The Akatsuki uniform looked pretty sharp.
Perhaps it was because Uehara Naraku had overacted a little too much earlier, causing Konan to decide he shouldn't be tainted by Akatsuki's darkness, and that he deserved a bright future.
Naraku didn't get a new outfit himself. He could only cast an envious glance at Uchiha Itachi as he donned the black robe adorned with red clouds.
Konan noticed the boy's longing gaze and reached out to tousle his hair. "Naraku, your future will be bright."
"Actually… this isn't too bad either."
Naraku pouted slightly and muttered under his breath.
But when he saw Konan pull out two bottles of purple nail polish and hand them to Itachi, he couldn't help the twitch of his face.
Did Akatsuki really require such heavy makeup?
Did men have to wear nail polish too?
Konan watched Itachi calmly take the polish and then spoke quietly to him: "Uchiha Itachi… stay away from Naraku from now on. If I see anyone trying to harm him, I won't hold back."
"…."
Itachi lowered his gaze toward Naraku beside Konan and gave a slight nod.
"Konan-senpai, even proper battles can make a kid grow faster!"
The masked man standing next to Itachi, ever curious, glanced at Naraku. "It feels like this kid's card-throwing technique is similar to Konan-senpai's paper jutsu. Could he… be your little brother or something?"
"…."
The pale blue-haired woman furrowed her brow, neither confirming nor denying. "If you don't have anything else to do, you may leave."
"All right, all right! We're leaving, we're leaving! I'm going to buy some dumplings!"
The masked man clutched his head, whistling as he walked off.
Itachi, having just joined the organization, would temporarily stay at the secret base, waiting for Pein to assign him to a combat squad.
After hearing the masked man's remarks, Konan's interest in Naraku's abilities was piqued.
She wanted to know just how strong he was—strong enough to hold his own against a trained Konoha rogue in a sparring match where both sides held back.
When Konan noticed the cards in Naraku's hands, she reached out and took them, studying the designs closely.
It was a King of Hearts.
"Are these… casino cards?"
Konan's expression grew colder. Her gaze at Naraku hardened. "You… gamble?"
"…No."
The boy shrugged, offering an explanation. "When I was young, my family couldn't afford shuriken, so I practiced throwing with cheap cards. I got used to it, and eventually developed jutsu that could use cards in combat."
There wasn't much else to say. After all, a card master's throwing technique was practical. Even just the explosive effect of a card could match the power of a standard detonating tag.
"I see. Naraku, from now on… you'll be my student!"
Konan opened her palm. Sheets of folded paper floated up and transformed into delicate paper butterflies, dancing around them.
She guided one to perch on her fingertip and whispered, "My paper jutsu is similar in nature to your cards. I can teach you many ways to fight with paper."
Not only was this to help him grow, but also to pass on Akatsuki's will.
"…."
Naraku blinked in mild disbelief. Did he really need a teacher at his level?
Still, if he wanted to continue within Akatsuki, refusing Konan seemed unwise.
"Then… I look forward to your guidance, Lady Konan!"
Naraku's mind registered another bizarre side-task completion he hadn't examined closely.
Task Completed: Become Konan's student (1/1), Gold +150.
Just a small reward. Did the system think he was begging?
From Naraku's understanding of side-tasks, the more publicly accepted the task, the greater the reward.
Konan crouched before Naraku, adjusting his clothes, her voice softening: "Naraku… from now on, call me Sensei."
"…Yes, Konan-sensei."
Naraku blinked, accepting it.
Konan herself wasn't naturally gifted as a teacher. After some thought, she decided to use her former teacher's methods to conduct a combat test for her first lesson.
Although her teacher had been a Konoha ninja, she hadn't taken any bell-retrieving exams, instead defeating the teacher's shadow clones alongside her teammates. She planned to replicate that method.
Brushing her hair back, she explained softly: "In a few days, I'll test you. My paper clone will battle you to determine which jutsu I should teach you and whether you're ready for our next mission…"
"Mission?"
"Yes."
Konan placed a hand on Naraku's shoulder. "This mission… is to take revenge for the former Akatsuki members and for your father. I don't want you to live in hatred, but I think you should know. Some things shouldn't be buried in time."
"…."
Naraku nodded slightly. He already knew most of it—the truths he understood ran deeper than what Konan and Nagato had seen.
So… it was time to test his acting skills again?
Konan's expression darkened, her features growing colder. She spoke deliberately: "Twelve years ago… the ones who killed the other Akatsuki members were Hanzo of the Salamander, leader of Amegakure, and Danzo Shimura of Konoha."
"What?"
Naraku's face showed just the right amount of surprise. "So… are we attacking Konoha or Amegakure?"
Pein, having heard this, walked over and stood beside them. His voice was firm: "Konan, tell him the mission directly. Uehara Naraku must participate—this is his destiny."
"No, it could be dangerous for him to join with his current strength…"
For the first time, Konan openly opposed Pein: "I must test him first to ensure he can survive the mission."
"If he dies on this mission, it's because his power is too weak. He doesn't deserve to live in this world!"
"Pein!"
Konan lifted her head sharply, facing him fearlessly. After a moment, she bowed her head, speaking softly: "I remember Jiraiya-sensei's teachings—the young are the future's fire… and Naraku is the only one."
Since Yahiko's death, this was the first time she had defied Pein's will—a rarity.
This boy's arrival was like a ray of light, illuminating their past.
Konan realized she bore a responsibility: the Dawn Will, once meant to illuminate the shinobi world, would now be carried by Uehara Naraku.
"…."
The orange-haired man fell silent for a moment, then turned away. In the rain, he left only one line: "Do as you wish. We've prepared twelve years for this war. Whether a kid participates or not doesn't change the outcome."