Nagato had to admit it—Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage, was a determined leader. And he genuinely thought from the perspective of peace. With that in mind, helping a young Kage like him wasn't difficult at all. Besides, Gaara had qualities that Nagato found quite agreeable.
What exactly happened between them, no one really knew—not even Konan—but the day before the Five Kage Summit, Nagato's previously indifferent attitude shifted. In his words: if someone wants to speak, then let them. The catalyst? Gaara himself, held as a "hostage."
When the Akatsuki departed, counting Konan as an off-duty member and Gaara temporarily as a hostage, the entourage was peculiar. Other Kage had two bodyguards; Gaara, the Kage of Sunagakure, brought a small army of "terrorists." The sight was… intimidating.
The Land of Iron was perpetually snowbound, much like Amegakure's endless rain. The Five Kage Summit approached, and Gaara's anxiety burned like wildfire, while the Akatsuki moved at a leisurely pace. Not slow, exactly—but far from fast.
"Ah—achoo!"
Springtime-in-Konoha's Sakura couldn't handle the biting cold and sneezed. Everyone else appeared unfazed: Akatsuki members in their robes, or Konan in her perennial yukata, unaffected by the chill.
"What's wrong? Are you sick?" Itachi asked, his concern evident. Sakura had no idea how twisted Itachi's mind worked. Sick? She was frozen! Why was she the only one shivering in identical robes? Did these people's bodies even register cold correctly?!
"I'm not sick! Aren't you all cold?" Sakura hugged herself tightly, trying to trap some warmth.
Nagato shook his head, sighing at the sight. The organization's elite power really did take a hit, his expression mournful.
Hidan laughed and pointed at Sakura.
"Weakling! You're pathetic!"
Deidara wanted to chime in but noticed the vein popping on Sakura's forehead and recalled their battle days earlier. He wisely stayed silent.
Hidan had forgotten whose medicine he'd been taking lately. Deidara, however, hadn't. He'd been through enough due to stupid teammates. The last time Hidan angered Deidara, their clay bird exploded right under their noses—a lesson seared into memory.
"Shut up, Hidan."
"Why? Sakura really is a weakling~"
"Don't seek death, Hidan. Did you give your brain to your evil god?" A friendly warning.
"Hmph! My evil god doesn't care about brains anyway." Hidan retorted, then paused.
"Wait… what? Are you insulting my god… or me?"
Obito thought Hidan needed a mental recharge and whispered to Nagato:
"Boss, give Hidan a raise. His brainpower needs millions of units."
"Scum! What do you mean? I don't need a recharge! Your brain does!"
Meanwhile, Itachi quietly explained to Sakura:
"Chakra covering the body regulates temperature. You rarely come to places like this, so it's natural you didn't know. Watch." He activated his chakra, warming her frozen body. Sakura gasped and experimented herself.
"Wow… amazing! First time I've done this!"
"Keen against extreme heat or cold, it's convenient and low-cost in chakra," Kisame added. Itachi interjected:
"No, no… low-cost for you. Few ninjas can do this."
"But you have the Byakugou Seal; a bit of chakra is nothing," Itachi said, smiling.
"Oh, that explains why I'm the only one freezing. I thought your body sensors were all broken," Sakura said.
Before Itachi could finish his exasperated comment, a snowball struck him squarely in the face.
His mouth twitched. Nearby, Hidan and Deidara were engaged in a full-scale snow fight. The culprit? Deidara.
"Yo, weasel! Didn't hit you hard enough, huh~!"
Itachi's forehead veins bulged; his eyes glowed crimson.
"Deidara, want to feel what real bloodlust is again?"
"Come on! I'm not scared! Hidan, hit him once and I'll give you five IQ points!"
"What, you got a problem with my brainpower?!" Hidan flung a snowball at Deidara, who shrugged off the snow casually.
"Who's on the same country as you?!" Hidan grabbed another snowball, but Deidara perfectly dodged.
Boom!
The snowball flew straight into Konan's path, lightly disturbing her steps. Hidan panicked.
"Konan! I-I didn't mean it!"
Konan, unfazed, gathered snow with her chakra and dumped it over Hidan, then smiled at the snowman-like figure.
"No problem," she said, unusually forgiving.
Everyone burst out laughing. Obito ran up to Hidan and shaped small branches like sticks on either side of the snowman, nodding meaningfully.
"Still missing something," he noted.
"Missing this! Hmm." Deidara crafted a clay hat and placed it atop the snowman, black clay contrasting against white snow. His usual self-praise filled the air.
"All good now. Not bad for a temporary collaboration, huh?"
Deidara nodded, and they moved on. Konan chuckled, glancing at the playful Hidan.
"What did you do to make him so scared?"
Hidan, late to react, chased Deidara, throwing snowballs with Obito joining in. A flurry of snow rained down, hitting everyone—even Nagato. As the snow fight expanded, Nagato raised his hand: all the accumulated snow surged upward with and, with a single release, buried the frolicking group.
Though his method was harsh, his youthful face remained calm, faintly smiling. No anger at their mischief, only quiet amusement.