leaf or found a way to combine Water and Earth Release into the Wood nature, which is impossible without experimenting for years at first.

"I will go to the Zukai village. I want to inspect the massacre site." Konan said in a grave voice.

"At once, Lady Angel!" Reiji bowed and the two Ame shinobi left for the village.

"Summoning Technique: Vulture!" A large bird materialized in front of Reiji. "With my vulture, we will arrive much faster!"

"Very well… Let's go!"

After half an hour, Konan and her subordinate arrived to the Zukai village, now a smoldering ruin. Many Amegakure shinobi were on site, searching for survivors or recovering the dead bodies. Konan was disgusted about what she saw. She was a member of the Akatsuki and, naturally, she killed many persons. But she was unable to do something like this, especially to a village of civilians. Zukai was a small fishing village located near a river. It had no shinobi and the inhabitants didn't want protection from Amegakure either.

"Fuck! If we would have known…Fuck!" A young shinobi with dark hair exclaimed, punching the ground.

"Even if we would have known, what you could possibly do against Wood Release?" Konan consoled the young man. "Don't punish yourself, Ahimaru! You must train, become stronger, and then, you will be able to protect everyone you care about!"

"I know, Lady Angel, but this… this is murder!"

"Yes, Ahimaru, but we are shinobi, who must endure no matter what. What we could possibly do right now is to clean out the dead bodies and to detect these criminals using our sensors and ninja fish. Everyone, listen! You will be divided into four teams. Mekaru, Reiji, Shimate and Danai, you are the Detection Squad. Use your sensory powers to find out their chakra signature. Buri, Nako, Raguri and Kisemaru, you are the Fish Summoning Squad. Send your fishes upstream and downstream of the river. Musashimaru, Yoduri, Neka and Bashi, you are the Cleanup Squad. You will recover the dead bodies and make sure they are properly tended to! And finally, Ahimaru and Tsukuri, you come with me to the Hidden Leaf Village. I must speak to the Hokage!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Everyone shouted in chorus.

"Let's go, Ahimaru, Tsukuri!"

"At once, milday!"