The Naruto series has been laden with controversies and secretive ties, yet none compare to the shocking revelation of the Tsuchikage's secret affairs with the Akatsuki. During the Five Kage Summit, Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage, revealed that he had hired the Akatsuki multiple times to take care of the Hidden Stone Village's dirty work.
Since the Akatsuki had been deemed a threat to the shinobi world long before the Five Kage Summit, the revelation came as a rattling surprise for the other great nations. While the Tsuchikage's secret ties with the Akatsuki paint him as an untrustworthy partner in the alliance, the matter is actually much more nuanced than it seems, making the Hidden Stone's odd decision rather plausible.
The Tsuchikage's Ties With the Akatsuki
The Tsuchikage's secretive ties with the Akatsuki date back to a few years before the set time in Shippuden, stemming from the need to find a cheaper military resource. Since raising an army of shinobi would have forced the Hidden Stone to deplete its already frail reserves, Onoki came up with the idea of hiring the Akatsuki for its S-class missions. The Akatsuki were known to take on the most rigorous of missions, and that too for cheap commissions.
Hiring the organization served as a way for the village to save its resources, along with giving the added benefit of keeping Shinobi out of harm's way. Commissioning other organizations for missions isn't a peculiar concept, something that is evident from the Wind Daimyo's decision to hire the Hidden Leaf for its missions, leading to an invasion by the Hidden Sand. However, the Akatsuki had always been notorious as an organization infested with rogue ninja and wanted criminals, yet the Tsuchikage still chose to hire such a morally corrupt group.
Using the Akatsuki for the Hidden Stone’s dirty work did come with several benefits for Onoki, however. Since the Akatsuki was a criminal organization with no affiliations to any single nation, hiring them meant the Hidden Stone would remain anonymous, and no other nation could pin the resulting assault on the actual perpetrator. It’s worth noting that the Tsuchikage only hired the Akatsuki during the organization’s initial days, before they ventured on their ambitious plan of capturing all nine Tailed Beasts. After the Akatsuki slayed the Hidden Stone’s Jinchuriki, the Tsuchikage may have likely ended his secretive ties with the criminal organization.
The Reason Behind Hiring the Akatsuki
The Hidden Stone has committed its fair share of atrocities and war crimes over the years, but collaborating with an infamous organization such as the Akatsuki is out of character for such a powerful nation. Taking such a drastic measure means that the Tsuchikage was cornered into this position, a fact that later becomes evident after Onoki reveals the true reason behind his controversial decision. During the Five Kage Summit, Onoki explains why he was forced to collaborate with the Akatsuki, placing the blame entirely on the Hidden Cloud Village.
Despite the Five Great Nations undergoing an era of peace and stability, the Hidden Cloud Village remained hell-bent on acquiring secret jutsu and militarizing its already powerful army. Since an armed Hidden Cloud was a direct threat to the Hidden Stone’s peace, the Tsuchikage would have been forced to raise an army of well-equipped shinobi of his own. However, Onoki realized the exorbitant costs of training an army of shinobi would be far too great, forcing him to rely on mercenary groups to undertake lethal missions on foreign lands.
The Hidden Stone was also under pressure from the Land of Earth’s Feudal Lords, who considered an army to be a waste of resources in an era of disarmament and peace. With limited resources and an ill-trained army, the Tsuchikage was forced to look towards the Akatsuki as a cheap alternative to keep the Hidden Stone safe from impending threats.
What Missions Did the Akatsuki Carry Out for the Hidden Stone?
While the Tsuchikage never exactly mentioned the contents of the missions that the Akatsuki undertook, there have been some implications of espionage and assassinations. Since the Akatsuki members were willing to take on any sort of mission or task, it's likely that the Tsuchikage hired them for the most grueling missions that he couldn’t risk his own shinobi for. This includes S-rank missions such as reconnaissance on foreign lands, assassinations, and espionage.
Most of the Hidden Stone’s intel gathering was against the Hidden Cloud Village, since the two shared a tainted history laden with tragedy and bloodshed. Onoki had many encounters with the Raikage, meaning he was well-aware of his ferocious and power-hungry nature. This led to the Hidden Cloud being the sole reason behind the Tsuchikage’s controversial collaboration with the Akatsuki.
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